R2DT: A COMPREHENSIVE PLATFORM FOR VISUALISING RNA SECONDARY STRUCTURE.

RNA secondary (2D) structure visualisation is an essential tool for understanding RNA function. R2DT is a software package designed to visualise RNA 2D structures in consistent, recognisable, and reproducible layouts. The latest release, R2DT 2.

Leveraging Covalency to Stabilize Ternary Complex Formation For Cell-Cell "Induced Proximity".

Recent advances in the field of translational chemical biology use diverse "proximity-inducing" synthetic modalities to elicit new modes of "event driven" pharmacology. These include mechanisms of targeted protein degradation and immune clearance of pathogenic cells. Heterobifunctional "chimeric" compounds like Proteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) and Antibody Recruiting Molecules (ARMs) leverage these mechanisms, respectively.

RiboVision2: A Web Server for Advanced Visualization of Ribosomal RNAs.

RiboVision2 is a web server designed to visualize phylogenetic, structural, and evolutionary properties of ribosomal RNAs simultaneously at the levels of primary, secondary, and three-dimensional structure and in the context of full ribosomal complexes. RiboVision2 instantly computes and displays a broad variety of data; it has no login requirements, is open-source, free for all users, and available at https://ribovision2.chemistry.

Development of a rapid, multi-organisational, multi-modal assessment of a newly available disposable respirator.

Background: A rapid large-scale evaluation of a newly available duckbill style P2/N95 respirator, the Care Essentials (CE) MSK-003, was required to determine its suitability for deployment into the Victorian healthcare service. The aims of this study were to assess the feasibility of establishing a rapid, multi-organisational and multi-modal evaluation of the respirator, and to investigate whether this respirator would meet the needs of healthcare workers.

Methods: The evaluation was a collaboration among three healthcare organisations - two tertiary hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne and a rural-based hospital.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change in former Australian rugby players.

Aims: We applied the 2021 consensus criteria for both chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathological change and traumatic encephalopathy syndrome in a small case series of six former elite-level Australian rugby code players.

Methods: Neuropathological assessment of these cases was carried out at the Sydney and Victorian Brain Banks. Clinical data were collected via clinical interviews and health questionnaires completed by the participants and/or their next of kin, and neuropsychological testing was conducted with participants who were capable of completing this testing.

Heterogeneity of cortical pTDP-43 inclusion morphologies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background: Despite the presence of significant cortical pTDP-43 inclusions of heterogeneous morphologies in patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), pathological subclassification is routinely performed in the minority of patients with concomitant frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Objective: In order to improve current understanding of the presence and relevance of pathological pTDP-43 subtypes in ALS, the present study examined the pattern of cortical pTDP-43 aggregates in 61 ALS cases without FTD.

Results: Based on the presence, morphology and composition of pTDP-43 pathology, three distinct ALS-TDP subtypes were delineated: (1) A predominant pattern of pTDP-43 granulofilamentous neuronal inclusions (GFNIs) and grains that were immuno-negative for p62 was identified in 18% of cases designated ALS-TDP type E; (2) neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCIs) that were immuno-positive for both pTDP-43 and p62 were observed in 67% of cases assigned ALS-TDP type B; and (3) scarce cortical pTDP-43 and p62 aggregates were identified in 15% of cases coined ALS-TDP type SC (scarce cortical).

Poly-GA immunohistochemistry is a reliable tool for detecting C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions.

Poly-GA immunohistochemistry (A) on formalin fixed paraffin embedded cerebellum sections shows a similar distribution to p62 antibody (B) and reliably identifies neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions and neurites in cases with known C9orf72 repeat expansion. This is useful in the research setting where genetic testing has not been performed in life or suitable tissue is not avilable post-mortem.

Treatment with the copper compound CuATSM has no significant effect on motor neuronal pathology in patients with ALS.

Aims: Although the orally available brain-penetrant copper compound CuATSM has demonstrated promising effects in SOD1-linked mouse models, the impact of CuATSM on disease pathology in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains unknown.

Methods: The present study set out to address this deficit by performing the first pilot comparative analysis of ALS pathology in patients that had been administered CuATSM and riluzole [N = 6 cases composed of ALS-TDP (n = 5) and ALS-SOD1 (n = 1)] versus riluzole only [N = 6 cases composed of ALS-TDP (n = 4) and ALS-SOD1 (n = 2)].

Results: Our results revealed no significant difference in neuron density or TDP-43 burden in the motor cortex and spinal cord of patients that had received CuATSM compared with patients that had not.

Towards continuous EIT monitoring for hemorrhagic stroke patients.

The practical implementation of continuous monitoring of stroke patients by Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is addressed. In a previous paper, we have demonstrated EIT sensitivity to cerebral hemodynamics, using scalp-mounted electrodes, very low-noise measurements, and a novel image reconstruction method. In the present paper, we investigate the potential to adapt that system for clinical application, by using 50% fewer electrodes and by incorporating into the measurement protocol an additional high-frequency measurement to provide an effective reference.

Seed size effects on plant establishment under low atmospheric CO2, with implications for seed size evolution.

Background And Aims: Low atmospheric CO2 concentration depresses photosynthesis and resource use efficiency, and therefore can inhibit phases of the life cycle such as seedling establishment. Seed reserves can compensate for photosynthetic inhibition by accelerating seedling growth. We therefore hypothesize that seedlings arising from large seeds show less inhibition from low atmospheric CO2 than young plants from small seeds.

Prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the Sydney Brain Bank.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathologic change can only be definitively diagnosed post-mortem. It has been associated with repetitive mild neurotrauma sustained in amateur and professional contact, collision and combat sports, although it has also been documented in people with a single severe traumatic brain injury and in some people with no known history of brain injury. The characteristic neuropathology is an accumulation of perivascular neuronal and astrocytic phosphorylated tau in the depths of the cortical sulci.

Scalp-Mounted Electrical Impedance Tomography of Cerebral Hemodynamics.

An Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) system has been developed for dynamic three-dimensional imaging of changes in conductivity distribution in the human head, using scalp-mounted electrodes. We attribute these images to changes in cerebral perfusion. At 100 frames per second (fps), voltage measurement is achieved with full-scale signal-to-noise ratio of 105 dB and common-mode rejection ratio > 90 dB.

Covalent Immune Proximity-Induction Strategy Using SuFEx-Engineered Bifunctional Viral Peptides.

Covalent antibody recruiting molecules (cARMs) constitute a proximity-inducing chemical strategy to modulate the recognition and elimination of cancer cells by the immune system. Recognition is achieved through synthetic bifunctional molecules that use covalency to stably bridge endogenous hapten-specific antibodies like anti-dinitrophenyl (anti-DNP), with tumor antigens on cancer cell surfaces. To recruit these antibodies, cARMs are equipped with the native hapten-binding molecule.

CSTNet: A Dual-Branch Convolutional Neural Network for Imaging of Reactive Flows Using Chemical Species Tomography.

Chemical species tomography (CST) has been widely used for in situ imaging of critical parameters, e.g., species concentration and temperature, in reactive flows.

The Use of Lean Six Sigma Methodology in the Reduction of Patient Length of Stay Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery.

The purpose of this study was to reduce the length of stay of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients within a private hospital in Ireland, reducing any non-value-added activity in the patient pathway, with the goal of increasing patient flow, bed capacity, and revenue generation within the hospital system, while maintaining patient satisfaction. We used a pre-/post-intervention design and Lean Six Sigma methods and tools to assess and improve the current process. A reduction in inpatient length of stay by 57%, and a reduction in identified non-value-added activity by 88%, resulted in a new day-case surgery pathway for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients.

Child Welfare Policies and Practices Regarding Children with Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol and Other Drugs: An Exploratory Study.

Research indicates that there are more children with prenatal alcohol and other drug exposures in child welfare than in the general population. Using multiple forms of data from staff and caregivers from one urban agency, this exploratory study demonstrated opportunities to inform polices, practice, and data elements regarding this vulnerable group. Findings are discussed within the context of ensuring family preservation, equity and avoiding disproportional race/ethnicity within child welfare when identifying and caring for children with prenatal exposures.

Impact of skull sutures, spongiform bone distribution, and aging skull conductivities on the EEG forward and inverse problems.

. Source imaging is a principal objective for electroencephalography (EEG), the solutions of which require forward problem (FP) computations characterising the electric potential distribution on the scalp due to known sources. Additionally, the EEG-FP is dependent upon realistic, anatomically correct volume conductors and accurate tissue conductivities, where the skull is particularly important.

Training Healthcare Professionals to Work With People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

This study assessed 155 healthcare providers, from nine disciplines, who work professionally with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Using a national, web-based survey, respondents rated their experience, comfort, and competence in treating individuals with different disability types and preferred methods of continuing education; respondents also provided suggestions for attracting others to work with the IDD population. Findings revealed that experiences, comfort, and competence were all higher concerning persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), lower for those with deaf-blindness.

Aging-Related Tau Astrogliopathy in Aging and Neurodegeneration.

Astrocytes are of vital importance to neuronal function and the health of the central nervous system (CNS), and astrocytic dysfunction as a primary or secondary event may predispose to neurodegeneration. Until recently, the main astrocytic tauopathies were the frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau (FTLD-tau) group of disorders; however, aging-related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG) has now been defined. This condition is a self-describing neuropathology mainly found in individuals over 60 years of age.