Historical biogeography of the Mugil cephalus species complex and its rapid global colonization.

Our understanding of speciation processes in marine environments remains very limited and the role of different reproductive barriers are still debated. While physical barriers were considered important drivers causing reproductive isolation, recent studies highlight the importance of climatic and hydrological changes creating unsuitable habitat conditions as factors promoting population isolation. Although speciation in marine fish has been investigated from different perspectives, these studies often have a limited geographical extant.

Comprehensive Extractables and Leachables Sensitization Analysis and Practical Application of a Risk-Based Approach to Sensitization Assessment for Parenteral Drug Products.

The Extractables and Leachables Safety Information Exchange (ELSIE) Consortium added to the sensitization potency analysis of Parris et al. (2023) by including the Product Quality Research Institute (PQRI) extractable and leachable dataset (Johnson et al., 2024; Product Quality Research Institute, 2021).

Volumetric assessment of the soft tissue envelope in unilateral closed ankle fractures using a portable 3D scanner.

Management of ankle fractures necessitating surgery is impacted by soft tissue swelling, often delaying open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Subjective evaluations are inconsistent, and traditional measurement methods are often inaccurate or impractical. This prospective observational study included 17 adults with unilateral closed ankle fractures requiring surgical fixation.

The importance of thiamine availability in the thermogenic competency of human adipocytes.

Brown and beige adipocytes express uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1), which is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane and facilitates the dissipation of excess energy as heat. The activation of thermogenic adipocytes is a potential therapeutic target for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and related co-morbidities. Therefore, identifying novel approaches to stimulate the function of these adipocytes is crucial for advancing therapeutic strategies.

Does transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation alter pupil dilation? A living Bayesian meta-analysis.

Background: Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) has emerged as a promising technique to modulate autonomic functions, and pupil dilation has been recognized as a promising biomarker for tVNS-induced monoaminergic release. Nevertheless, studies on the effectiveness of various tVNS protocols have produced heterogeneous results on pupil dilation to date.

Methods: Here, we synthesize the existing evidence and compare conventional ("continuous") and pulsed stimulation protocols using a Bayesian meta-analysis.

Radiation exposure in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients: Balancing diagnostic benefits and long-term risks.

Background: X-ray, computed tomography (CT), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) techniques are indispensable in managing critically ill neurosurgical patients. However, repeated diagnostic imaging leads to cumulative radiation exposure, raising concerns about long-term risks such as malignancies. This study evaluates the frequency, dosage, and implications of radiation exposure in a neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU) patient cohort.

Unveiling the Distinctions: Computer Versus Sport-Specific Neurocognitive Tests.

Context: Traditional assessments of high-order neurocognitive functions are conducted using pen and paper or computer-based tests; this neglects the complex motor actions athletes have to make in team ball sports. Previous research has not explored the combination of neurocognitive functions and motor demands through complex tasks for team ball sport athletes. The primary aim of the present study was to determine the construct validity of agility-based neurocognitive tests of working memory (WM) and inhibition.

Identification, structure, and agonist design of an androgen membrane receptor.

Androgens, such as 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), regulate numerous functions by binding to nuclear androgen receptors (ARs) and potential unknown membrane receptors. Here, we report that the androgen 5α-DHT activates membrane receptor GPR133 in muscle cells, thereby increasing intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels and enhancing muscle strength. Further cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural analysis of GPR133-Gs in complex with 5α-DHT or its derivative methenolone (MET) reveals the structural basis for androgen recognition.

Ion implantation of the electron-capture nuclide Fe for measurements by means of metallic microcalorimeters.

Precise measurements of fundamental decay data such as energies and transition probabilities of radioactive isotopes are important for the development of corresponding nuclear modelling, activity determination and various applications in science and technology. The EMPIR project PrimA-LTD -"Towards new Primary Activity standardisation methods based on Low-Temperature Detectors" - aims to measure the electron-capture decay of Fe very precisely using Metallic Microcalorimeters (MMCs) with outstandingly high energy resolution. Using a high-statistics measurement, electron-capture probabilities shall be precisely determined and higher-order effects such as electron shake-up and shake-off shall be examined with unprecedented precision.

Metabolic and molecular Characterization, following dietary exposure to DINCH, Reveals new Implications for its role as a Metabolism-Disrupting chemical.

Plastic materials are ubiquitous, leading to constant human exposure to plastic additives such as plasticizers. There is growing evidence that plasticizers may contribute to obesity due to their disruptive effects on metabolism. Alternatives like diisononylcyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) are replacing traditional phthalates such as di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which are now banned due to their proven harmful health effects.

Struggling over water, losing it through evaporation: The case of Afghanistan and Iran.

Prolonged droughts and rising water demand have worsened water disputes in the transboundary Helmand basin, shared by Afghanistan and Iran. While both countries have built water storage reservoirs to mitigate water shortages, evaporative losses from these reservoirs reduce their effectiveness. This issue intensifies challenges over water shortages in the region without reliable monitoring data.

Vaccines and AMR: An analysis of the funding landscape for human bacterial vaccines in low-and middle-income countries.

Background: Vaccines are critical tools to prevent the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through prevention of infection and reduction of subsequent antibiotic use. Since AMR is a critical issue disproportionately affecting Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs), we examined investments in research and development for bacterial vaccines with a focus on LMIC-driven research.

Methods: Publicly available funding data on projects active from January 2007 to 15 January 2024 from the G-FINDER and Global AMR R&D Hub databases were analysed.

McDonald criteria application by German neurologists suggests a need for further training.

Background: McDonald criteria (MC) are a globally accepted standard for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Misdiagnosis of MS is a common problem that has significant clinical consequences for patients. Misapplication of MC is a potential source of MS misdiagnosis.

Trends and challenges in bispecific antibody production.

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) represent a rapidly growing field of therapeutic agents. More bsAbs are being approved worldwide and are in various stages of clinical trials. However, the discovery and production of novel bsAbs presents significant challenges due to their complex structure.

Separation of deaminated impurities from the desired oligonucleotides using supercritical fluid chromatography.

With recent advancements concerning the optimization of the analytical conditions, it is feasible to analyze polar molecules using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). In this study, the applicability of SFC is evaluated for analyzing 5-, 10-, 15-, and 18-mer oligonucleotides, and SFC is then applied to analyze deaminated products, which are side products generated during oligonucleotide synthesis. These side products are difficult to separate from the target oligonucleotide, with the difficulty varying depending on the deamination position and sequences, even when using ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC), a common method for oligonucleotide analysis.

Reliability, validity and practicability of the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment tool (CPAx) following an e-learning programme: A clinimetric study.

Objectives: To investigate inter- and intra-rater reliability, content and concurrent validity, and practicability of the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment tool (CPAx) - a measurement instrument for physical function and activity for patients with a critical illness - from multidisciplinary, German-speaking healthcare professionals.

Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal, clinimetric study. Participants who completed a novel German CPAx e-learning were invited to participate in a voluntary, web-based, piloted, two-round survey.

ExPDrug: Integration of an interpretable neural network and knowledge graph for pathway-based drug repurposing.

Precision medicine aims to provide personalized therapies by analyzing patient molecular profiles, often focusing on gene expression data. However, effectively linking these data to actionable drug discovery for clinical application remains challenging. In this paper, we introduce ExPDrug, a neural network (NN) model that integrates biological pathways from transcriptomic data with a biomedical knowledge graph to facilitate pathway-based drug repurposing.

Ferrous iron oxidation in the presence of antimonate at neutral pH: Mutual effects on iron mineral products and antimony sequestration.

Antimony is a priority pollutant, whose mobility in redox-dynamic environments may be controlled by interactions with Fe(III) hydroxide minerals that form via Fe(II) oxidation. In this study, we examined the Fe(III) hydroxide precipitates and associated mechanisms of Sb(V) sequestration that result from Fe(II) oxidation in the presence of Sb(V) under neutral pH conditions. To achieve this aim, oxidation experiments were carried out in O-saturated, Fe(II)-bearing solutions (buffered at pH 7) over a range of environmentally relevant Sb(V) concentrations (equivalent to Sb(V):Fe(II) molar ratios of 0, 0.

Long-term, continuous, subcutaneous levodopa/carbidopa infusion with ND0612 in Parkinson's disease: 3-year outcomes from the open-label BeyoND study.

Introduction: ND0612 is being investigated as a continuous, subcutaneous levodopa/carbidopa infusion, in combination with oral levodopa/carbidopa, for motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease (PD). One-year data from the ongoing BeyoND study (NCT02726386) showed that the ND0612 regimen was safe and well tolerated and provided a sustained ≥2-h improvement in daily Good ON-time through 12 months of treatment.

Methods: We describe 3-year safety and efficacy outcomes for participants who completed 12 months of ND0612 treatment in the core study period and entered the extension phase.

Non-tuberculosis mycobacteria identified by line probe assays in respiratory and non-respiratory samples in South Africa between 2015 and 2019.

In recent years, a rise in non-tuberculosis mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) has been reported in several countries. However, data for high-burden tuberculosis settings, including South Africa, is currently limited. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of routine diagnostic data obtained from one diagnostic laboratory in South Africa between 2015 and 2019.

Osmotolerance reflected in mitochondrial respiration of Mytilus populations from three different habitat salinities.

Mussels from the Mytilus edulis species complex experience a salinity gradient from the North Sea into the Baltic Proper ranging from 32 to 5. As osmoconformers, they adjust their internal osmolarity to match that of their surroundings, which presents a significant challenge to the metabolic machinery, including their mitochondria. We hypothesized that the osmotic optima for the mitochondrial function of mussels matches the prevailing habitat salinity and is accompanied by a population specific metabolite profile.

Flavobacterium plantiphilum sp. nov., Flavobacterium rhizophilum sp. nov., Flavobacterium rhizosphaerae sp. nov., Chryseobacterium terrae sp. nov., and Sphingomonas plantiphila sp. nov. isolated from salty soil showing plant growth promoting potential.

Members of the genera Flavobacterium, Chryseobacterium and Sphingomonas constitute a group of microorganisms in the rhizosphere associated with plant growth promoting (PGP) features. A polyphasic approach was employed to ascertain the taxonomic status of five selected strains. Overall genome relatedness indices of digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) between the strains and the other members of the genera Flavobacterium, Chryseobacterium and Sphingomonas were found to be below the established thresholds, respectively.

3D examination reveals increased destruction of alpha-actin-positive structures in advanced follicular lymphoma stages.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) represents the most prevalent subtype of non-Hodgkin's-lymphoma in Western Europe and the United States. While the examination of two-dimensional histological slides remains the gold standard method for diagnosing FL stages, three-dimensional analysis provides additional insights, particularly regarding cellular morphology, spatial relationships and network connectivity. This investigation assessed the tumor-related morphological destruction of fibroreticular cell (FRC) networks bordering germinal centres in FL.

Trends in psychological distress during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a population-based Costa Rican cohort study.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase of psychological distress. We hypothesized that the mental health of individuals has improved since the end of the pandemic.

Study Design: 1459 population-based participants of the RESPIRA cohort study (Costa Rica) METHODS: Psychological distress was measured at 6-month intervals using the Mental Health Inventory 5 (MHI-5) during the 2-year follow-up.