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Idiopathic hyperprolactinemia-associated hypogonadism in men presenting with normal testosterone levels
Purpose Hypogonadism, presenting with low libido, erectile dysfunction, and gynecomastia, frequently occurs in men with hyperprolactinemia, typically characterized by elevated serum prolactin, suppressed gonadotropins, and low testosterone. However, we identified a rare subset of patients who presented with normal testosterone levels, but whose clinical profiles were poorly defined. Methods A retrospective analysis of medical records was conducted on 23 men diagnosed with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia and normal testosterone levels between 01/07/2019 and 01/12/2024. Baseline clinical characteristics, hormone levels, pituitary gland dimensions (as measured by MRI-derived pituitary height), and responses to medical treatments (bromocriptine or cabergoline) were evaluated. Results The mean age at diagnosis was 30.91 ± 7.66 years (range: 20–50). Mean serum prolactin at presentation was 38.22 ± 30.68 ng/mL (range: 20.00–170.93), and mean pituitary height was 6.40 ± 0.97 mm. Primary complaints at diagnosis included low libido, gynecomastia, impotence, and erectile dysfunction. Eighteen patients received bromocriptine, whereas five patients received cabergoline. After an average treatment duration of 7.83 ± 6.97 months (range: 1–29 months), prolactin levels normalized in all patients, pituitary height was significantly reduced to 4.39 ± 1.37 mm, and most patients reported notable clinical improvements, particularly in sexual function. Conclusion Idiopathic hyperprolactinemia-associated hypogonadism can occasionally present with normal testosterone levels, emphasizing the importance of clinical vigilance beyond standard hormonal assessments. Pituitary height reduction may serve as an important diagnostic marker and indicator of treatment effectiveness. Medical treatment, including bromocriptine or cabergoline, with a possible preference for cabergoline based on clinical considerations, can effectively normalize hormone levels and significantly improve clinical symptoms.
Correction: Validity of the test for attentional performance in neurological post-COVID condition
Lifestyle behaviors and cardiovascular risk factors in transgender versus cisgender stroke survivors
Transgender individuals represent a vulnerable population with unique healthcare needs. Despite facing health disparities, there is limited research on the characteristics and stroke risk factors among transgender stroke survivors. We extracted and analyzed data from the 2020–2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to study stroke risk factors among transgender stroke survivors and to compare them to cisgender stroke survivors. cisgender stroke survivors were paired with transgender stroke survivors using a 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) ratio. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and vascular risk factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Out of 29,628 individuals with a history of stroke, we identified 189 transgender stroke survivors and matched them with 378 cisgender stroke survivors. Transgender individuals exhibited a higher odds of reporting a history of stroke compared to cisgenders (adjusted odds ratio[aOR]=1.692, 95% CI 1.645–1.741). Hypertension (57.8%), depression (54.3%), hypercholesterolemia (52%), and obesity (44.7%) were the most common risk factors for transgender stroke survivors. Transgender stroke survivors had higher odds of lifestyle risk factors such as e-cigarette smoking (aOR=3.651, 95%CI 1.373–9.705), binge drinking (aOR=2.519, 95%CI 1.088–5.832), alcohol consumption (aOR=2.147, 95%CI 1.049–4.395), and tobacco smoking (aOR=2.030, 95%CI 1.214–3.395). In conclusion, transgender stroke survivors may face significant challenges due to elevated modifiable risk factors, especially lifestyle-related ones. Recognizing these specific risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions for transgender stroke survivors.
Remodelling autoactive NLRs for broad-spectrum immunity in plants
Mechanical and mineralogical performance of sustainable cement composites with calcined palm oil leaf and calcined pine leaf Ash as supplementary cementitious materials
Abstract The construction sector exerts a profound environmental burden, largely attributable to cement production, which represents a major source of global carbon emissions. In pursuit of sustainable alternatives, this study explores the utilisation of agricultural by-products specifically calcined palm oil leaf ash (POLA) and calcined pine leaf ash (PLA) as novel supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Both ashes, when thermally processed, exhibit considerable potential to enhance the mechanical performance and sustainability of cementitious composites. An experimental programme was undertaken to evaluate mortars incorporating 5–30% POLA or PLA, in 5% increments, as partial cement replacements. Mechanical, microstructural, and phase-characterization studies were performed on both fresh and hardened states. Results demonstrated that high replacement levels of PLA (30%) severely compromised compressive strength, With reductions of 72.27%, 69.87%, and 67.64% at 7, 14, and 28 days, respectively. By contrast, equivalent POLA mixtures exhibited more moderate declines of 43.54%, 32.05%, and 32.72% over the same periods. At low incorporation (5%), both ashes fostered compact, homogeneous microstructures enriched in calcium silicate hydrate gel, reflecting robust pozzolanic activity and accelerated hydration. X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed these observations, revealing depletion of calcium hydroxide phases and significant modifications in Si-O-Si and O-H vibrational bands at optimal substitution levels. Conversely, excessive ash loadings impeded hydration, with persistent residues, peak broadening, and attenuated CH intensities. Overall, this study demonstrates the valorisation of calcined POLA and PLA as previously unreported SCMs, establishing their potential to reduce cement’s carbon footprint while maintaining microstructural integrity and mechanical viability at optimal dosages.
Immunogenicity of one dose and two doses of adjuvanted influenza vaccine in lung transplant candidates
Influenza is especially dangerous for high-risk patients, for whom various vaccination strategies are used to prevent this disease. This study assessed the safety and immunological effectiveness of an inactivated trivalent polymer-subunit influenza vaccine Grippol® Plus administered according to two regimens in a group of 41 patients with severe progressive bronchopulmonary disorders. It also investigated the duration of vaccine-induced antibody response in this patient population. Group 1 of the study subjects (n = 21) received one dose of Grippol® Plus, and Group 2 (n = 20) received two doses of Grippol® Plus one month apart in the same influenza season. To measure antibody levels, paired sera were tested in hemagglutination inhibition assay pre-vaccination and at months 1 and 12 post-vaccination. Vaccine immunogenicity was assessed by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) criteria. All patients were symptom-free in the post-vaccination period. The one-dose regimen met all CHMP criteria against strains A/California/7/2009(H1N1)pdm09-like and A/Texas/50/2012(H3N2) and the criteria for seroprotection and seroconversion against the B/Massachusetts/2/2012 strain. This regimen was associated with a significant increase in Ab titers against all the three influenza viral strains. In the two-dose group, no statistically significant differences were observed in IgG Ab levels, seroprotection rate, seroconversion rate or seroconversion factor at month 1 after the first and second vaccine doses. At month 12 post-vaccination, Ab levels returned to baseline, regardless the vaccination regimen. In lung transplant candidates, one-dose vaccination with an inactivated trivalent polymer-subunit influenza vaccine was effective in generating protective antibody levels for the current influenza season.
AI can learn to show its workings through trial and error
Does lithium deficiency contribute to Alzheimer’s disease?
Seaweed as a climate fix for meat and dairy production: an LCA perspective
Abstract Livestock supply chains contribute a substantial share of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with enteric methane (CH₄) from ruminants being a key driver. Seaweed-derived feed additives have been proposed as a CH₄ mitigation strategy, but their broader environmental trade-offs remain unclear. This study applies life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate seven seaweed-supplemented scenarios across beef, dairy, and sheep production, assessing climate change, marine and freshwater eutrophication, land use, fossil fuel depletion, and water use. Results indicate that while certain seaweed additives can lower CH₄ emissions in vitro, real-world reductions in total GHG emissions remain modest. Energy-intensive processing and long transport distances can offset CH₄ abatement gains, with only scenarios utilizing low-impact by-products achieving net climate benefits. Sensitivity analyses highlight the importance of Global Warming Potential (GWP) time horizon selection, energy sources, and grazing practices in determining overall environmental performance. Optimizing algae sourcing, processing, and application will be essential to realizing meaningful and scalable mitigation potential in ruminant systems. While seaweed additives can contribute to CH₄ reduction, this study concludes they will not single-handedly deliver transformative climate benefits.
Interleukin-1β depresses neuronal activity in the rat olfactory bulb even during odor stimulation
The olfactory system is exposed to external and internal harmful agents that may impair the communication between the olfactory sensory neurons and olfactory brain areas. Inflammatory molecules increase in the olfactory system in response to infections and chronic systemic diseases. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a cytokine produced in many inflammatory processes. In previous studies, we observed that IL-1β increased in the olfactory bulb (OB) of diabetic rats, which also presented olfactory dysfunction. This study aimed to determine whether IL-1β could be responsible for the olfactory impairment. To address this question, IL-1β and its antagonist IL-1Ra were microinjected in the OB of rats to evaluate the electrophysiological activity in the OB and entorhinal cortex (EC) by recording the local field potentials (LFPs) in resting conditions and during olfactory stimulation. RNA-seq analysis from NCBI databases demonstrated the expression of IL-1β receptor 1 (IL1-R1) in the OB from rats and mice. Interestingly, IL-1β reduced total spectral power in the OB and increased total signal frequency and gamma power in both OB and EC. Moreover, IL-1β reduced the amplitude and increased the latency of the olfactory evoked potentials (OEPs) after OB stimulation with amyl acetate. IL-1Ra microinjection before IL-1β rescued amplitude and latency of OEPs, but only partially reverted the effects of IL-1β in total spectral power and relative gamma power. In addition, IL-1Ra changed the electrophysiological activity of OB and EC; however, its effect was lower than that of IL-1β. These results suggest that IL-1β may induce olfactory dysfunction by suppressing neuronal activity in the OB and EC. Furthermore, IL-1β may also have a physiological role in the olfactory system since IL-1Ra can modify the electrical activity in these brain areas.
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep
Abstract To gain a comprehensive, unbiased perspective on molecular changes in the brain that may underlie the need for sleep, we have characterized the transcriptomes of single cells isolated from rested and sleep-deprived flies. Here we report that transcripts upregulated after sleep deprivation, in sleep-control neurons projecting to the dorsal fan-shaped body 1,2 (dFBNs) but not ubiquitously in the brain, encode almost exclusively proteins with roles in mitochondrial respiration and ATP synthesis. These gene expression changes are accompanied by mitochondrial fragmentation, enhanced mitophagy and an increase in the number of contacts between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, creating conduits 3,4 for the replenishment of peroxidized lipids 5 . The morphological changes are reversible after recovery sleep and blunted by the installation of an electron overflow 6,7 in the respiratory chain. Inducing or preventing mitochondrial fission or fusion 8–13 in dFBNs alters sleep and the electrical properties of sleep-control cells in opposite directions: hyperfused mitochondria increase, whereas fragmented mitochondria decrease, neuronal excitability and sleep. ATP concentrations in dFBNs rise after enforced waking because of diminished ATP consumption during the arousal-mediated inhibition of these neurons 14 , which augments their mitochondrial electron leak 7 . Consistent with this view, uncoupling electron flux from ATP synthesis 15 relieves the pressure to sleep, while exacerbating mismatches between electron supply and ATP demand (by powering ATP synthesis with a light-driven proton pump 16 ) precipitates sleep. Sleep, like ageing 17,18 , may be an inescapable consequence of aerobic metabolism.
Metabolomic and antioxidant characterization of seven Egyptian and Saudi date syrups via GC-MS and UHPLC/MS with sensory bioactive insights
Abstract Date syrup is a valued ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine and is widely used in the food industry for its sweetness and high nutritional value, prepared from fruits post-heat processing. The current study assesses the chemical composition of 7 commercial date syrup products (D1-D7) of different origins via a metabolomics approach using hyphenated UHPLC-MS and GC-MS techniques, followed by multivariate data analysis. Primary metabolites profiling via GC-MS assigned 36 peaks belonging to sugars, sugar alcohols, fatty acids/esters, alcohols, organic acids, and nitrogenous compounds. Sugars and sugar alcohols amounted for ca. 97.04%, dominated by mono-sugars. Aroma profiling using headspace coupled to GC-MS revealed 17 volatiles belonging mainly to furans, alcohols, and esters, with furans likely produced upon processing as a major class in most products at ca. 48%, except samples (D2 and D3) where alcohols predominated at ca. 64%. Classification of date products was more reliable using silylated metabolites than from the aroma dataset. UHPLC-MS analysis of date syrups identified 77 metabolites, of which 33 are reported herein for the first time in Phoenix dactylifera, including sugars, phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, and fatty acids, with the former being the most abundant. The antioxidant effect of date syrups was attributed to their relatively high total phenolic and flavonoid contents. This study provides, for the first time, detailed profiling of date syrups from various origins to elucidate their nutritional composition and potential health benefits.
Multi-objective representation learning for road networks and trajectories with spatial-temporal fusion and contrastive signals
Modeling and learning representations for road networks and vehicle trajectories are crucial in enabling intelligent transportation systems, with applications ranging from traffic forecasting to many other downstream inference tasks. However, learning effective representations that generalize well across tasks remains challenging due to the heterogeneous nature of spatio-temporal data and limited supervision. In this paper, we propose a unified multi-objective pretraining framework called MRRT, Multi-objective Representation Learning for Road Network and Trajectories, that combines masked trajectory modeling (MTM) with multiple contrastive learning objectives across trajectories, road segments, and spatial contexts. Our model integrates graph attention networks (GAT), spatial CNNs, and transformers with temporal and positional encoding, allowing us to capture structural and contextual dependencies in urban mobility. By leveraging grid-structured and graph-structured data, along with spatiotemporal dynamics, our model effectively captures diverse road and trajectory characteristics. To enhance robustness, we design trajectory-specific data augmentations and contrastive heads for trajectory-to-trajectory, trajectory-to-node, and node-to-node alignment. Additionally, we design an adaptive negative sampling strategy to further enhance the contrastive learning. We evaluate our approach in various downstream tasks based on trajectory and road, including travel time estimation, speed inference, and similarity search. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method consistently outperforms prior baselines and ablated variants, validating the effectiveness of our multiobjective design.
Prognostic significance of liver affliction in pregnancy related acute kidney injury in an Egyptian cohort
Abstract Pregnancy related-acute kidney injury (Pr-AKI) is a major public health problem that poses serious maternal and fetal risks, particularly in low-resource settings. Liver affection including conditions unique to pregnancy such as Hyperemesis gravidarum, preeclampsia/HELLP syndrome, acute fatty liver of pregnancy or pre-existing liver conditions, can further compromise these adverse outcomes. Given the critical yet understudied nature of liver involvement in Pr-AKI, this research aimed to explore the pattern of liver affliction in women with Pr-AKI and its impact on maternal and fetal outcomes. This 5-year retrospective study included women with severe Pr-AKI (stage III) according to the KDIGO definition. The medical records of the included patients were reviewed for evidence of gestational liver disorders such as (HELLP syndrome, acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy), or evidence of preexisting/coincidental liver disease. The patients’ clinical/laboratory data and outcomes were collected and analyzed. This study of 77 pregnant women with severe Pr-AKI found a high maternal mortality rate of 18.2% and fetal mortality of 39%. 35.5% of survivors in the liver affliction group developed chronic kidney disease requiring hemodialysis. Most women presented in the third trimester with preeclampsia/HELLP syndrome, other conditions included, acute fatty liver of pregnancy and preexisting liver cirrhosis. Women with liver affection presented at older gestational ages, had higher maternal mortality, more severe hematological abnormalities and worse fetal and renal outcomes. Severe liver dysfunction was the only significant predictor of maternal mortality, which was primarily observed in patients with shock liver or pre-existing decompensated liver cirrhosis. Liver affliction is not an uncommon problem among women with Pr-AKI and it is associated with higher maternal mortality and poor fetal and renal outcomes. Further research is needed to better understand the various liver diseases that arise in pregnancy and their impact on outcomes in Pr-AKI patients.
Super-enhancer-associated LINC00963 promotes metastasis of gastric cancer through epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Background: In clinical practice, gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignancy with high morbidity. Accumulating research has revealed that lncRNAs are involved in the development and metastasis of tumor tissues in multiple cancers. As reported, LINC00963, a typical lncRNA is aberrantly expressed in gastric cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of super-enhancers mediating remain unclear. Materials and methods: The GC cell line enhancer-super-enhancer data were downloaded and analyzed from the NCBI database (GSE75595). Combined RT-qPCR and Sanger sequencing were employed to identify three variants of LINC00963 in gastric cell lines and peripheral blood samples from gastric cancer patients. Western blot was used to detect the expression level of epi-thelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins. Transwell assays were applied to assess the cell invasion and migration. A xenograft model was applied to simulate the tumor development process, during which the effect of LINC00963 on promoting tu-morigenesis were investigated. Results: Analysis of the GC cell line enhanc-er-super-enhancer data revealed a high expression of LINC00963 driven by su-per-enhancer. The variant 1 and variant 2 of LINC00963 exhibited high expression in GC cell line and the peripheral blood of gastric cancers. LINC00963 expression in the GC cell line was reduced after exposure to a low dose of the bromodomain and extraterminal inhibitor JQ1. Down-regulation of LINC00963 variant 1 resulted in decreased levels of β-catenin and ZEB1 proteins, and the protein expression levels of several marker proteins related to EMT, such as Vimentin, N-cadherin were observed to decrease (Fig 1). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the super-enhancer-associated LINC00963 promoting tumor metastasis in gastric cancer through EMT.
Serum klotho levels modify the positive relationship of depression and all-cause mortality risk
Synthesis, characterization of hybrid nanocomposite material and fabrication of their advance membrane for removal of antibiotics from water
In this work, a selective membrane for antibiotics removal from water was fabricated. The ingredients utilized for membrane fabrication include functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs), poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and poly vinyl imidazole (PVIM). Firstly, TiO2 nanostructure’s surface was functionalized through APTES. The layer of functional monomers methyl methacrylate (MMA) and VIM (vinyl imidazole) was grafted onto TiO2 surface through controlled radical polymerization technique. The grafted material was fabricated into membrane with embedded selectivity utilizing molecular imprinting method. The material was diagnostically analyzed with Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) technique, which confirm functionalization of nanomaterial surface. The grafted layer around the nanoparticles was visualized with FESEM. The hybrid membrane shows excellent and promising results against removal of antibiotics from aqueous medium. The fabricated membranes via Molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) technique were applied for the selective removal of antibiotics (ciprofloxacin) from real water samples. The removal efficiency and selectivity of the hybrid membrane was monitored via UV visible spectroscopy.
Spirostan and spirosol saponin derivatives from Solanum muricatum Aiton and their cytotoxic activities: insights into bioactive compounds and molecular mechanisms
Antibacterial consumption before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care pediatric hospital in Mexico
Background During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pediatric inpatients frequently received at least one antibiotic, and several antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) strategies were disrupted. In Mexico, no published data are available on antibacterial consumption in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibacterial consumption levels and trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care pediatric hospital in Mexico, and to forecast future antibacterial consumption. Methods This was a secondary analysis based on time series data of monthly antibacterial consumption from January 2016 to June 2024 in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Antibacterial consumption was retrospectively measured for the pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods. Consumption was expressed as days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient-days (pd). Results The mean antibacterial consumption at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez (HIMFG) from 2016 to 2024 was 789.3 (95% CI, 756.1–822.5) DOT/1000 pd. In the medical pediatric intensive care unit (M-PICU) and surgical pediatric intensive care unit (S-PICU), mean consumption was 1305.3 DOT/1000 pd (95% CI: 1119.1–1491.6) and 1634.5 DOT/1000 pd (95% CI: 1444.2–1824.9), respectively. Before the pandemic, the hospital-wide mean consumption was 848.8 DOT/1000 pd (95% CI: 811.3–886.2); during the pandemic, it was 709.6 DOT/1000 pd (95% CI: 650.3–769.0); and after the pandemic, 799.2 DOT/1000 pd (95% CI: 698.1–900.3). Overall, consumption rates oscillated around the mean, and no patterns were observed. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect trends of antibacterial consumption across the hospital or in the pediatric intensive care unit. Although the prior authorization component of the ASP maintained antibacterial consumption around the mean, the implementation of additional ASP strategies -such as education and persuasive interventions- alongside current restrictive measures may help further optimize antibacterial consumption in pediatric units.