Application of EMG feedback for hand prosthesis control in high-level amputation: a case study.

EMG feedback improves force control of a myoelectric hand prosthesis by conveying the magnitude of the myoelectric signal back to the users via tactile stimulation. The present study aimed to test if this method can be used by a participant with a high-level amputation, and whose muscle used for prosthesis control (pectoralis major) was not intuitively related to hand function. Vibrotactile feedback was delivered to the participant's torso, while the control was tested using EMG from three different muscles.

Ultrafast silicon photonic reservoir computing engine delivering over 200 TOPS.

Reservoir computing (RC) is a powerful machine learning algorithm for information processing. Despite numerous optical implementations, its speed and scalability remain limited by the need to establish recurrent connections and achieve efficient optical nonlinearities. This work proposes a streamlined photonic RC design based on a new paradigm, called next-generation RC, which overcomes these limitations.

Differences between mates at the TLR1Lb locus are associated with lower reproductive success in a long-lived seabird.

Genetic diversity can influence fitness components such as survival and reproductive success. Yet the association between genetic diversity and fitness based on neutral loci is sometime very weak and inconsistent, with relationships varying among taxa due to confounding effects of population demography and life history. Fitness-diversity relationships are likely to be stronger and more consistent for genes known to influence phenotypic traits, such as immunity-related genes, and may also depend on the genetic differences between breeding partners.

Multimodal cadmium resistance and its regulatory networking in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CD3.

Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, poses significant global concern. A strain of the genus Pseudomonas, CD3, demonstrating significant cadmium resistance (up to 3 mM CdCl.HO) was identified from a pool of 26 cadmium-resistant bacteria isolated from cadmium-contaminated soil samples from Malda, India.

A new type III effector from Bradyrhizobium sp. DOA9 encoding a putative SUMO-protease blocks nodulation in Arachis hypogaea L.

Effector proteins secreted via the type III secretion system (T3SS) of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia are key determinants of symbiotic compatibility in legumes. Previous report revealed that the T3SS of Bradyrhizobium sp. DOA9 plays negative effects on Arachis hypogaea symbiosis.

Wearable non-invasive neuroprosthesis for targeted sensory restoration in neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy (PN), the most common complication of diabetes, leads to sensory loss and associated health issues as pain and increased fall risk. However, present treatments do not counteract sensory loss, but only partially manage its consequences. Electrical neural stimulation holds promise to restore sensations, but its efficacy and benefits in PN damaged nerves are yet unknown.

A plasmid-chromosome crosstalk in multidrug resistant enterobacteria.

Conjugative plasmids promote the dissemination and evolution of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens. However, plasmid acquisition can produce physiological alterations in the bacterial host, leading to potential fitness costs that determine the clinical success of bacteria-plasmid associations. In this study, we use a transcriptomic approach to characterize the interactions between a globally disseminated carbapenem resistance plasmid, pOXA-48, and a diverse collection of multidrug resistant (MDR) enterobacteria.

Mechanisms of recalcitrant fucoidan breakdown in marine Planctomycetota.

Marine brown algae produce the highly recalcitrant polysaccharide fucoidan, contributing to long-term oceanic carbon storage and climate regulation. Fucoidan is degraded by specialized heterotrophic bacteria, which promote ecosystem function and global carbon turnover using largely uncharacterized mechanisms. Here, we isolate and study two Planctomycetota strains from the microbiome associated with the alga Fucus spiralis, which grow efficiently on chemically diverse fucoidans.

Cerebellar-driven cortical dynamics can enable task acquisition, switching and consolidation.

The brain must maintain a stable world model while rapidly adapting to the environment, but the underlying mechanisms are not known. Here, we posit that cortico-cerebellar loops play a key role in this process. We introduce a computational model of cerebellar networks that learn to drive cortical networks with task-outcome predictions.

Human respiratory organoids sustained reproducible propagation of human rhinovirus C and elucidation of virus-host interaction.

The lack of a robust system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, a family of viruses refractory to cultivation in standard cell lines, has substantially hindered our understanding of this common respiratory pathogen. We sought to develop an organoid-based system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, and characterize virus-host interaction using respiratory organoids. We demonstrate that airway organoids sustain serial virus passage with the aid of CYT387-mediated immunosuppression, whereas nasal organoids that more closely simulate the upper airway achieve this without any intervention.

Laser scribed proton exchange membranes for enhanced fuel cell performance and stability.

High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) offer solutions to challenges intrinsic to low-temperature PEMFCs, such as complex water management, fuel inflexibility, and thermal integration. However, they are hindered by phosphoric acid (PA) leaching and catalyst migration, which destabilize the critical three-phase interface within the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). This study presents an innovative approach to enhance HT-PEMFC performance through membrane modification using picosecond laser scribing, which optimises the three-phase interface by forming a graphene-like structure that mitigates PA leaching.

Combining genomics and epidemiology to investigate a zoonotic outbreak of rabies in Romblon Province, Philippines.

Rabies is a viral zoonosis that kills thousands of people annually in low- and middle-income countries across Africa and Asia where domestic dogs are the reservoir. 'Zero by 30', the global strategy to end dog-mediated human rabies, promotes a One Health approach underpinned by mass dog vaccination, post-exposure vaccination of bite victims, robust surveillance and community engagement. Using Integrated Bite Case Management (IBCM) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), we enhanced rabies surveillance to detect an outbreak in a formerly rabies-free island province in the Philippines.

Exploring the Phenomenon of Domestic Violence in Taiwan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Complexity Theory Perspective.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most significant public health events in human history. Domestic violence cases surged globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Taiwan, this trend was particularly evident, with a year-over-year increase in reported cases.

Adiposity and risks of gastrointestinal cancers: A 10-year prospective study of 0.5 million Chinese adults.

Associations of adiposity with risks of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and non-cardia stomach cancer, both prevalent in China, are still inconclusive. While adiposity is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer, the relevance of fat-free mass and early-adulthood adiposity remains to be explored. The prospective China Kadoorie Biobank study included 0.

Selective Colocalization of GHSR and GLP-1R in a Subset of Hypothalamic Neurons and Their Functional Interaction.

The GH secretagogue receptor (GHSR) and the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) are G protein-coupled receptors with critical, yet opposite, roles in regulating energy balance. Interestingly, these receptors are expressed in overlapping brain regions. However, the extent to which they target the same neurons and engage in molecular crosstalk remains unclear.

Antimicrobial Polymers at the Membrane Interface: Impact of Macromolecular Architecture.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major cause of death worldwide. This urges the search for alternatives to antibiotics, and antimicrobial polymers hold promise due to their reduced susceptibility to AMR. The topology of such macromolecules has a strong impact on their activity, with bottlebrush architectures outperforming their linear counterparts significantly.

Hidden Causes of Variation in Offspring Reproductive Value: Negative Effects of Maternal Breeding Age on Offspring Telomere Length Persist Undiminished Across Multiple Generations.

Offspring of older breeders frequently show reduced longevity, which has been linked to shorter offspring telomere length. It is currently unknown whether such telomere reduction persists beyond a single generation, as would be the case if germline transmission is involved. In a within-grandmother, multi-generational study using zebra finches, we show that the shorter telomeres observed in F1 offspring of older mothers are still present in the F2 generation even when the breeding age of their F1 mothers is young.

HOPX as a tumour-suppressive protein in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The homeodomain protein homeobox (HOPX), a multifaceted regulator of cellular functions and developmental processes, is predominantly expressed in stem cells across diverse tissues; it has also emerged as a tumour suppressor in various solid cancers. However, its role in haematological malignancies still remains undefined. This study aimed to elucidate its significance in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL).

Calibrated Ecosystem Models Cannot Predict the Consequences of Conservation Management Decisions.

Ecosystem models are often used to predict the consequences of management interventions in applied ecology and conservation. These models are often high-dimensional and nonlinear, yet limited data are available to calibrate or validate them. Consequently, their utility as decision-support tools is unclear.

A Natural Disaster Exacerbates and Redistributes Disease Risk Among Free-Ranging Macaques by Altering Social Structure.

Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, with severe implications for ecosystem dynamics. A key behavioural mechanism whereby animals may cope with such events is by altering their social structure, which in turn could influence epidemic risk. However, how and to what extent natural disasters affect disease risk via changes in sociality remains unexplored in animal populations.

Environmental Conditions Modulate Warming Effects on Plant Litter Decomposition Globally.

Empirical studies worldwide show that warming has variable effects on plant litter decomposition, leaving the overall impact of climate change on decomposition uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of 109 experimental warming studies across seven continents, using natural and standardised plant material, to assess the overarching effect of warming on litter decomposition and identify potential moderating factors. We determined that at least 5.

Critical Role of Nanomaterial Mechanical Properties in Drug Delivery, Nanovaccines and Beyond.

Nanomaterials have become essential in the daily lives, finding applications in food, skincare, drugs, and vaccines. Traditionally, the surface chemistry of nanoparticles (NPs) is considered the key factor in determining their interactions with biological systems. However, recent studies have shown that the mechanical properties of nanomaterials are equally important in regulating nano-bio interactions, though they have often been overlooked.

Corner's Rules and Their Linkages With Twig Functions and Tree Productivity in Simple- and Compound-Leaved Tree Species.

Corner's rules are well known in describing inter-specific scaling relationships for plant organ size-related traits, from species with thick terminal stems, large leaves, and sparsely branched twigs to species with opposite traits; however, the implications of organ size on physiological functions and growth performance of trees remain unclear. Moreover, whether Corner's rules spectra differ between tree species with simple and compound leaves is not known. Here, we measured key twig morphological traits, physiological characteristics, and radial growth rates of 27 simple- and 6 compound-leaved tree species in a common garden in Northeast China.

Real-Time Tractography-Assisted Neuronavigation for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

State-of-the-art navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) systems can display the TMS coil position relative to the structural magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the subject's brain and calculate the induced electric field. However, the local effect of TMS propagates via the white-matter network to different areas of the brain, and currently there is no commercial or research neuronavigation system that can highlight in real time the brain's structural connections during TMS. This lack of real-time visualization may overlook critical inter-individual differences in brain connectivity and does not provide the opportunity to target brain networks.

RNA-ModX: a multilabel prediction and interpretation framework for RNA modifications.

Accurate prediction of RNA modifications holds profound implications for elucidating RNA function and mechanism, with potential applications in drug development. Here, the RNA-ModX presents a highly precise predictive model designed to forecast post-transcriptional RNA modifications, complemented by a user-friendly web application tailored for seamless utilization by future researchers. To achieve exceptional accuracy, the RNA-ModX systematically explored a range of machine learning models, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit, and Transformer-based architectures.