The host genotype actively shapes its microbiome across generations in laboratory mice.

Background: The microbiome greatly affects health and wellbeing. Evolutionarily, it is doubtful that a host would rely on chance alone to pass on microbial colonization to its offspring. However, the literature currently offers only limited evidence regarding two alternative hypotheses: active microbial shaping by host genetic factors or transmission of a microbial maternal legacy.

Paratuberculosis in South American camelids: two independent cases in alpacas in Germany.

Background: Paratuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic granulomatous enteritis that affects domestic and wild ruminants and camelids. The disease has rarely been reported in alpacas in Germany. This publication describes epidemiologically independent cases of paratuberculosis in two alpacas in Germany.

Sulfation pathways in times of change.

Sulfation pathways are an essential part of overall sulfur metabolism. Sulfation pathways are mainly about sulfate activation, and the making and breaking of biological sulfate esters. This special issue features some extended reflection on what was presented at the SUPA 2023 meeting on Sulfation Pathways.

Sufficiency health-wise: sustainable paths towards planetary and public health.

Planet Earth is threatened by the human population. Energy and resource use are far beyond the planet's carrying capacity. Planetary Health suggests an alternative idea of prosperity as the best possible human health for all within planetary boundaries.

Application of a locking cortical pearl plate system to the feline lumbar vertebral column: a cadaveric study.

Aims: To assess the feasibility and safety of a locking cortical pearl plate system for the repair of lumbar vertebral fractures and luxation in cats using an feline model.

Methods: This cadaveric study of the lumbar vertebral column (L1-L7) involved 28 Domestic Short-hair cats without vertebral column pathology. Surrounding soft tissue was removed, except for the paravertebral musculature, joint capsules, and ligaments associated with the L1-L7 vertebrae.

Death-associated protein kinase 1 prevents hypoxia-induced metabolic shift and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation in PAH.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a general term used to describe high blood pressure in the lungs from any cause. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive, and fatal disease that causes the walls of the pulmonary arteries to tighten and stiffen. One of the major characteristics of PAH is the hyperproliferation and resistance to apoptosis of vascular cells, which trigger excessive pulmonary vascular remodeling and vasoconstriction.

Deep phenotyping the right ventricle to establish translational MRI biomarkers for characterization of adaptive and maladaptive states in pulmonary hypertension.

Deep phenotyping the right ventricle (RV) is essential for understanding the mechanisms of adaptive and maladaptive RV responses to pulmonary hypertension (PH). In this study, feature selection coupled with machine learning classification/ranking of specific cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features from cine-MRI, flow-sensitized, and extracellular-volume techniques were used to assess RV remodelling in monocrotaline (MCT) and Sugen hypoxia (SuHx) PH rats. Early physiological changes associated with RV adaptation were detected along with prediction of RV maladaptive outcomes.

A global patent dataset of bioeconomy-related inventions.

Many governments worldwide have proposed transitioning from a fossil-based economy to a bioeconomy to address climate change, resource depletion, and other environmental concerns. The bioeconomy utilizes renewable biological resources across all sectors and is strongly founded on scientific advances and technological progress. Given that the bioeconomy spans multiple sectors, industries, and technological fields, tracking it is challenging, and both policymakers and researchers lack a comprehensive understanding of the bioeconomy transition's progress.

Imaging the eye as a window to brain health: frontier approaches and future directions.

Recent years have seen significant advances in diagnostic testing of central nervous system (CNS) function and disease. However, there remain challenges in developing a comprehensive suite of non- or minimally invasive assays of neural health and disease progression. Due to the direct connection with the CNS, structural changes in the neural retina, retinal vasculature and morphological changes in retinal immune cells can occur in parallel with disease conditions in the brain.

Vascular FLRT2 regulates venous-mediated angiogenic expansion and CNS barriergenesis.

Veins have emerged as the origin of all other endothelial cell subtypes needed to expand vascular networks during developmental and pathological neoangiogenesis. Here, we uncover the role of the angioneurin Fibronectin Leucine Rich Transmembrane protein (FLRT) 2 in central nervous system (CNS) vascular development in the mouse. Early postnatal FLRT2 deletion reveals specific defects in retinal veins, impacting endothelial cell proliferation, sprouting and polarity that result in reduced tip cells at the vascular front.

Performance of the EULAR Systemic sclerosis Impact of Disease (ScleroID) questionnaire as a patient-reported outcome measure for patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Systemic sclerosis Impact of Disease (ScleroID) is the first comprehensive patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) specifically developed for systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated the performance of ScleroID in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), as a prerequisite for its use in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing potentially disease-modifying drugs.

Methods: All patients with dcSSc from the large, multicentric, ScleroID cohort were included.

FLASH Bragg-Peak Irradiation With a Therapeutic Carbon Ion Beam: First In Vivo Results.

Purpose: In recent years, ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) irradiation has emerged as a promising innovative approach to cancer treatment. Characteristic feature of this regimen, commonly referred to as FLASH effect, demonstrated primarily for electrons, photons, or protons, is the improved normal tissue sparing, whereas the tumor control is similar to the one of the conventional dose-rate (CDR) treatments. The FLASH mechanism is, however, unknown.

Impact of video instructions and additional hands-on instructions on the dental flossing performance - an observational study.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an instruction-video, with and without additional hands-on instruction, in teaching young adults proper flossing performance.

Materials And Methods: This randomised intervention and observational study included 94 participants, 24 (23; 25) years, receiving an instruction-video with (group 1) or without additional hands-on instruction (group 2). The flossing performance was assessed by videotaping before instruction (T1), after instruction and one week of practice (T2), as well as after two weeks of practice (T3).

Impact of Measured and Predicted Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Prosthesis-patient mismatch after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) can be measured echocardiographically (measured prosthesis-patient mismatch [PPMm]) or predicted (predicted prosthesis-patient mismatch [PPMp]) using published effective orifice area (EOA) reference values. However, the clinical implications of PPM post-TAVR remain unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the prevalence of PPMm and PPMp post-TAVR and their impact on mortality in a large international cohort.