Lateral olivocochlear neurons modulate cochlear responses to noise exposure.

The sense of hearing originates in the cochlea, which detects sounds across dynamic sensory environments. Like other peripheral organs, the cochlea is subjected to environmental insults, including loud, damage-inducing sounds. In response to internal and external stimuli, the central nervous system directly modulates cochlear function through olivocochlear neurons (OCNs), which are located in the brainstem and innervate the cochlear sensory epithelium.

Biocompatible EDOT-Pyrrole Conjugated Conductive Polymer Coating for Augmenting Cell Attachment, Activity, and Differentiation.

Developing scaffolds supporting functional cell attachment and tissue growth is critical in basic cell research, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine approaches. Though poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and its derivatives are attractive for hydrogels and scaffold fabrication, they often require bioactive modifications due to their bioinert nature. In this work, biomimetic synthesized conductive polypyrrole-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) copolymer doped with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PPy-PEDOT:PSS) was used as a biocompatible coating for poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel to support neuronal and muscle cells' attachment, activity, and differentiation.

Aquatic-terrestrial linkages drive contrasting biodiversity patterns in tropical and temperate forests.

Riparian ecosystems harbour unique biodiversity because of their close interconnections with adjacent aquatic ecosystems. Yet, how aquatic ecosystems influence terrestrial biodiversity over different spatial scales is poorly understood, particularly in the tropics. We conducted field campaigns to collect 235 terrestrial invertebrate assemblages along 150 m transects from 47 streams in both Brazil and the UK, compiling one of the largest known datasets of riparian invertebrate community composition at multiple spatial scales.

Strategies to mitigate complications in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

The rotator cuff, a vital group of tendons and muscles in the shoulder, is essential for stabilizing the joint and enabling a wide range of arm movements. Rotator cuff tears, common across all age groups, often cause significant pain and functional limitations. Rotator cuff repair surgery aims to alleviate pain, restore function, and improve quality of life.

The auditory midbrain mediates tactile vibration sensing.

Vibrations are ubiquitous in nature, shaping behavior across the animal kingdom. For mammals, mechanical vibrations acting on the body are detected by mechanoreceptors of the skin and deep tissues and processed by the somatosensory system, while sound waves traveling through air are captured by the cochlea and encoded in the auditory system. Here, we report that mechanical vibrations detected by the body's Pacinian corpuscle neurons, which are distinguished by their ability to entrain to high-frequency (40-1,000 Hz) environmental vibrations, are prominently encoded by neurons in the lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC) of the midbrain.