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Efficacy of gabapentin as pain management of T2–T4 feline facial squamous cell carcinoma treated with electrochemotherapy

Computational prediction of the pathogenic variants of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase activating protein using Molecular Dynamics simulation

The arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (ALOX5AP) regulates leukotrienes (LTs) synthesis. LTs are involved in inflammation which is implicated in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and stroke. Variations in ALOX5AP gene are associated with CVDs, stroke and others because of their possible effects on ALOX5AP stability and function. In this study we investigated with molecular dynamics (MD) simulation the structural impacts of L12F, A56V, G75R, and G87R variants on ALOX5AP. We employed an array of bioinformatics techniques, including SIFT, PolyPhen-2, PANTHER, SNPs&GO, PhD-SNP, i-Mutant, MuPro, MutPred, ConSurf, and GROMACS. Results showed that the L12F variant increased structural compactness, as indicated by diminished solvent accessibility, a reduced radius of gyration, and a decrease in hydrogen bonding capacity. The A56V variant destabilized the ALOX5AP, demonstrating elevated root mean square deviation (RMSD), augmented solvent-accessible surface area, and diminished ALOX5AP compactness. The G75R and G87R variants exhibited mild effects on ALOX5AP wildtype. However, simulation trajectory snapshots results indicated G75R and G87R variants induce instability leading to structural perturbations of ALOX5AP probably due to the charge of arginine introduced by the G75R and G87R mutation. The G75R and G87R variants potentially influence ALOX5AP dynamics, stability, and function. These results require further verification in future case-control and protein functional studies.

Retrospective analysis of primary pulmonary lymphoma cases from Polish Lymphoma Research Group centers reveals associations between initial symptoms and outcomes

Human exposure to PM10 microplastics in indoor air

The ubiquitous presence of airborne microplastics (MPs) in different indoor environments prompts serious concerns about the degree to which we inhale these particles and their potential impact on human health. Previous studies have mostly targeted MP in the 20–200 µm size range, which are less likely to efficiently penetrate into the lungs. In this study, we specifically investigate airborne, indoor suspended MPs in the inhalable 1–10 µm (MP1–10 µm) range in residential and car cabin environments, by using Raman spectroscopy. The median concentration of total suspended indoor MPs for the residential environment was 528 MPs/m3 and 2,238 MPs/m3 in the car cabin environment. The predominant polymer type in the residential environment was polyethylene (PE), and polyamide (PA) in the car cabin environment. Fragments were the dominant shape for 97% of the analyzed MPs, and 94% of MPs were smaller than 10 µm (MP1–10 µm), following a power size distribution law (the number of MP fragments increases exponentially as particle size decreases). We combine the new MP1–10 µm observations with published indoor MP data to derive a consensus indoor MP concentration distribution, which we use to estimate human adult indoor MP inhalation of 3,200 MPs/day for the 10–300 µm (MP10–300 µm) range, and 68,000 MPs/day for MP1–10 µm. The MP1–10 µm exposure estimates are 100-fold higher than previous estimates that were extrapolated from larger MP sizes, and suggest that the health impacts of MP inhalation may be more substantial than we realize.

Genome-wide analysis in human populations reveals mitonuclear disequilibrium in genes related to neurological function

Effects of long-term metformin intake on postoperative clinicopathological characteristics in patients with invasive lung adenocarcinoma and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective analysis

Objective This retrospective study aimed to evaluate whether long-term metformin use is associated with less aggressive clinicopathological characteristics in patients with invasive lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We reviewed patients with both invasive LUAD and T2DM who underwent curative lung cancer resection and lymph node dissection between January 2012 and August 2022. Patients were divided into a metformin group and a non-metformin group based on their antidiabetic treatment. Clinicopathological outcomes included tumor size, TNM stage, histologic differentiation, Ki-67 expression, and pathological subtypes. Comparisons were made using Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, χ² test, or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Results A total of 130 patients were included (45 metformin users and 85 non-users), with no significant differences in baseline characteristics. The metformin group showed smaller tumors (1.78 ± 0.87 cm vs. 2.21 ± 1.28 cm; p = 0.049), fewer cases of high Ki-67 expression (>15%) (35.6% vs. 62.3%; p = 0.004), and no lymph node metastasis (0% vs. 15.3%; p = 0.022). Additionally, patients on metformin had better differentiation (p = 0.039) and earlier TNM stages (p = 0.03). Conclusion Long-term metformin use in diabetic patients with invasive LUAD was associated with more favorable clinicopathological features, including smaller tumor size, lower proliferative index, and absence of nodal metastasis. These findings support a potential anti-tumor role of metformin in lung adenocarcinoma.

Effect of finger–ball friction on upper limb movement during fastball pitching in baseball

Abstract This study investigated the effect of the friction between the ball and fingertips (finger–ball friction) on upper limb movement during four-seam fastball pitching in terms of the centrifugal force acting on the ball. Eight skilled pitchers threw four-seam fastballs at approximately 130 km/h toward a target behind the home base. Water was applied as a low-friction condition and rosin powder was applied as a high-friction condition between the fingertips and the ball. Hand velocity and pitching radius (i.e., radius of the motion trajectory of the hand) were calculated from motion capture data. Centrifugal force evaluation index was calculated as the square of hand velocity divided by the pitching radius. Statistical parametric mapping was performed to compare the time-series of each variable between foot contact and ball release. Although no significant differences were observed, a tendency for hand velocity to decrease under low-friction conditions during the acceleration phase was observed. Additionally, the pitching radius was significantly greater under low-friction conditions around the maximum shoulder rotation timing, and consequently, the centrifugal force index significantly decreased during the first half of the acceleration phase. These findings deepen our understanding of how pitchers adjust their throwing motion under different finger–ball friction conditions.

Development of a core outcome set for trials for management of oral submucous fibrosis (OSFCOS): A consensus study protocol

Background The effectiveness of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) treatment is currently assessed with a broad range of clinical outcome measures. This heterogeneity complicates study comparison, synthesis of results, and evidence-based clinical practice guideline development. A core outcome set (COS) is a set of agreed, standardized outcomes that will be measured and reported across all clinical trials for a particular condition. Objective Our aim is to create a COS (OSFCOS) for efficacy trials that look at the management OSF. Methods An initial list of the potentially relevant outcomes will be drawn by a systematic review of randomized controlled trials focused on OSF treatment. An e-Delphi process will be done to obtain agreement among important stakeholders. The stakeholders will consist of OSF patients, members of the Indian Academy of Oral Medicine & Radiology, the representatives from the Indian Dental Association, clinical researchers, and other oral health specialists. Participants will be asked to rate the importance of each outcome on a structured online questionnaire. Participants will also be allowed to propose new outcomes in Round 1. Feedback and the aggregated scores will be given in later rounds to guide re-rating. If after the second round, there is still no consensus, a third round will be taken.Final consensus on outcome inclusion will be determined based on predefined criteria. Conclusion This protocol outlines a structured, inclusive approach to developing a core outcome set for OSF. The finalized OSFCOS will be made publicly available to guide outcome selection in clinical trials, improve the quality of systematic reviews, and support evidence-based clinical recommendations for the treatment of OSF.

A more reduced mantle beneath the lunar South Pole–Aitken basin

220–325 GHz all-photopolymer Bragg horn antennas towards eco-friendly terahertz applications

Abstract This paper presents the development of the world’s first high-gain, all-photopolymer Bragg horn antennas explicitly designed for the WR-3.4 band (220–325 GHz), marking a groundbreaking advancement in terahertz (THz) antenna technology. Unlike conventional metallic horn antennas, which suffer from conductor losses and manufacturing complexity, this innovative design utilizes eco-friendly photopolymer materials and additive manufacturing, achieving a fractional bandwidth of 38.5% that fully covers the WR-3.4 band. The proposed antenna achieves a measured peak gain of 28.98 dBi at 300 GHz, with a return loss better than − 20dB across the band and a consistent half-power beamwidth (HPBW) of ~ 5°, ensuring precise directivity and minimal sidelobe interference. By employing a novel horn-type adapter for seamless mode conversion from TE 10 to the fundamental HE 11 mode, the design significantly enhances coupling efficiency and reduces signal loss. Additionally, fabrication costs can be reduced by over 50% compared to traditional metallic designs, while maintaining repeatability and enabling rapid prototyping. As the first demonstration of photopolymer-based antennas achieving such high gains in the 220–325 GHz THz spectrum, this work establishes a new benchmark in THz antenna technology, providing an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and high-performance solution for high-speed communication, medical diagnostics, security imaging, and spectroscopy applications.

Additive effects of Trichoderma isolates for enhancing growth, suppressing southern blight and modulating plant defense enzymes in tomato

Southern blight, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, poses a significant economic threat to tomato cultivation. This study involved the isolation, characterization, and evaluation of three selected Trichoderma isolates (Tri2, Tri3, and Tri6), applied individually and in combination, for their potential to promote plant growth and suppress southern blight under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. These isolates exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting traits, including cellulase, protease, amylase, lipase, catalase, and phosphate-solubilizing activities. Furthermore, they performed as efficient antagonists, inhibiting the mycelial growth by up to 88.8% and the oxalic acid production of S. rolfsii by up to 81.9%. The Trichoderma isolates significantly enhanced tomato seed germination and seedling vigor (p < 0.05). In seed tray and pot, experiments, consortium treatments (dual and triple application) demonstrated significantly greater plant height (≤168.8%), biomass (≤507.3%), leaf number (≤150%), leaf diameter (≤86.2%), chlorophyll content (≤322%), stem diameter (≤129.1%), gas exchange parameters, and root colonization than control and single treatments (p < 0.05). Additionally, these consortium treatments exhibited significantly higher efficacy in reducing damping-off (≤92%) and southern blight severity (≤80%) caused by S. rolfsii, compared to untreated plants (p < 0.05). Biochemical analyses revealed that Trichoderma-treated plants challenged with S. rolfsii showed reduced oxidative stress, evidenced by lower hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The treatments also increased osmoprotectant levels such as soluble sugars, proline, phenolics, and flavonoids, along with the activities of defense-related enzymes, including peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), compared to S. rolfsii-infected controls (p < 0.05). Under field conditions, treating S. rolfsii-inoculated plants with Trichoderma isolates, whether singly, in pairs, or as a trio, significantly increased plant height, yield, and fruit Brix content (p < 0.05). The consortium application (Tri2 + Tri3 and Tri2 + Tri3 + Tri6) led to the highest increases in plant height (≤94%), fruit number (≤114%), yield (≤19.59 t/ha), and Brix (≤4.88). These findings suggest that the additive interactions among Trichoderma isolates enhance tomato growth and suppress S. rolfsii, offering an eco-friendly and effective strategy for managing southern blight.

Author Correction: HC-Pro inhibits HEN1 methyltransferase activity, leading to autophagic degradation of AGO1

The role of the ventral striatum in the relationship between impulsive decision-making and emotional self-regulation by cognitive reappraisal

Abstract Delay discounting (DD), the preference for smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed ones, is a key measure of temporal impulsivity. While its link to behavioral self-regulation is well-studied, the relationship with emotional self-regulation is less understood. This study explored this relationship and its neuroanatomical mediators in the brain’s reward system. We administered the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and a DD task to 155 young adult college students and collected structural MRI data. Our data revealed that greater use of cognitive reappraisal as an emotion regulation strategy was significantly associated with lower DD rates (i.e., reduced temporal impulsivity). No such relationship was found for expressive suppression. Furthermore, mediation analysis showed that higher cognitive reappraisal scores were associated with lower gray matter volume in the left ventral striatum, which in turn predicted lower DD. While the pattern of results is statistically consistent with full mediation, the cross-sectional nature of our data precludes causal inference. In conclusion, these results identify a novel neuroanatomical mechanism for temporal impulsivity. They suggest that cognitive reappraisal helps control impulsive choice and the process is mediated by the ventral striatum. This may provide a useful biomarker for developing interventions to improve self-control.

Competencies of lower-level community health centre leaders in annual health work planning and their influence on district performance in Busoga sub-region: A retrospective study

Introduction Lower-level community health centres play a crucial role in the delivery of primary healthcare services, and the competencies of their leaders can significantly influence district performance. Annual health work planning in local governments faces implementation obstacles every year. This mostly affects lower-level community health centres in Busoga region. It is evidenced by late submission of annual health work plans to authorized offices and also these work plans are poorly made by lower-level community health centres in Busoga region. This prompted a retrospective study to understand the competencies of leaders in the lower-level community health centres in annual health work plan development. Objective The study assessed the influence of competencies of lower-level community health centre leaders in annual health work planning on the district performance in Busoga region. Methods A retrospective (case-control) study design was employed to understand health centre performance across various districts in Busoga sub-region. There was a comparison of performance between the worst performing (case) and best performing (control) districts in the region according to the Annual Health Sector Performance reports from 2017/18 financial year to 2021/2022. Leaders in the lower-level community health centres were recruited to participate in the study. Data was collected between 17th July, 2024 and 23rd August, 2024. Statistical analysis was conducted on data from 12 case health centres and 12 control health centres using STATA version 16 to determine competencies of lower-level community health centre leaders that influence district performance. Results The study found that the district performance in annual health work planning was poor in both the case and control groups (26.4% and 47.2% respectively). Only three competencies variables of lower-level community health centre leaders were significantly influencing the performance of the districts. Districts with health facilities which reported that their Health Unit Management Committees (HUMCs) were fully constituted as guided by their leaders for annual health work planning, had significantly higher odds (AOR = 13.551, 95% CI: 4.816–38.617, p < 0.001) and performed better than those whose HUMCs were not fully constituted. Additionally, districts with health facilities which indicated that Heads of Departments (HODs) were involved in the annual health work planning process had significantly higher odds (AOR = 6.500, 95% CI: 3.109–10.791, p = 0.007) of better planning outcomes. Furthermore, districts with facilities that organized annual planning meetings by their leaders had significantly increased odds (AOR = 3.060, 95% CI: 1.399–6.916, p = 0.002) of achieving effective planning and the performance of the district. Conclusion The competencies of lower-level community health centre leaders in fully constituting the health unit management committees, involving heads of departments in the annual planning processes and organizing annual meetings for effective planning, highly contributes to the general performance of districts in the Busoga sub-region. Strengthening these competencies through targeted supportive meetings, consistently appointing HUMC members in health centres and creation of active departments of health centres as initiatives are recommended to enhance the overall effectiveness of health service delivery in Busoga sub-region.

Direct high-throughput deconvolution of non-canonical bases via nanopore sequencing and bootstrapped learning

Evaluating the potential of phenotypic age to enhance cardiovascular risk prediction over chronological age in the UK Biobank

Brimonidine tartrate 0.15% drops to reduce low post-LASIK residual myopia: A retrospective study

Purpose Residual myopia following Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery poses a significant concern, with existing literature extensively detailing the use of timolol for treatment. This study aims to assess prediction factors for brimonidine tartrate 0.15% (Alphagan-P) response on post-LASIK residual myopic refraction reduction. Methods The study included consecutive patients who received Alphagan-P during their follow-up for post-LASIK residual myopia. Results We included 61 patients (55% male) with a mean age of 35.18 ± 10.13 Alphagan-P Treatment started at a mean of 4.94 ± 5.64 months after surgery for residual myopia of −0.53 ± 0.71D. Comparison analysis of patients who responded (n = 32, 51.6%) to patients who did not (n = 30, 48.4%) shows that responders were older (38.1 ± 9.1 vs. 32.3 ± 10.3, p = 0.03), had higher baseline myopic Spherical equivalent (SE, −0.82 ± 0.65 vs. −0.26 ± 0.66 p < 0.01), and lower uncorrected visual acuity (Uncorrected visual acuity [UCVA], 0.14 ± 0.2 vs. −0.003 ± 0.12 p = 0.01). Multiple Binary logistic regression confirmed these predictors for response (UCVA (OR=70.6, P = .006), larger SE (OR=3.8, P = .004,) and older age (OR=1.06, P = .03)). Conclusions Alphagan-P can reduce up to 0.5D of post-LASIK residual myopia in roughly 50% of subjects. This treatment might be recommended to fine-tune outcomes for low residual myopia.

DHRS13 suppresses differentiation and mitophagy in glioma via retinoic acid and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species

An efficient IoT-based crop damage prediction framework in smart agricultural systems

Abstract This paper introduces an efficient IoT-based framework for predicting crop damage within smart agricultural systems, focusing on the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data with advanced machine learning (ML) and ensemble learning (EL) techniques. The primary objective is to develop a reliable decision support system capable of forecasting crop health status classifying crops as healthy, pesticide-damaged, or affected by other stressors while addressing a critical challenge: the presence of missing data in real-time agricultural datasets. To overcome this limitation, the proposed approach incorporates robust data imputation strategies using both traditional ML methods and powerful EL models. Techniques such as K-Nearest Neighbors, linear regression, and ensemble-based imputers are evaluated for their effectiveness in reconstructing incomplete data. Furthermore, Bayesian Optimization is applied to fine-tune EL classifiers including XGBoost, CatBoost, and LightGBM (LGBM), enhancing their predictive performance. Extensive experiments demonstrate that XGBoost outperforms all other models, achieving an average sensitivity of 88.1%, accuracy of 89.56%, precision of 83.4%, and F1-score of 84.8%. CatBoost and LGBM also deliver competitive results, with CatBoost achieving 90.50% accuracy and LGBM reaching 90.23%. In addition, the imputation capability of the XGBoost model is validated through a low Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 0.0213 and a high R-squared (R2) value of 0.99, confirming its effectiveness for both prediction and data recovery tasks. The key contributions of this innovative work include the design of a low-cost, power-efficient, and scalable crop damage prediction system, the integration of real-time IoT data with optimized ensemble learning, and a comprehensive evaluation of imputation techniques to enhance model robustness. This framework is particularly suited for deployment in resource-constrained agricultural environments, advancing the field of smart farming through intelligent, data-driven solutions.

Comparative effectiveness and safety of insulin reference biologics versus biosimilars for types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus: Protocol for a systematic review of real-world studies

Introduction Diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin deficiency or resistance. The two main types of diabetes mellitus are type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM). Insulin is the mainstay of therapy for T1DM and often the last-line therapy for T2DM. Biosimilar insulins are cost-saving alternatives to reference products that may improve access for patients and sustainability for healthcare systems. Despite supporting evidence from randomized controlled trials, biosimilar insulin uptake is poor, and real-world evidence of their safety and effectiveness is limited. Objective Our objective is to compare the real-world effectiveness and safety of insulin biosimilars versus reference products in adults with diabetes mellitus. Eligibility criteria We will include observational studies and open-label pragmatic randomized controlled trials. We will exclude other randomized controlled trials, literature reviews, meta-analyses, case series, case reports, study protocols, opinion pieces, and conference abstracts. Our primary effectiveness outcome will be glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and our primary safety outcome will be hypoglycemia. Our secondary outcomes will include fasting plasma glucose; time in range; microvascular complications; health-related quality of life; physician visits, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions for hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis; weight gain; immunogenicity; injection site reactions; and incident cancers. Methods The search strategy combines three key concepts: diabetes, insulin, and biosimilars. We will conduct a structured search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts. We will also search in grey literature databases, targeted websites, and the Google search engine. Finally, we will scan forward and backward citations. Articles will be screened, extracted, and appraised independently by two reviewers. Data will be descriptively summarized. Discussion Our systematic review of the real-world evidence on biosimilar insulins can help support clinical and policy decisions that impact the care of patients with T1DM or T2DM.