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Methyl jasmonate and ascorbic acid enhance salinity tolerance in pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) through improved morphophysiological and biochemical traits

HIV knowledge and reported stigma among South Florida health fair participants

Background Florida had the third greatest number of new HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2020. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess HIV education and perceptions among diverse populations in South Florida to enhance public health community outreach efforts. Specifically, it investigated how HIV knowledge and perceptions vary based on race, primary language, and country of origin. Materials and methods Cross-sectional surveys were administered at five South Florida health fair locations to evaluate understanding of HIV transmission, strategies for prevention and treatment, and stigma among those who accepted and declined free HIV testing. We analyzed survey data using chi-square tests with an alpha level of 0.05. Results Of the 173 respondents, 149 underwent HIV testing, while 24 declined. Out of all respondents, 20.8% identified as Black (n = 36), 29.5% White non-Hispanic (n = 51), and 43.9% White Hispanic (n = 76). Over half of all respondents were foreign born (59%). Most participants knew HIV can be spread by injection drug usage (98.8%) and unprotected sex (97.7%). Incorrect answers included that HIV could be spread by mosquito bites (27.2%), kissing a person living with HIV (26.6%), and sharing a drink with a person living with HIV (19.7%). Transmission knowledge was significantly associated with race (χ²(2, N = 163) = 8.78, p = .012), with 26.3% Black (n = 10), 18.7% White Hispanic (n = 14), and 4.0% of White non-Hispanic participants (n = 2) reporting inadequate transmission knowledge. Familiarity with PrEP and/or PEP was also associated with race (χ²(2, N = 163) = 13.27, p = .001), as White Hispanic participants reported the highest lack of familiarity (84.2%), and Spanish-speaking participants reported half the PrEP/PEP familiarity as their English-speaking counterparts (p < 0.0001). Conclusion Transmission knowledge was significantly low among Black and White Hispanic participants, while PrEP/PEP knowledge was uniquely low among White Hispanic and Spanish-speaking participants, reinforcing the need for improved education among these populations.

Gene regulatory logic of the interferon-β enhancer is characterized by two selectively deployed modes of transcription factor synergy

Type I interferon IFNβ is a key immune response cytokine, and when its expression is dysregulated, it causes disease. The regulation of IFNβ enhancer has been a touchpoint of mammalian gene control research since the discovery of functional synergy between two stimulus-responsive transcription factors (TFs), nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and interferon regulatory factors (IRF). However, subsequent gene knockout studies revealed that in some conditions either NFκB or IRF activation can be dispensable, leaving the precise regulatory logic of IFNβ transcription an open question. Here, we developed a series of quantitative enhancer states models of IFNβ expression control and evaluated them with stimulus–response data from TF knockouts. Of these, our analysis reveals that two modes of TF synergy account for the available data and neither is based on binding cooperativity. The first involves two adjacent IRF dimers, with a sigmoidal binding curve at the distal site rendering it ultrasensitive and restricting it to conditions of high IRF activity upon viral infection. The second is driven by the proximal site, which has high affinity and synergizes with NFκB to enable about half-maximal expression in response to bacterial exposure. Its accessibility is controlled by the competitive repressor p50:p50, which prevents basal IRF from binding, such that NFκB-only stimuli do not induce IFNβ expression and may allow for prior-exposure-dependent tuning. The model explains how the regulatory logic of the IFNβ enhancer ensures invariant IFNβ expression in response to viral exposure, while providing tunable, context-dependent expression in response to bacterial exposure.

Machine learning-based construction of Immunogenic cell death-related score for improving prognosis and personalized treatment in glioma

The role of ephaptic coupling and gap junctional coupling in modulating the initiation and dynamics of reentrant arrhythmias

Cardiac myocytes synchronize through electrical signaling to contract heart muscles, facilitated by gap junctions (GJs) located in the intercalated disc (ID). GJs provide low-resistance pathways for electrical impulse propagation between myocytes, considered the primary mechanism for electrical communication in the heart. However, research indicates that conduction can persist without GJs. Ephaptic coupling (EpC), which depends on electrical fields in the narrow ID between adjacent myocytes, offers an alternative mechanism for cardiac conduction when GJs are impaired. Research suggests that EpC can enhance conduction velocity (CV) and reduce the likelihood of conduction block (CB), particularly when GJs are impaired, demonstrating the anti-arrhythmic potential of EpC. Reduced GJ communication increases the susceptibility of heart to arrhythmias due to ectopic or triggered activity, highlighting the pro-arrhythmic effect of GJ uncoupling. However, the interplay between GJs and EpC, and their roles in the initiation, dynamics, and termination of arrhythmias, remain unclear. Reentry, characterized by a loop of electrical activity, is a common mechanism underlying arrhythmogenesis in the heart. This study aims to explore the interplay between EpC and GJs on reentry initiation and its underlying dynamics. Specifically, we employed a two-dimensional (2D) discrete bidomain model that integrates EpC to simulate ephaptic conduction during reentry. We quantitatively assessed the outcomes of reentry initiation and the resulting dynamics across different levels of EpC, GJs, and initial perturbations. The results show that sufficiently strong EpC (i.e., sufficiently narrow clefts) tends to suppress reentry initiation, resulting in absent or non-sustained reentrant activity, while also introducing transient instability and heterogeneity into the cardiac dynamics. In contrast, relatively weak EpC (wide clefts) support sustained reentry with a stable rotor. Furthermore, we found that sufficiently strong EpC can lower the maximal dominant frequency observed during reentrant activity. Overall, this suggests that strong EpC exerts an anti-arrhythmic effect.

Keystone predator and keystone intransitivity and the rescue of a competitively subdominant species

Two significant complications in the structure of ecological communities are its dimensionality (many species interacting) and its network diversity (many ways to “wire” the interactions). Two classic concepts, the competitive exclusion principle and the keystone predator hypothesis, may frequently be embedded elements within that community structure and partially responsible for generating it. Other less-venerable concepts may be involved. In particular, for the current work, a keystone intransitivity and a behavioral higher-order effect are involved. We employ a strategic intersection of several particular network modalities—competitive hierarchy, keystone predator, keystone intransitivity, and higher-order trait-mediated effect—to examine the population dynamics of a real system, exploring the nature of its persistence (or extinction) based on the qualitative nature of its network structure. Because two of the dynamic structures, predation and intransitive competition, are both fundamentally oscillatory, the theoretical framework of coupled oscillators comes into play, a mathematical structure well known to be a major source of chaos. We use a set of natural history observations and measurements of a five-dimensional system, common in the coffee agroecosystems of Puerto Rico, to show how the unexpected persistence of a subdominant competitor in a competitive hierarchy may be contingent on a particular wiring of the system. It is notable that all five species are non-native and all are involved in a complex system of potential biological control of two significant pests.

Assessing the impact of the eco-environmental damage compensation system

Abstract The high-quality development path of ecological priority and green energy efficiency should be unswervingly followed. Therefore, exploring the ecological and environmental level (EEL) is an urgent and essential matter for sustainable development. This research aims to estimate how the eco-environmental damage compensation system (EDCS) affects the EEL in China. The framework is based on panel data collected from 284 cities at the prefecture level in China. The Differences-in-Differences (DID) method is employed to examine the influence and spillover effect. Findings provide evidence that the EDCS significantly improves the EEL. Therefore, this study primarily examines whether and how the EDCS impacts the EEL. Further, the ecological environment level of resource-based cities is drastically different from that of non-resource-based cities under the impact of the EDCS. Mechanistic analyses demonstrate that the EDCS is conducive to upgrading of industrial structure and technological innovation, which in turn promotes regional EEL. Based on the findings of the analyses, it can be argued that policymakers and market participants should work together to address environmental issues, combining top-down and bottom-up approaches. Ultimately, efficient markets and responsive governments work together. The policy should form a dynamic adjustment mechanism for different resource cities to realize the purpose of emissions reduction and enhance the EEL.

Characterization of multi-targeted insulin-mimetic antidiabetic peptides using in silico approaches

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that can affect people at any age. Despite being one of the leading causes of death, the treatment of diabetes is extremely difficult. For the treatment of diabetes mellitus various synthetic oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin is available. However, insulin cannot be taken orally and the synthetic agents used can have harmful side effects. Bioactive peptides are particular protein fragments that have a beneficial impact on human health and physiological processes. These peptides can be applied as antidiabetic agents in the treatment of diabetes. The aim of the current study was to develop hypoglycemic peptides (HGPs) from plant sources and to investigate their binding interactions with selected diabetic protein receptors using peptide-protein docking, in order to identify potential peptide candidates for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The binding patterns of top seven hypoglycemic peptides with ten selected receptor proteins were explored using peptide-protein docking. The peptides P2 and P6 showed best haddock scores and binding pattern against target receptors. The P2 showed strong interactions with maltase-glucoamylase (binding energy of −108.7 + /- 9.3 kcal/mol and with six hydrogen bonds), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) (binding energy of −85.3 + /- 1.4 kcal/mol and with three hydrogen bonds). Peptide 6 exhibited highest score against insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (binding energy of −107.5 + /- 5.4 kcal/mol and with seven hydrogen bonds) and pancreatic alpha-amylase (binding energy of −121.3 + /- 3.1 kcal/mol and with seven hydrogen bonds), while against Jun N-terminal kinase1 receptor peptide, the peptides P5 and P6 showed same haddock energy of −92.1 + /- 4.1 kcal/mol having different number of hydrogen bond interactions in both complexes. The molecular dynamics simulation revealed that P6 and P2 were firmly bound to insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor and maltase-glucoamylase, respectively for the simulation time of 100 ns. The findings of this computational study support the data showing that these hypoglycemic peptides are effective against selected diabetic proteins. The insulin-mimetic antidiabetic peptides would be integrated into active packaging systems for the development of multi-functional materials to regulate glucose absorption. However, further assessment and validation of the particular peptides as potential therapeutic candidates for diabetes mellitus are required.

The 2025 M _w 7.7 Mandalay, Myanmar, earthquake reveals a complex earthquake cycle with clustering and variable segmentation on the Sagaing Fault

We use remote sensing observations to document surface deformation caused by the 2025 M w 7.7 Mandalay earthquake. This event is a unique case of an extremely long (~510 km) and sustained supershear rupture probably favored by the rather smooth and continuous geometry of this section of the structurally mature Sagaing Fault. The seismic rupture involved the locked portion of the fault over its entire depth extent (0 to 13 km) with a remarkably uniform slip distribution that averages 3.3 m, and an average stress drop of 4.7 MPa. No shallow-slip deficit is observed. The rupture extent challenges usual scaling laws relating earthquake magnitude, fault length, and slip. The fault ruptured along a known seismic gap that last ruptured in 1839 and tailed off into sections that ruptured during large earthquakes in 1930 and 1946. The amplitude and spatial distribution of fault slip in the 2025 event conform only approximatively to the slip-predictable model and the segmentation inferred from the fault geometry and past ruptures. Plausible sequences of earthquakes with variable magnitude, segmentation, and return periods, including events similar to the 2025 earthquake are produced in quasidynamic simulations using a simplified but nonplanar fault geometry. Based on this simulation, M w >7.5 events return irregularly with an interevent time of ~141 y on average and a SD of ~40 y. The simulation is consistent with the historical seismicity and with the maximum magnitude ~M w 7.9 and return period (~250 y) derived from moment conservation. Data assimilation into such simulations could provide a way for time-dependent hazard assessment in the future.

Substance use in Spanish adolescent gamblers before and after the COVID-19 pandemic state of alarm: a population-based study

The prevalence of neuropathic pain pathophysiology associated with ankle fracture: A study protocol

Chronic pain is prevalent among U.S. military personnel and often accompanied by comorbid behavioral health disorders and other medical conditions that further complicate its management. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of chronic pain among active-duty Service members is 1.5 to 2 times higher than the 20% of American adults who live with chronic pain. Recent report findings determined that Service members make up a large population within the Military Health Systems (MHS), and that this population is disproportionately affected by lost duty days, early retirement, loss of readiness, and increased burden to the MHS. To date, the Department of Defense (DOD) and MHS have emphasized multimodal, multidisciplinary, stepped treatment for chronic pain that prioritizes nonpharmacologic therapies and non-opioid pain medications. Though the DOD and MHS have invested in several pain treatment types, our level of understanding needs to better distinguish between acute and chronic pain and identify risk factors and mechanisms responsible for the chronification of pain, as it is the chronic pain which compromises functioning and readiness to a greater degree across the force. The novel information generated by this study will enhance our understanding of how ankle fracture elicits pathological risk factors for bone fracture associated neuropathic pain (BFNP), which ultimately impairs health-related quality of life. Due to the high prevalence of ankle fractures and the subsequent risk of developing chronic pain after ankle fracture, we will utilize this patient population to provide the preliminary evidence on whether bone fracture and subsequent BFNP phenotypes are reflected in specific genetic profiles and activated states of immune cells.

Predictability and the pleasure of music

BLV coinfection impairs immunity and diagnostics in bovine tuberculosis

Preventing postoperative pulmonary complications by establishing a machine-learning assisted approach (PEPPERMINT): Study protocol for the creation of a risk prediction model

Background Postoperative pulmonary complications (POPC) are common after general anaesthesia and are a major cause of increased morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. However, prevention and treatment methods for POPC that are considered effective tie up human and technical resources. Therefore, the planned research project aims to create a prediction model that enables the reliable identification of high-risk patients immediately after surgery based on a tailored machine learning algorithm. Methods This clinical cohort study will follow the TRIPOD statement for multivariable prediction model development. Development of the prognostic model will require 512 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Besides the collection of perioperative routine data, standardised lung sonography will be performed postoperatively in the recovery room on each patient. During the postoperative course, patients will be examined in a structured manner on postoperative days 1,3 and 7 to detect POPC. The endpoints determined in this way, together with the clinical and imaging data collected, are then used to train a machine learning model based on neural networks and ensemble methods to predict POPC in the early postoperative phase. Discussion In the perioperative setting, detecting POPC before they become clinically manifest is desirable. This would ensure optimal patient care and resource allocation and help initiate adequate patient treatment after being transferred from the recovery room to the ward. A reliable prediction algorithm based on machine learning holds great potential to improve postoperative outcomes. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05789953 (29th of March 2023)

Sustained benefits of long-term biochar application for food security and climate change mitigation

Biochar application offers significant potential to enhance food security and mitigate climate change. However, most evidence stems from short-term field experiments (≤3 y), leaving uncertainty about the long-term sustainability of these benefits, especially with annual biochar additions to soils. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed a global dataset from 438 studies (3,229 observations) and found that long-term annual biochar application (≥4 y) not only sustains but often enhances its benefits. These include improved crop yields (+10.8%), reductions in CH 4 (–13.5%) and N 2 O (–21.4%) emissions, and increased soil organic carbon content (+52.5%). In contrast, these benefits tend to diminish over time with single biochar applications due to the aging effect of biochar. Results from 29 global long-term experiments (4 to 12 y) confirm these sustained benefits for crop yield and greenhouse gas mitigation, although the magnitude of effects varies with soil properties, climate, and management practices. To maximize biochar’s long-term benefits for global food security and climate change mitigation, it is essential to develop viable strategies, such as applying biochar at intervals of several years while tailoring practices to local soil, climate, and cropping conditions.

Contact morphology of sand particles in dunes

Correction: Non-pharmaceutical interventions for people living with HIV with cognitive impairment: A scoping review

Structural insights into VRC01-class bnAb precursors with diverse light chains elicited in the IAVI G001 human vaccine trial

The development of germline-targeting vaccines represents a potentially transformative strategy to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against HIV and other antigenically diverse pathogens. Here, we report on structural characterization of vaccine-elicited VRC01-class bnAb precursors in the IAVI G001 Phase 1 clinical trial with the eOD-GT8 60mer nanoparticle as immunogen. High-resolution X-ray structures of eOD-GT8 monomer complexed with Fabs of five VRC01-class bnAb precursors with >90% germline identity revealed a conserved mode of binding to the HIV CD4-binding site via IGHV1-2-encoded heavy chains, mirroring mature bnAb interactions. The light-chain V-gene diversity emulated VRC01 bnAbs and stabilized antigen engagement, while their conserved five-residue LCDR3 motifs prevented steric clashes. Notably, the VRC01-class bnAb precursors accommodated the N276 glycan, a key barrier in HIV Env recognition, through structural rearrangements in HCDR3 or LCDR1, despite its absence in the immunogen. Surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that 87% of elicited antibodies retained glycan binding capacity, albeit with reduced affinity. These findings validate the ability of eOD-GT8 60mer nanoparticles to prime VRC01-class bnAb precursors with native-like paratopes but with intrinsic glycan adaptability. Structural mimicry of mature bnAbs was observed even with limited somatic hypermutation, indicating that critical features are encoded in the germline repertoire. The structures highlight how germline-encoded features drive bnAb-like recognition at early stages. This work provides molecular evidence supporting germline targeting in humans and provides guidance for designing booster immunogens to shepherd affinity maturation toward broad neutralization.

Investigation and pathogenetic testing of Shewanella spp. positive diarrhea cases in Beijing, China

Adolescents’ perspectives on non-pharmacological pain interventions for sickle cell crisis management: A population-based survey

Background & Aims Nigeria has the highest sickle cell disease (SCD) prevalence globally. Research indicates that adolescents often utilize non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) to cope with recurrent painful sickle cell crises (SCC) while navigating the complex biopsychosocial challenges of adolescence. This study explored the use and perceived value of NPIs for managing SCC pain from the perspectives of Nigerian adolescents, including their preferred media for NPI educational resources. Methods A population-based survey targeted adolescents aged 12–18 living with SCD in Nigeria. Adolescents were recruited using convenience and snowballing sampling through SCD support groups and were asked to complete a 27-item questionnaire delivered online or on paper. Data were descriptively analysed. Results Out of 138 surveys returned, 123 surveys were included in the final analysis. Among the participants, 51% were males with a mean age of 14.85 (SD ± 2.11). Most participants (77%) had used at least one NPI to manage pain during SCC, and 31 different NPIs were reported. The most used NPIs were massage (53%), herbal products (37%) and prayer (30%). Participants described various factors that impacted their use of NPI, including healthcare providers’ disapproval. The most common NPIs that the adolescents plan to use in the future were: herbal products (45%), massage (33%) and prayer (30%). Lastly, respondents preferred to receive NPI education via videos (34%) and animations (20%). Conclusions The study showed that Nigerian adolescents use various NPIs to manage their pain during SCC, including traditional remedies and physical and spiritual interventions. Most participants already used (or planned to use) herbal products and other NPIs with limited scientific evidence of their safety or effectiveness on SCD outcomes. This warrants the attention of clinicians and researchers as there is an urgent need to further explore the specific NPIs used and their effectiveness on SCD outcomes and safety.