Active touch in tactile perceptual discrimination: brain activity and behavioral responses to surface differences.

This study investigates the neural and behavioral mechanisms of tactile perceptual discrimination using fMRI and a set of wrinkled surface stimuli with varying textures. Fifteen female participants were tasked with distinguishing between different surfaces by touch alone. Behavioral results demonstrated variable discriminability across conditions, reflecting the tactile sensitivity of human fingertips.

Spatiotemporal binding of cyclophilin A and CPSF6 to capsid regulates HIV-1 nuclear entry and integration.

Unlabelled: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) capsid, which is the target of the antiviral lenacapavir, protects the viral genome and binds multiple host proteins to influence intracellular trafficking, nuclear import, and integration. Previously, we showed that capsid binding to cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 6 (CPSF6) in the cytoplasm is competitively inhibited by cyclophilin A (CypA) binding and regulates capsid trafficking, nuclear import, and infection. Here, we determined that a capsid mutant with increased CypA binding affinity had significantly reduced nuclear entry and mislocalized integration.

A quality improvement project improving post-operative transitions of care in a level IV NICU.

Objective: Transitions of care are critical periods when NICU patients are at risk for miscommunication leading to patient harm. This quality improvement project aimed to decrease post-operative hand-off-related failures and improve communication in a level IV NICU.

Project Design: The Vermont Oxford Network transitions of care framework was used to develop a safe surgical hand-off definition; (1) all team members present, (2) a structured hand-off format utilized, and (3) an environment conducive for hand-off.

Engineered In Vitro Multi-Cell Type Ventricle Model Generates Long-Term Pulsatile Flow and Modulates Cardiac Output in Response to Cardioactive Drugs.

Cardiac in vitro models serve as promising platforms for physiological and pathological studies, drug testing, and regenerative medicine. This study hypothesizes that immobilizing cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) on a biofunctionalized, hemispherical membrane can generate pulsatile flow through synchronized contractions, thus offering as an in vitro left ventricle model. To test this, a ventricle using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane coated with polydopamine and laminin 511 E8 fragments is engineered.