Search for Leptonic Decays of Dark Photons at NA62.

The NA62 experiment at CERN, configured in beam-dump mode, has searched for dark photon decays in flight to electron-positron pairs using a sample of 1.4×10^{17} protons on dump collected in 2021. No evidence for a dark photon signal is observed.

- a Risk Mitigation Tool for Agriculture Workers.

The agriculture industry lacks novel techniques for analyzing risks facing its workers. Although injuries are common in this field, existing datasets and tools are insufficient for risk assessment and mitigation for two primary reasons: they provide neither immediate nor long-term risk mitigation advice, and they do not account for hazards which fluctuate daily. The purpose of is to collect safety data about hazards on farms and produce risk analysis and mitigation reports.

Observation of Collider Muon Neutrinos with the SND@LHC Experiment.

We report the direct observation of muon neutrino interactions with the SND@LHC detector at the Large Hadron Collider. A dataset of proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13.6  TeV collected by SND@LHC in 2022 is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.

Standardized tissue sampling guidelines for histopathological and molecular analyses of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in ecotoxicological studies.

In ecotoxicology, evaluation of toxicities and no observed effect concentrations (NOEC) of test compounds in experimental fish is commonly based on molecular-, biochemical- and analytical chemistry analyses of organ/tissue samples and the assessment of (histo-) pathological lesions. Standardization of organ/tissue sampling locations, sample numbers, and sample processing contributes to warrant the reproducibility and inter- and intra-study comparability of analysis results. The present article provides the first comprehensive tissue sampling guidelines specifically adapted to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as a frequently used fish species in ecotoxicological studies.

Listening to Contemporary Art Music: A Morphodynamic Model of Cognition.

This paper proposes that the perceptual and cognitive mechanisms involved when listening to certain genres within "sound-based" music, such as post-spectralism, glitch-electronica, and electroacoustic music and in various areas of sound art, are best understood within a connectionist cognitive framework described by morphodynamic theory. By analysing the specific characteristics of sound-based music, it is explored how this kind of music works at perceptual and cognitive levels. The sound patterns found in these pieces engage listeners more readily at a phenomenological level rather than through establishing long-term conceptual associations.

Detection of Diclofenac-Induced Alterations in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Using Quantitative Stereological Methods.

In 2013, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (DCF) was included in the watch list for emerging pollutants under the European Union Water Framework Directive. Frequently, monitoring data revealed DCF concentrations in surface waters exceeding the proposed environmental quality standards of 0.04 µg L and 0.

PLVAP as an Early Marker of Glomerular Endothelial Damage in Mice with Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein (PLVAP) is the main component of endothelial diaphragms in fenestrae, caveolae, and transendothelial channels. PLVAP is expressed in the adult kidney glomerulus upon injury. Glomerular endothelial injury is associated with progressive loss of kidney function in diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

Differential Effects of Insulin-Deficient Diabetes Mellitus on Visceral vs. Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue-Multi-omics Insights From the Munich MIDY Pig Model.

Adipose tissue (AT) is no longer considered to be responsible for energy storage only but is now recognized as a major endocrine organ that is distributed across different parts of the body and is actively involved in regulatory processes controlling energy homeostasis. Moreover, AT plays a crucial role in the development of metabolic disease such as diabetes. Recent evidence has shown that adipokines have the ability to regulate blood glucose levels and improve metabolic homeostasis.

A scalable, clinically severe pig model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Large-animal models for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are crucial for the evaluation of diagnostic procedures and treatment strategies. Pigs cloned from male cells lacking DMD exon 52 (DMDΔ52) exhibit molecular, clinical and pathological hallmarks of DMD, but die before sexual maturity and cannot be propagated by breeding. Therefore, we generated female DMD+/- carriers.

Search for Lepton Number and Flavor Violation in K^{+} and π^{0} Decays.

Searches for the lepton number violating K^{+}→π^{-}μ^{+}e^{+} decay and the lepton flavor violating K^{+}→π^{+}μ^{-}e^{+} and π^{0}→μ^{-}e^{+} decays are reported using data collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN in 2017-2018. No evidence for these decays is found and upper limits of the branching ratios are obtained at 90% confidence level: B(K^{+}→π^{-}μ^{+}e^{+})<4.2×10^{-11}, B(K^{+}→π^{+}μ^{-}e^{+})<6.

A new method for physical disector analyses of numbers and mean volumes of immunohistochemically labeled cells in paraffin sections.

Background: In the neurosciences, the physical disector method represents an established quantitative stereological method for unbiased sampling and counting of cells in histological tissue sections of known thickness. Physical disector analyses are conventionally performed using plastic-embedded tissue samples, because plastic-embedding causes a comparably low and definable shrinkage of the embedded tissue, and the thickness of thin plastic sections can be determined adequately. However, immunohistochemistry protocols often don't work satisfactorily in sections of plastic-embedded tissue.

Unbiased analysis of obesity related, fat depot specific changes of adipocyte volumes and numbers using light sheet fluorescence microscopy.

In translational obesity research, objective assessment of adipocyte sizes and numbers is essential to characterize histomorphological alterations linked to obesity, and to evaluate the efficacies of experimental medicinal or dietetic interventions. Design-based quantitative stereological techniques based on the analysis of 2D-histological sections provide unbiased estimates of relevant 3D-parameters of adipocyte morphology, but often involve complex and time-consuming tissue processing and analysis steps. Here we report the application of direct 3D light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) for effective and accurate analysis of adipocyte volumes and numbers in optically cleared adipose tissue samples from a porcine model of diet-induced obesity (DIO).

A practical guide to unbiased quantitative morphological analyses of the gills of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in ecotoxicological studies.

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are frequently used as experimental animals in ecotoxicological studies, in which they are experimentally exposed to defined concentrations of test substances, such as heavy metals, pesticides, or pharmaceuticals. Following exposure to a broad variety of aquatic pollutants, early morphologically detectable toxic effects often manifest in alterations of the gills. Suitable methods for an accurate and unbiased quantitative characterization of the type and the extent of morphological gill alterations are therefore essential prerequisites for recognition, objective evaluation and comparison of the severity of gill lesions.

A decade of experience with genetically tailored pig models for diabetes and metabolic research.

The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases is rapidly increasing. Animal models play pivotal roles in unravelling disease mechanisms and developing and testing therapeutic strategies. Rodents are the most widely used animal models but may have limitations in their resemblance to human disease mechanisms and phenotypes.

Combined effects of life-history traits and human impact on extinction risk of freshwater megafauna.

Megafauna species are intrinsically vulnerable to human impact. Freshwater megafauna (i.e.

Porcine models for studying complications and organ crosstalk in diabetes mellitus.

The worldwide prevalence of diabetes mellitus and obesity is rapidly increasing not only in adults but also in children and adolescents. Diabetes is associated with macrovascular complications increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke, as well as microvascular complications leading to diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy. Animal models are essential for studying disease mechanisms and for developing and testing diagnostic procedures and therapeutic strategies.

Linkage between growth retardation and pituitary cell morphology in a dystrophin-deficient pig model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: Human patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) commonly exhibit a short stature, but the pathogenesis of this growth retardation is not completely understood. Due to the suspected involvement of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 (GH/IGF1) system, controversial therapeutic approaches have been developed, including both GH- administration, as well as GH-inhibition. In the present study, we examined relevant histomorphological and ultrastructural features of adenohypophyseal GH-producing somatotroph cells in a porcine DMD model.

Mild maternal hyperglycemia in transgenic pigs causes impaired glucose tolerance and metabolic alterations in neonatal offspring.

Alongside the obesity epidemic, the prevalence of maternal diabetes is rising worldwide, and adverse effects on fetal development and metabolic disturbances in the offspring's later life have been described. To clarify whether metabolic programming effects are due to mild maternal hyperglycemia without confounding obesity, we investigated wild-type offspring of transgenic pigs, which are a novel genetically modified large-animal model expressing mutant insulin (INS) C93S in pancreatic β-cells. This mutation results in impaired glucose tolerance, mild fasting hyperglycemia and insulin resistance during late pregnancy.

Multi-omics insights into functional alterations of the liver in insulin-deficient diabetes mellitus.

Objective: The liver regulates the availability of insulin to other tissues and is the first line insulin response organ physiologically exposed to higher insulin concentrations than the periphery. Basal insulin during fasting inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, whereas postprandial insulin peaks stimulate glycogen synthesis. The molecular consequences of chronic insulin deficiency for the liver have not been studied systematically.

Novel Methinic Functionalized and Dendritic C-Scorpionates.

The study of chelating ligands is undoubtedly one of the most significant fields of research in chemistry. The present work is directed to the synthesis of new functionalized derivatives of tripodal C-scorpionate compounds. Tris-2,2,2-(1-pyrazolyl)ethanol, HOCH₂C(pz)₃ (), one of the most important derivatives of hydrotris(pyrazolyl)methane, was used as a building block for the synthesis of new functionalized C-scorpionates, aiming to expand the scope of this unexplored class of compounds.

Metabolic syndrome and extensive adipose tissue inflammation in morbidly obese Göttingen minipigs.

Objective: The worldwide prevalence of obesity has increased to 10% in men and 15% in women and is associated with severe comorbidities such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Animal models of obesity are central to experimental studies of disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. Diet-induced obesity (DIO) models in rodents have provided important insights into the pathophysiology of obesity and, in most instances, are the first in line for exploratory pharmacology studies.

Sampling Strategies and Processing of Biobank Tissue Samples from Porcine Biomedical Models.

In translational medical research, porcine models have steadily become more popular. Considering the high value of individual animals, particularly of genetically modified pig models, and the often-limited number of available animals of these models, establishment of (biobank) collections of adequately processed tissue samples suited for a broad spectrum of subsequent analyses methods, including analyses not specified at the time point of sampling, represent meaningful approaches to take full advantage of the translational value of the model. With respect to the peculiarities of porcine anatomy, comprehensive guidelines have recently been established for standardized generation of representative, high-quality samples from different porcine organs and tissues.

Practicable methods for histological section thickness measurement in quantitative stereological analyses.

The accuracy of quantitative stereological analysis tools such as the (physical) disector method substantially depends on the precise determination of the thickness of the analyzed histological sections. One conventional method for measurement of histological section thickness is to re-embed the section of interest vertically to its original section plane. The section thickness is then measured in a subsequently prepared histological section of this orthogonally re-embedded sample.