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Enhanced secure storage and data privacy management system for big data based on multilayer model
Expression of Concern: The impact of digital economy on high-quality economic development: Research based on the consumption expansion
Coordinated actions of NLR-assembled and glutamate receptor–like calcium channels in plant effector-triggered immunity
The plant immune system utilizes nucleotide-binding/leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins to detect pathogen virulence factors (effectors) inside host cells and transduce recognition to rapid defense. In dicotyledenous plants, pathogen activated Toll-like/interleukin-1 receptor-containing NLRs (TNLs) establish a signaling network of enhanced susceptibility 1 (EDS1)-family dimers with RPW8-type coiled-coil (CC R ) domain NLRs (RNLs) to stimulate transcriptional reprogramming leading to host cell death and pathogen restriction. Evidence suggests that TNL- and EDS1-activated RNLs function as oligomeric Ca 2+ permeable ion channels at the plasma membrane. However, the downstream processes for immunity execution are poorly understood. Here, we studied pathogen effector-triggered immunity conferred by Nicotiana benthamiana TNL (Roq1) which signals almost exclusively through the EDS1-senescence associated gene101 (SAG101)-N required gene 1 (NRG1) RNL module. We identify a pair of glutamate receptor–like Ca 2+ ion channels (GLR2.9a and GLR2.9b) which, unlike most other pathogen-induced GLRs, are highly up-regulated by the EDS1-SAG101-NRG1 module in the TNL immune response. We show that oligomeric NRG1 Ca 2+ channel activity is necessary for GLR2.9a and GLR2.9b induced expression. Consequently, GLR2.9a and GLR2.9b proteins contribute to NRG1 -dependent Ca 2+ accumulation in host cells, and to pathogen resistance and host cell death. We establish that GLR2.9a localizes mainly to the plasma membrane/cytoplasm whereas GLR2.9b accumulates preferentially at the nuclear envelope. The data show that transcriptionally up-regulated canonical Ca 2+ ion channels GLR2.9a and GLR2.9b are a functional output of the EDS1-SAG101-NRG1 module for TNL-triggered immunity.
Anthropogenic climate change may reduce global diazotroph diversity
A Nostalgia Brain-Music Interface for enhancing nostalgia, well-being, and memory vividness in younger and older individuals
Behavioural analysis of multi-year satellite telemetry data provides insight into narwhal (Monodon monoceros) winter prey selection in Baffin Bay
Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are deep-diving Arctic cetaceans that migrate seasonally between summering and wintering grounds. The Baffin Bay population overwinters in southern Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, where they are known to forage on high-energy benthic prey. Studying narwhal winter behaviour and prey preference has been challenged by their remote distribution and limited lifespan of satellite tags deployed in summer, restricting data on their habitat use and foraging strategies. Since prey consumption is thought to peak in the winter, understanding narwhal diet plasticity in a rapidly changing environment like Baffin Bay is critical. This study developed unique methods to examine four years of irregular satellite telemetry data from 22 narwhals tagged in their summering grounds. Locations and recorded diving data from the overwintering area were isolated, and a hidden Markov model was used to define three behaviours (“surface”, “pelagic”, and “deep-water” diving). We further examined the effects of five covariates on these behaviours to provide insight into the spatial patterns of narwhal winter prey preference. Narwhal behaviours were dominated by diving, with 37% of their time spent in pelagic waters and 40% in deep-water, while only 22% of their time was spent in surface related behaviours. Deep-water behaviours increased later in the day and into the winter season and occurred frequently in the center trough of Baffin Bay before (66°- 69°) and across Davis Strait (65° - 67°). In contrast, pelagic behaviours declined as the winter season progressed and occurred earlier in the day. Narwhals occupying the northern overwintering area exhibited more pelagic behaviours, despite it being deeper, suggesting different foraging strategies across their winter range. Our study identified behaviours suggestive of a variable winter diet and provided insight on the spatial nature of these behaviours across the winter season. The methods developed in this study present new opportunities for analysing lower resolution satellite tracking data. With advancements in bio-logging technology and remote field methods, the ability to successfully document changes in winter space use and fine-scale foraging behaviours may be possible for narwhal in the future.
Caudate serotonin signaling during social exchange distinguishes essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease patients
Precision diagnosis of citrus leaf diseases using image enhancement and nonlinear fuzzy ranking ensemble approach NLFuRBe
Association between hemoglobin glycation index and 28-day all-cause mortality in acute myocardial infarction patients: Analysis of the MIMIC-IV database
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) substantially fuels the worldwide escalation in both morbidity and mortality. The hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) is linked to a range of undesirable outcomes, but its relationship with short-term outcomes in AMI patients has not been explored. This study analyzed data from 1008 first-time ICU AMI patients in the MIMIC-IV 3.1 database. To calculate the HGI, a linear regression equation was developed based on fasting glucose (FPG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and patients were classified into four quartile groups. The main outcome of interest was 28-day ICU mortality, with the secondary outcome being 28-day in-hospital mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the Q1 group (low HGI) exhibited significantly higher mortality rates compared to the other groups. In a well-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, low HGI was drastically linked with 28-day ICU mortality and 28-day in-hospital mortality. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis revealed a U-shaped association between HGI and outcome events, mainly characterized by a correlation between low HGI and poor outcomes. Subgroup studies revealed that the association between HGI and endpoints was constant across subgroups. Machine learning models, including Boruta and SHAP, confirmed HGI’s predictive value for short-term adverse outcomes. This shows that HGI could be a useful indicator of short-term mortality in AMI patients.
A reconfigurable piezo-ionotropic polymer membrane for sustainable multi-resonance acoustic sensing
Establishment of Drosophila intestinal cell lines as tools for multiomic screening and deciphering intestinal biology
Antimalarial and neuroprotective effects of ethanolic extracts of the five-flower remedy in an experimental cerebral malaria model
Cerebral malaria (CM), a life-threatening consequence of Plasmodium falciparum infection, is associated with a high fatality rate and long-term brain impairment in survivors. Despite advances in malaria treatment, effective therapies to mitigate the severe neurological consequences of CM remain limited. Consequently, novel antimalarial drugs with different mechanisms or neuroprotective advantages are urgently required. This study aimed to explore the potential antimalarial and neuroprotective properties of the five-flower remedy (FFR), a traditional herbal formulation, in experimental cerebral malaria (ECM). Male C57BL/6 mice were induced with Plasmodium berghei ANKA to establish the ECM model. The ethanolic extract of FFR (600 mg/kg) was assessed both as a monotherapy and in combination with artesunate and administered for seven consecutive days starting at the onset of CM symptoms. Parasitemia levels, clinical progression, behavioral changes, and histopathological analysis of brain tissue were analyzed. The results revealed that the ethanolic extract of FFR alone improved outcomes in ECM, while its combination with artesunate significantly reduced parasitemia levels (80%), increased survival rates, reduced neurological deficits, and mitigated brain inflammation and behavioral changes. Histological analysis revealed decreased brain hemorrhage, leukocyte infiltration, and neuronal apoptosis. These promising results suggest that combining artesunate with FFR extract could be a valuable additional treatment for CM. This combination not only improves survival rates but also helps protect the brain by reducing inflammation, neurological damage, and behavioral changes. Further studies are needed to elucidate its drug interaction, mechanisms of action and potential clinical applications.
Prediction of cellular morphology changes under perturbations with a transcriptome-guided diffusion model
Abstract Investigating cell morphology changes after perturbations using high-throughput image-based profiling is increasingly important for phenotypic drug discovery, including predicting mechanisms of action (MOA) and compound bioactivity. The vast space of chemical and genetic perturbations makes it impractical to explore all possibilities using conventional methods. Here we propose MorphDiff, a transcriptome-guided latent diffusion model that simulates high-fidelity cell morphological responses to perturbations. We demonstrate MorphDiff’s effectiveness on three large-scale datasets, including two drug perturbation and one genetic perturbation dataset, covering thousands of perturbations. Extensive benchmarking shows MorphDiff accurately predicts cell morphological changes under unseen perturbations. Additionally, MorphDiff enhances MOA retrieval, achieving an accuracy comparable to ground-truth morphology and outperforming baseline methods by 16.9% and 8.0%, respectively. This work highlights MorphDiff’s potential to accelerate phenotypic screening and improve MOA identification, making it a powerful tool in drug discovery.
Enhancing interior design and space planning via human–machine intelligent interaction for artistic cognition
Evaluation of flow control using PID versus fuzzy logic in an electropneumatic circuit for pulmonary ventilation applications
High-tech mechanical ventilators are engineered to deliver precise and consistent airflow, which is critical for effective respiratory therapy. This study evaluates flow control performance in a custom-built electro-pneumatic ventilator prototype, comparing Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control with Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC) through real-time experiments on a test-lung platform to assess accuracy and adaptability under dynamic conditions. A laboratory based experimental study was conducted under laboratory conditions, using a test lung simulator and real-time flow data acquisition. The analysis included time-domain performance metrics and statistical validation through Bland–Altman analysis. Results indicate that both controllers meet the accuracy thresholds expected in commercial systems. However, the fuzzy logic controller exhibited narrower limits of agreement and lower standard deviation, indicating greater consistency. While PID control responded faster, with a settling time between 0.32 and 0.43 seconds, FLC achieved superior performance in high-demand scenarios, delivering an entire volume of 900 mL. Stability analysis using the Jury Test and Nyquist criteria confirmed that both systems are dynamically stable. Notably, the FLC curve in the Nyquist plot remained farther from the critical point (–1, 0j), indicating enhanced robustness against disturbances. These findings suggest that FLC may offer a reliable alternative to PID in nonlinear ventilation scenarios, particularly in resource-constrained environments seeking technological autonomy.
Activation–retardation in sol–gel reactions for additive manufacturing of transparent poly(methylsilsesquioxane) aerogels
Compensatory retinal blood flow enhancement in cognitively normal ApoE ε4 carriers
Expression of Concern: ChainAgile: A framework for the improvement of Scrum Agile distributed software development based on blockchain
Backscattering in topological edge states despite time-reversal symmetry
Abstract Spin-momentum-locked edge states of quantum spin Hall insulators provide a compelling platform for spintronic applications, owing to their intrinsic protection against backscattering from non-magnetic disorder. This protection emerges from time-reversal symmetry, which pairs Kramers partners of helical edge modes with opposite spin and momentum, thereby strictly forbidding elastic single-particle backscattering within the pair. Yet, contrary to the idealized notion of linear edge bands, the non-monotonic dispersions of realistic materials can host multiple Kramers pairs, reintroducing backscattering channels between them without violating time-reversal symmetry. Here, we investigate inter-Kramers pair backscattering in the non-linear edge bands of the quantum spin Hall insulator indenene, highlighting a critical aspect of edge state stability. Using quasiparticle interference in scanning tunneling spectroscopy – a direct probe of backscattering – we observe intra-band coupling between different Kramers pairs, while energy regions with only a single Kramers pair remain strictly protected. Supported by theoretical analysis, our findings provide an unprecedented experimental demonstration of edge state backscattering fully consistent with their underlying topological protection. This insight has profound implications for numerous quantum spin Hall insulator candidates, emphasizing that the mere presence of gap-traversing edge modes does not inherently guarantee their protection against backscattering.