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Rhizosphere effects on cadmium fractionation in contaminated soils: a comparative study of ultisols and alfisols
Melanin-like nanofibers with highly ordered structures achieve ultrahigh specific electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency
Open-source, high performance miniature 2-photon microscopy systems for freely behaving animals
Abstract Here we describe the UCLA 2P Miniscope, an open-source miniature 2-photon microscope capable of recording calcium dynamics from neurons in deep structures and from dendrites over a 445 µm × 380 µm field of view. The system utilizes two on-board silicon-based photon detectors for approximately 4-fold greater light collection compared to an optical fiber bundle-based approach. The microscope can electronically focus within a 150 µm range at a native working distance of 720 µm. To test the 2P Miniscope, we recorded calcium dynamics from place cells in hippocampus, resolved calcium transients from dendrites in retrosplenial cortex and we recorded dentate granule cell activity at a depth of over 620 µm, through an intact hippocampus during open field behavior. The miniature microscope itself and all supporting equipment are open-source and all files needed for building the scope can be accessed through the Golshani Lab GitHub repository.
Using an ordinary differential equation model to separate rest and task signals in fMRI
Abstract Cortical activity results from the interplay between network-connected regions that integrate information and stimulus-driven processes originating from sensory motor networks responding to specific tasks. Separating the information due to each of these components has been challenging, and the relationship as measured by fMRI in each of these cases Rest (network) and Task (stimulus-driven) remains a significant open question in the study of large-scale brain dynamics. In this study, we develop a network ordinary differential equation (ODE) model using advanced system identification tools to analyze fMRI data from both rest and task conditions. We demonstrate that task-specific ODEs are essentially a subset of rest-specific ODEs across four different tasks from the Human Connectome Project. By assuming that task activity is a relative complement of rest activity, our model significantly improves predictions of reaction times on a trial-by-trial basis, leading to a 9% increase in explanatory power ( R 2 ) across the 14 sub-tasks tested. We have additionally shown that these results hold for predicting missing trials and accuracy on a per individual basis as well as classifying Tasks trajectories or resulting dynamic Task functional connectivity. Our findings establish the principle of the Active Cortex Model, which posits that the cortex is always active and that Rest State encompasses all processes, while certain subsets of processes get elevated to perform specific task computations. Thus, this study is an important milestone in the development of the fMRI equation - to causally link large-scale brain activity, brain structural connectivity, and behavioral variables within a single framework.
Voltage sensor conformations induced by LQTS-associated mutations in hERG potassium channels
Abstract Voltage sensors are essential for electromechanical coupling in hERG K + channels, critical to cardiac rhythm. These sensors respond to membrane potential changes by moving within the transmembrane electric field. Mutations in hERG voltage-sensing arginines, associated with Long-QT syndrome, alter channel gating, though underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using live-cell fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, transition metal FRET, an improved dual stop-codon-mediated strategy for noncanonical amino-acid incorporation, and molecular dynamics simulations, we identify intermediate voltage-sensor conformations induced by neutralizing key arginines in the charge transfer center. Phasor plot analysis of lifetime data reveals multiple voltage-dependent FRET states in these mutants, in contrast to the single high-FRET state observed in controls. These intermediate FRET states reflect distinct conformations of the voltage sensor, corresponding to predicted structures of voltage sensors in molecular dynamics simulations. This study provides insights into cardiac channelopathies, highlighting a structural mechanism that impairs voltage sensing in cardiac arrhythmias.
A mucosal vaccine prevents eosinophilic allergic airway inflammation by modulating immune responses to allergens in a murine model of airway disease
Highly robust anisotropic zero refraction effects in semi-Dirac photonic crystals
Immune characteristics and SALL1 methylation as prognostic biomarkers in primary and metastasis colorectal cancer
Deep reinforcement learning-based mechanism to improve the throughput of EH-WSNs
An experimental study on the detection mechanism of 2-CEES using SAW sensors under various temperature conditions
Antibiotic carry over is a confounding factor for cell-based antimicrobial research applications
Abstract Chronic wounds often host pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, prompting interest in developing new antimicrobial and wound healing strategies, including the utilisation of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Whilst there has been a recent emphasis within the EV community to ensure standardization of characterization and isolation techniques, there has been less focus placed on the upstream tissue culture methodologies used for collection of vesicle-containing conditioned medium (CM). Hence, this study investigated the antimicrobial properties of the CM used for EV enrichment. CM exhibited bacteriostatic effects against penicillin-sensitive S. aureus NCTC 6571, but not penicillin-resistant S. aureus 1061 A. Further analysis revealed that the antimicrobial activity was due to residual antibiotics rather than cell-secreted factors, specifically the retention and release of penicillin to tissue culture plastic surfaces. Pre-washing cells and minimizing antibiotic concentrations in basal medium reduced this carry-over effect. These findings emphasize the importance of controlling antibiotic use in tissue culture to avoid misleading conclusions about the antimicrobial potential of CM or EVs. Researchers should carefully consider medium selection and supplementation during method development as accurately determining the antimicrobial mechanisms of any CM is essential for validating future cell-based therapeutic applications.
The association between glycemic indicators and bone mineral density and osteoporosis: a cross-sectional study
Impact of anthropogenic disturbance and climate on bamboo distribution in shifting cultivation landscapes of Northeast India
The transcriptome of the olm provides insights into its evolution and gene expression
Abstract The olm (Proteus anguinus), with a predicted maximum lifespan of more than 100 years, is the longest-lived amphibian, which in addition possesses a range of unique adaptations to its dark, subterranean cave habitat. To assess the underlying molecular signatures, we present the first comprehensive transcriptome of the olm. Our study provides gene expression data across six organs and comparative genomics analyses, accessible via an interactive web server: http://comp-pheno.de/olm. The data uncover significant organ-specific gene expression, with the brain showing the highest number of organ-specific expressed genes. Our findings reveal significantly more genes under strong negative selection than positive selection, particularly in brain-specific expressed genes. Processes under positive selection in the olm resemble those in other long-lived species.
Baseline isotopic variability in plants and animals and implications for the reconstruction of human diet in 1 st century AD Pompeii
Abstract While Pompeii has long captured the imagination with its history and tragic end, recent efforts have shifted towards unveiling everyday lifeways. Our study seeks to explore agricultural and husbandry practices in Pompeii, aiming to explore isotopic variability of different food categories available to the Romans within this unique “snapshot” scenario. To do so, we deploy stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of plants and animals. Our findings suggest a diversity of practices, with isotopic variation in C3 cereals and legumes pointing to the use of a greater variety of cultivation techniques compared to arboreal crops. We highlight distinct management regimes utilised for different animal species and we uncover a spectrum of aquatic environments, indicative of diversity of fishing practices. These findings provide direct support of archaeological evidence and textual interpretations of Roman food systems in Pompeii. However, our dataset also reveals the limitations of bulk isotope approaches in detecting this dietary diversity when we use it to interpret the local human diet through mixing models. Together, our results show that a broad and well-contextualised isotopic baseline can help us understanding ancient food systems, while also revealing the challenges of disentangling dietary complexity using bulk stable isotope data alone.
Coxiella burnetii and HIV infection in people experiencing homelessness
Abstract This study has investigated Coxiella burnetii and HIV infection among the persons experiencing homelessness of São Paulo city, Brazil, and assessed correspondent associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 203 individuals performing serological tests for anti-C. burnetii and anti-HIV antibodies. A prevalence of 14.8% (30/203) was found for anti-C. burnetii IgG antibodies, with titers ranging from 64 to 1024, while anti-HIV seroprevalence was 6.4% (13/203). No statistical association was found between C. burnetii and HIV seropositivity, or between seropositivity and assessed clinical and epidemiological variables. The findings herein highlight the high homelessness exposure to Q fever, possibly influenced by environmental factors such as dust aerosols, stray animal interactions and unsanitary living conditions. To the authors knowledge, this is the first serosurvey of C. burnetii in persons experiencing homelessness to date. The study herein has emphasized the importance of public health strategies targeting vulnerable populations, particularly in Brazilian major cities. Further C. burnetii surveys should be conducted to establish whether transmission may occur in other persons experiencing homelessness worldwide.
In vitro biological activities of silver nanoparticles using methanolic leaf extract of Plumeria rubra
Evaluation of university student education management effect based on data augmentation and transfer learning for remote sensing applications
Abstract Evaluating the effectiveness of education management requires the integration of multi-source data and information. Based on data modeling technology, combined with data enhancement and transfer learning methods, this paper analyzes the differences in the allocation of education management resources in six universities in different semesters, and systematically explores the actual effectiveness of university education management. By combining data enhancement technology, we expanded the training data, simulated various real-life scenarios, and ensured that the model is more robust to various data changes. This study mainly used two models: simulation-verification model and BP (back propagation) neural network model, and analyzed their management efficiency, prediction accuracy, stability and time cycle. This study proposed two models: simulation-verification model (evaluating the effect by simulating the consistency of management conditions and verification results) and BP neural network model (prediction model based on data enhancement and transfer learning). Experiments show that the BP neural network model is superior to the simulation model in management efficiency (ratio of resource input to actual effect) and stability (volatility of model prediction results), with an average management efficiency of 85.9%, prediction accuracy of 93.1%, and stability of 72.3%. The BP neural network model is superior to the simulation verification model in terms of management efficiency, prediction accuracy, and stability, demonstrating the potential of integrating advanced data processing technologies such as data enhancement and transfer learning into the education management system.