Presentation and analysis of the Geotechnical Coastal Vulnerability Index and validation of its application to coastal erosion problems.

This study aims to construct a coastal vulnerability assessment conceptual framework to improve the outcomes of Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) for local scale areas. Consequently, a new CVI was created adapted to the specific conditions of the area using seven variables. The new index was named Geotechnical Coastal Vulnerability Index (GCVI) due to the incorporation of two new geotechnical variables: (1) Coastal geotechnical properties and (2) Median grain size distribution.

Discovery and engineering of the antibody response to a prominent skin commensal.

The ubiquitous skin colonist Staphylococcus epidermidis elicits a CD8 T cell response pre-emptively, in the absence of an infection. However, the scope and purpose of this anti-commensal immune program are not well defined, limiting our ability to harness it therapeutically. Here, we show that this colonist also induces a potent, durable, and specific antibody response that is conserved in humans and non-human primates.

Pilot Study of Weighted Blankets on Agitation.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized patients who have had neurological trauma often require interventions to reduce agitation. Weighted blankets deliver deep pressure touch stimulation, which influences parasympathetic activity through increased vagal tone, to induce calmness and reduce sympathetic activation and reduction of the stress response. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of weighted blankets as an intervention on agitation scores in hospitalized adults who have experienced neurologic trauma.

Engineered skin microbiome reduces mosquito attraction to mice.

The skin microbiome plays a pivotal role in the production of attractive cues detected by mosquitoes. Here, we leveraged recent advances in genetic engineering to significantly reduce the production of L-(+)-lactic acid as a strategy to reduce mosquito attraction to the highly prominent skin commensals and Engraftment of these engineered bacteria onto the skin of mice reduced mosquito attraction and feeding for up to 11 uninterrupted days, which is considerably longer than the several hours of protection conferred by the leading chemical repellent N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide. Taken together, our findings demonstrate engineering the skin microbiome to reduce attractive volatiles represents an innovative untapped strategy to reduce vector attraction, preventing bites, and pathogen transmission.

A method to comprehensively identify germline SNVs, INDELs and CNVs from whole exome sequencing data of BRCA1/2 negative breast cancer patients.

In the rapidly evolving field of genomics, understanding the genetic basis of complex diseases like breast cancer, particularly its familial/hereditary forms, is crucial. Current methods often examine genomic variants-such as Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs), insertions/deletions (Indels), and Copy Number Variations (CNVs)-separately, lacking an integrated approach. Here, we introduced a robust, flexible methodology for a comprehensive variants' analysis using Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) data.