Betaine lipids: Biosynthesis, functional diversity and evolutionary perspectives.

Betaine lipids (BL) are relatively understudied non‑phosphorus glycerolipids. They are predominantly found in algae but have also been detected in other unicellular eukaryotes, fungi, bacteria, and some bryophytes and pteridophytes. These extraplastidial lipids are considered as substitute for phospholipids in organisms, particularly under phosphate (Pi) deficiency.

Ultrasensitive detection of intact SARS-CoV-2 particles in complex biofluids using microfluidic affinity capture.

Measuring virus in biofluids is complicated by confounding biomolecules coisolated with viral nucleic acids. To address this, we developed an affinity-based microfluidic device for specific capture of intact severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our approach used an engineered angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to capture intact virus from plasma and other complex biofluids.

Point contact-restricted cAMP signaling controls ephrin-A5-induced axon repulsion.

Signal transduction downstream of axon guidance molecules is essential to steer developing axons. Second messengers including cAMP are key molecules shared by a multitude of signaling pathways and are required for a wide range of cellular processes including axon pathfinding. Yet, how these signaling molecules achieve specificity for each of their downstream pathways remains elusive.

Opening the AI Black Box: Distilling Machine-Learned Algorithms into Code.

Can we turn AI black boxes into code? Although this mission sounds extremely challenging, we show that it is not entirely impossible by presenting a proof-of-concept method, MIPS, that can synthesize programs based on the automated mechanistic interpretability of neural networks trained to perform the desired task, auto-distilling the learned algorithm into Python code. We test MIPS on a benchmark of 62 algorithmic tasks that can be learned by an RNN and find it highly complementary to GPT-4: MIPS solves 32 of them, including 13 that are not solved by GPT-4 (which also solves 30). MIPS uses an integer autoencoder to convert the RNN into a finite state machine, then applies Boolean or integer symbolic regression to capture the learned algorithm.

Phenotype Spectrum of TRPM3-Associated Disorders.

Objective: Monoallelic variants in the transient receptor potential melastatin-related type 3 gene (TRPM3) have been associated with neurodevelopmental manifestations, but knowledge on the clinical manifestations and treatment options is limited. We characterized the clinical spectrum, highlighting particularly the epilepsy phenotype, and the effect of treatments.

Methods: We analyzed retrospectively the phenotypes and genotypes of 43 individuals with TRPM3 variants, acquired from GeneMatcher and collaborations (n = 21), and through a systematic literature search (n = 22).

E4F1 coordinates pyruvate metabolism and the activity of the elongator complex to ensure translation fidelity during brain development.

Pyruvate metabolism defects lead to severe neuropathies such as the Leigh syndrome (LS) but the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal cell death remain poorly understood. Here, we unravel a connection between pyruvate metabolism and the regulation of the epitranscriptome that plays an essential role during brain development. Using genetically engineered mouse model and primary neuronal cells, we identify the transcription factor E4F1 as a key coordinator of AcetylCoenzyme A (AcCoA) production by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) and its utilization as an essential co-factor by the Elongator complex to acetylate tRNAs at the wobble position uridine 34 (U).

Towards a histological diagnosis of childhood small vessel CNS vasculitis.

Background: Primary small vessel CNS vasculitis (sv-cPACNS) is a challenging inflammatory brain disease in children. Brain biopsy is mandatory to confirm the diagnosis. This study aims to develop and validate a histological scoring tool for diagnosing small vessel CNS vasculitis.

[Coconstruire autrement avec des personnes aînées grâce à la science-fiction: nouveaux regards sur la recherche en robotique d'assistance sociale].

Cette note de recherche vise à présenter comment la science-fiction fut utilisée dans un projet de recherche pour coconstruire une vision commune de la robotique sociale favorisant la participation sociale des personnes aînées. Une recherche-action a été réalisée à l'aide de deux forums d'informateurs-clés regroupant des personnes aînées animés à partir d'extraits d'œuvres cinématographiques de science-fiction dans le but de stimuler leur réflexion. Une analyse de contenu thématique de ces forums a permis de mettre en évidence la contribution de l'usage de la science-fiction dans le cadre de cette démarche de recherche.

Photoinduced Deprotection of 2-Nitrophenylneopentyl Glycol Boronates Enables Light-Triggered Polycondensation of Siloxanes.

Various protecting groups have been developed for boronic acids, mostly based on diols. Alternatives include trifluoroborates and amine complexes, which offer easier synthesis and release under milder conditions. We present here a new strategy involving photocleavable protecting groups for boronic and borinic acids, based on the 2-nitrobenzyl motif.

How can the reform of the activity-based payment system (T2A) help in financing innovative health products?

In France, the short-stay activities of public and private sector healthcare facilities have been financed since 2004 by activity-based pricing (T2A). The principle is to allow for payment determined primarily by the nature and volume of activities. T2A has enabled a major transformation compared to the old financing system, chiefly for public sector facilities that used to operate under a general allocation, and convergence between payment methods in the public and private sectors.

Spinal muscular atrophy is also a disorder of spermatogenesis.

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients benefit from pre-mRNA splicing modifiers targeting the SMN2 gene, which aims to increase functional SMN production. The animal toxicity affecting spermatogenesis associated with one such treatment raised questions about male SMA patients' spermatogenesis.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to July 2023.

Measurement of Lipid Transport in Mitochondria by the MTL Complex.

Membrane biogenesis requires an extensive traffic of lipids between different cell compartments. Two main pathways, the vesicular and non-vesicular pathways, are involved in such a process. Whereas the mechanisms involved in vesicular trafficking are well understood, less is known about non-vesicular lipid trafficking, particularly in plants.

Astrocyte neuronal metabolic coupling in the anterior cingulate cortex of mice with inflammatory pain.

Chronic pain is a major global concern, with at least 1 in 5 people suffering from chronic pain worldwide. Mounting evidence indicates that neuroplasticity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a critical step in the development of chronic pain. Previously, we found that chronic pain and fear learning are both associated with enhanced neuronal excitability and cause similar neuroplasticity-related gene expression changes in the ACC of male mice.

Initial HIV-1 viral load in French Guiana: Factors associated with viral load set point differences.

Objectives: HIV viral load set points may vary between virus subtypes and host characteristics. The HIV epidemic in French Guiana entails a mix of viruses and populations of cosmopolitan origins. In this epidemiological context, we aimed to determine whether, at the scale of our territory, we could identify differences in HIV-1 viral load setpoints in our hospital cohort.

2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017.

Rationale and Design of a Study to Assess the Engagement and Usefulness of the Care4Today Connect Digital Health Application for Disease Management in Coronary Artery Disease and Peripheral Artery Disease (iPACE-CVD Study).

Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) increase the risks of cardiovascular events and death. Digital health technologies are rapidly expanding to improve healthcare quality and access. The Care4Today Connect (C4T CAD-PAD) mobile application is designed to help patients with CAD and/or PAD improve medication adherence, learn about their disease, make lifestyle modifications, and enhance healthcare provider (HCP) connection via an HCP-facing portal.

An estrogen receptor signaling transcriptional program linked to immune evasion in human hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Unlabelled: T cells are generally sparse in hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer, potentially due to limited antigen presentation, but the driving mechanisms of low T cell abundance remains unclear. Therefore, we defined and investigated programs ('gene modules'), related to estrogen receptor signaling (ERS) and immune signaling using bulk and single-cell transcriptome and multiplexed immunofluorescence of breast cancer tissues from multiple clinical sources and human cell lines. The ERS gene module, dominantly expressed in cancer cells, was negatively associated with immune-related gene modules TNFα/NF-κB signaling and type-I interferon (IFN-I) response, which were expressed in distinct stromal and immune cell types, but also, in part, expressed and preserved as a cancer cell-intrinsic mechanisms.

Variation of Bruch's membrane opening in response to intraocular pressure change during scleral lens wear, in a population with keratoconus.

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the potential impact of scleral lenses on intraocular pressure (IOP) by analysing the Bruch's membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) while the lenses are worn, in a population with keratoconus.

Methods: Participants were required to have keratoconus and be successfully fitted with scleral lenses for at least 3 months. A new pair of optimised scleral lenses was provided before the study.

Canadian Association of Radiologists Pediatric Imaging Referral Guideline.

The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Pediatric Expert Panel is made up of pediatric physicians from the disciplines of radiology, emergency medicine, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, respirology, orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology, urology, a patient advisor, and an epidemiologist/guideline methodologist. After developing a list of 50 clinical/diagnostic scenarios, a rapid scoping review was undertaken to identify systematically produced referral guidelines that provide recommendations for one or more of these clinical/diagnostic scenarios. Recommendations from 32 guidelines and contextualization criteria in the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) for guidelines framework were used to develop 133 recommendation statements across the 50 scenarios.

The WAVE regulatory complex interacts with Boc and is required for Shh-mediated axon guidance.

During development, Shh attracts axons of spinal cord commissural neurons to the floor plate. Shh-mediated attraction of commissural axons requires the receptor Boc. How Boc regulates cytoskeletal changes in growth cones in response to Shh is not fully understood.

Automatic detection and classification of beluga whale calls in the St. Lawrence estuary.

The endangered beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) of the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLEB) faces threats from a variety of anthropogenic factors. Since belugas are a highly social and vocal species, passive acoustic monitoring has the potential to deliver, in a non-invasive and continuous way, real-time information on SLEB spatiotemporal habitat use, which is crucial for their monitoring and conservation.

Challenged by patients: a qualitative study of clinical supervisions of endocrinologists conducted by psychiatric liaison clinicians.

Background: Clinical supervision by psychiatric liaison clinicians is frequently provided in medical settings such as oncology and palliative care, but rarely in endocrinology. Consequently, the specific psychosocial issues faced by endocrinologists in their daily clinical practice and how they deal with them remain largely unknown. We aimed to explore individual supervisions of endocrinologists to gain insight into what kind of clinical situations they present, how they react to them and how this is worked through in supervision.