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Author Correction: Bias dependent band alignment in Ga2O3 ferroelectric interface by operando HAXPES
How political attacks could crush the mRNA vaccine revolution
Clinical characterization of CCT2 and its role in autophagy regulation during age-related macular degeneration
Abstract Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly, and the role of chaperonin containing TCP1 subunit 2 (CCT2) remains unclear. This study aims to elucidate the mechanistic link between CCT2 and AMD, contributing to improved understanding and potential therapeutic strategies. Retinal and RPE-Choroid transcriptome array data from 130 AMD patients and 121 normal donors (GSE29801 dataset) were reanalyzed to assess CCT2 expression across different AMD subtypes, age groups, and genders. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was performed to explore correlations with autophagy-related genes and other established AMD causes. Additionally, CCT2 expression was validated in sodium iodate (NaIO₃)-induced 661 W cells (photoreceptor-like cells) using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CCT2 was significantly enriched in advanced AMD retinas compared to intermediate stages in retina (both macular and extramacular) and early stages in extramacular retina (p < 0.05). NaIO3-treated 661 W cells exhibited a similar expression trend, confirming transcriptomic findings. CCT2 is significantly upregulated in advanced AMD and may contribute to drusen degradation. It shows potential as both a biomarker and an independent diagnostic indicator, particularly for advanced-stage AMD.
Paleoenvironment reconstruction and differential OM enrichment mechanism of the Upper Triassic Chang 7 member source rocks in the Ordos Basin
Publisher Correction: Impact analysis of tunnel crossing pile foundation at different angles
Natural behaviour is learned through dopamine-mediated reinforcement
Description of barriers to the deprescription of inappropriate drugs in French hospitalized geriatric services
Point of care ultrasonography of quadriceps femoris muscle thickness for assessing nutritional status in critically ill children
Abstract Muscle wasting occurs early during critical illness. It is associated with poor PICU outcomes. Ultrasonography can detect muscle thickness in critically ill children. Study quadriceps muscle thickness to assess the nutritional status on admission and follow the muscle thickness change throughout the first week of admission in PICU using point-of-care ultrasonography. This cohort study was conducted on 55 critically ill mechanically ventilated children aged between 2 months and 14 years. Serial measurements of quadriceps muscle thickness were done by ultrasound, during the first week of admission. Quadriceps muscle thickness decreased by 16.4% over the 1st week of admission. The muscle wasting was significantly correlated with STRONGkids score, the inability to achieve target caloric requirements during the 1st week of admission, duration of ventilation, PRISM score, and mortality. Point of care ultrasonography is an easy tool for assessing PICU muscle wasting. Loss of muscle mass during the first week of PICU admission is correlated to mortality, thus it can be utilized in predicting PICU outcomes.
Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
Abstract Sarcoptic mange , commonly known as scabies, is a highly contagious skin condition caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei (Astigmata: Sarcoptinae). This parasitic disease significantly impacts livestock and human health, particularly in underserved regions. Current treatments rely on synthetic acaricides like permethrin and ivermectin, which suffer from limitations such as toxicity, resistance development, and environmental contamination. Essential oils from Apiaceae plants represent a promising natural alternative. This study reviewed 122 volatile constituents from Apiaceae plants and conducted comprehensive in silico analyses to identify potential antiparasitic agents. Geraniol emerged as a potent acaricidal candidate due to its strong binding affinity to acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (docking score: − 7.85 kcal/mol). In vitro testing revealed geraniol achieved a 100% mite mortality rate at concentrations as low as 6.25% within 15 min (LT 50 = 9.5 min). In vivo studies using scabies-infected rabbits demonstrated that geraniol-treated animals exhibited complete clinical recovery by two weeks post-treatment, with disappearance of crusts, itching, and skin thickening. Histopathological examination showed near-complete skin regeneration with minimal inflammatory infiltrates, in contrast to control groups which exhibited severe lesions and active mite presence. Furthermore, geraniol-treated rabbits displayed new hair growth and improved general condition, with no observed adverse effects. These findings highlight geraniol’s potential as a safe, effective, and eco-friendly treatment for scabies, offering a 100% improvement in clinical and histological recovery within two weeks. Further research should focus on optimizing delivery systems and evaluating its efficacy in human clinical trials.
Basis functions for complex social decisions in dorsomedial frontal cortex
Abstract Navigating social environments is a fundamental challenge for the brain. It has been established that the brain solves this problem, in part, by representing social information in an agent-centric manner; knowledge about others’ abilities or attitudes is tagged to individuals such as ‘oneself’ or the ‘other’1–6. This intuitive approach has informed the understanding of key nodes in the social parts of the brain, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)7–9. However, the patterns or combinations in which individuals might interact with one another is as important as the identities of the individuals. Here, in four studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging, behavioural experiments and a social group decision-making task, we show that the dmPFC and ACC represent the combinatorial possibilities for social interaction afforded by a given situation, and that they do so in a compressed format resembling the basis functions used in spatial, visual and motor domains10–12. The basis functions align with social interaction types, as opposed to individual identities. Our results indicate that there are deep analogies between abstract neural coding schemes in the visual and motor domain and the construction of our sense of social identity.
Enhancing medical explainability in deep learning for age-related macular degeneration diagnosis
Dual neuromodulatory dynamics underlie birdsong learning
Effects of different anesthetic drugs on electroretinography in mice
Author Correction: Evaluation of blood-tumor barrier permeability and doxorubicin delivery in rat brain tumor models using additional focused ultrasound stimulation
Evaluation of a novel high speed burr tip for safe and efficient bone surgery in a sheep model
Abstract The exposure of neural structures by removing the overlying bone using a high-speed drill can cause iatrogenic injury to the dura, neural tissue, and vessels. We investigated the safety and efficacy of a novel Surgify Safety Burr (SSB), attachable to existing high-speed drills. Three anesthetized living sheep underwent cranial burr hole drilling (n = 19) and hemilaminectomies (n = 14) with the SSB and standard burrs. Drilling time, dural injury, and subjective evaluation of heating and haptic feedback of each burr were assessed. Cranial burr hole drilling was done using diamond (n = 3), fluted (n = 6), and SSB (n = 10) burrs. Penetrating dura damage was observed in 33% of the diamond burr drilled holes, and in 33% of the fluted burr drilled holes, but not in the holes drilled with the SSB. Hemilaminectomies were performed with the SSB (n = 7) and diamond (n = 7) burrs without drilling-induced dura damage. Mean drilling time was not significantly different in cranial drilling (SSB, 121 ± 18s; fluted burr, 63 ± 22s; diamond burr, 165 ± 29s) nor in hemilaminectomy (SSB, 108 ± 13s; diamond burr, 95 ± 18s). Subjective evaluation of the SSB suggested efficient bone removal without heating or chattering. The SSB is a safe and effective surgical tool in cranial drilling and hemilaminectomy procedures. Safety, efficacy, and clinical benefits should be established in human studies.