Exogenous dsRNA triggers sequence-specific RNAi and fungal stress responses to control Magnaporthe oryzae in Brachypodium distachyon.

In vertebrates and plants, dsRNA plays crucial roles as PAMP and as a mediator of RNAi. How higher fungi respond to dsRNA is not known. We demonstrate that Magnaporthe oryzae (Mo), a globally significant crop pathogen, internalizes dsRNA across a broad size range of 21 to about 3000 bp.

Biocompatibility of variable thicknesses of a novel directly printed aligner in orthodontics.

Direct printed aligners (DPAs) offer benefits like the ability to vary layer thickness within a single DPA and to 3D print custom-made removable orthodontic appliances. The biocompatibility of appliances made from Tera Harz TA-28 (Graphy Inc., Seoul, South Korea) depends on strict adherence to a standardized production and post-production protocol, including UV curing.

Apixaban versus aspirin for stroke prevention in people with subclinical atrial fibrillation and a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack: subgroup analysis of the ARTESiA randomised controlled trial.

Background: People with subclinical atrial fibrillation are at increased risk of stroke, albeit to a lesser extent than those with clinical atrial fibrillation, leading to an ongoing debate regarding the benefit of anticoagulation in these individuals. In the ARTESiA trial, the direct-acting oral anticoagulant apixaban reduced stroke or systemic embolism compared with aspirin in people with subclinical atrial fibrillation, but the risk of major bleeding was increased with apixaban. In a prespecified subgroup analysis of ARTESiA, we tested the hypothesis that people with subclinical atrial fibrillation and a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, who are known to have an increased risk of recurrent stroke, would show a greater benefit from oral anticoagulation for secondary stroke prevention compared with those without a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack.

Isolated subsegmental pulmonary embolism identification based on international classification of diseases (ICD)-10 codes and imaging reports.

Background: Isolated subsegmental pulmonary embolism (issPE) is a commonly encountered diagnosis. Although the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes are used for research, their validity for identifying issPE is unknown. Moreover, issPE diagnosis is challenging, and the findings from radiology reports may conflict with those from expert radiologists.

The vestibular and oculomotor dysfunction in Fabry disease: a cohort study in China.

Objective: Whereas a few studies have evaluated vestibular involvement in Fabry disease (FD), the relationship between vestibular/oculomotor abnormalities and disease-specific biomarkers remain unclear. Therefore, we seek to evaluate these quantitatively and analyze their relationship with disease phenotype and biomarkers in FD.

Methods: This cohort study enrolled 37 Chinese FD patients registered in our center.

Pharmaceutical Humanities and Narrative Pharmacy: An Emerging New Concept in Pharmacy.

The complexity of our life experiences and the rapid progress in science and technology clearly necessitate reflections from the humanities. The ever-growing intersection between science and society fosters the emergence of novel interdisciplinary fields of research. During the past decade, Medical Humanities arose to meet the need to unravel hidden information beyond technology-driven and fact-based medicine.

Clinical Outcomes Following a Switch of Therapy to Faricimab in Patients Affected by Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

In this study, we evaluated clinical outcomes following a therapy switch to Faricimab, in a patient cohort affected by neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), having received prior intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy. A retrospective investigation, including 28 eyes of 23 patients, treated for nAMD at the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany was performed. A switch in therapy to Faricimab was conducted, due to an inadequate response to the previous anti-VEGF treatment.

Exploring the Link Between Renal Function Fluctuations Within the Physiological Range and Serum/CSF Levels of NfL, GFAP, tTAU, and UCHL1.

Impaired renal function can influence biomarker levels through mechanisms involving blood-brain barrier integrity and clearance pathways; however, the impact of variations within normal renal function remains unclear. The main aim of this study was to determine whether adjustment for the specific level of renal function is necessary when renal function remains within physiological levels. We studied n = 183 patients (NID n = 122; other neurological diseases n = 39; somatoform controls n = 22) who underwent lumbar puncture at University Hospital Frankfurt.

Proteostasis Decline and Redox Imbalance in Age-Related Diseases: The Therapeutic Potential of NRF2.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a master regulator of cellular homeostasis, overseeing the expression of a wide array of genes involved in cytoprotective processes such as antioxidant and proteostasis control, mitochondrial function, inflammation, and the metabolism of lipids and glucose. The accumulation of misfolded proteins triggers the release, stabilization, and nuclear translocation of NRF2, which in turn enhances the expression of critical components of both the proteasomal and lysosomal degradation pathways. This process facilitates the clearance of toxic protein aggregates, thereby actively maintaining cellular proteostasis.

Interventions by Cardiovascular Drugs Against Aircraft Noise-Induced Cardiovascular Oxidative Stress and Damage.

Noise pollution is a known health risk factor and evidence for cardiovascular diseases associated with traffic noise is growing. At least 20% of the European Union's population lives in noise-polluted areas with exposure levels exceeding the recommended limits of the World Health Organization, which is considered unhealthy by the European Environment Agency. This results in the annual loss of 1.

Automated AI-based image analysis for quantification and prediction of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis patients.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease associated with rapidly evolving interstitial lung disease (ILD), driving its mortality. Specific imaging-based biomarkers associated with the evolution of lung disease are needed to help predict and quantify ILD.

Methods: We evaluated the potential of an automated ILD quantification system (icolung) from chest CT scans, to help in quantification and prediction of ILD progression in SSc-ILD.

The misleading terminology of minor amputation of the lower limb.

Purpose: A pronounced loss of function of the lower limb of various origins, especially with an infection-related course, may require a minor (MIN) or major (MAJ) amputation of the lower limb. Our aim was to contrast the underlying etiology, including previous trauma, surgical procedure, and the subsequent function.

Methods: Between 2012 and 2022, 366 lower limb amputations were considered.

The role of non-respiratory arousals in residual daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with positive airway pressure: An analysis of the European Sleep Apnea Database registry.

Study Objectives: To assess the impact of the non-respiratory arousal burden at baseline polysomnography (PSG) on residual daytime sleepiness in positive airway pressure (PAP)-treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: We included OSA patients from the European Sleep Apnea Database registry with available arousal data who had at least 2 treatment follow-up visits. The primary outcome was the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score under PAP.

Role of Heterogeneous Reactions in the Atmospheric Oxidizing Capacity in Island Environments.

The source of nitrous acid (HONO) and its importance in island or marine environments are poorly understood. Herein, based on comprehensive field measurements at a hilltop on Corsica Island, we find an inverse diel variation of HONO with higher concentrations during daytime. Night-time HONO budget analysis indicates significant HONO formation during air mass transport along the hillside.

Temperature Sensing in Agarose/Silk Fibroin Translucent Hydrogels: Preparation of an Environment for Long-Term Observation.

Environmental changes, such as applied medication, nutrient depletion, and accumulation of metabolic residues, affect cell culture activity. The combination of these factors reflects on the local temperature distribution and local oxygen concentration towards the cell culture scaffold. However, determining the temporal variation of local temperature, independent of local oxygen concentration changes in biological specimens, remains a significant technological challenge.

The Effect of Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMD) on Dental Implants Survival-A Systematic Review.

This research is purposed to synthesize the existing evidence on implant survival rates in patients with oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) and assess potential risk factors associated with peri-implant disease. A comprehensive search was performed across PubMed MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines, including studies published between 2012 and 2023.

Dental Implant Failure Risk in Patients with Bruxism-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature.

Recent research has indicated that placing dental implants in patients diagnosed with bruxism has led to higher rates of implant failure. This study aimed to provide more accurate knowledge about the relationship between bruxism and implant loss in patients (number, age, gender) with different numbers of implants and prosthetic restorations, considering the follow-up time, compared to non-bruxers. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane Library using the keyword combination "dental implant", "bruxism", and "implant failure".

The scope of emergency nursing viewed through the lens of complex adaptive systems: A discussion paper.

Across the world, emergency department nurses care for patients around the clock all year long. They perform tasks ranging from direct nursing care to managing patient flow, working in an environment characterised by interdependencies among numerous actors. The complex context in which emergency nurses operate has not been thoroughly described or discussed, indicating a knowledge gap.

Large language model based mutations in genetic improvement.

Ever since the first large language models (LLMs) have become available, both academics and practitioners have used them to aid software engineering tasks. However, little research as yet has been done in combining search-based software engineering (SBSE) and LLMs. In this paper, we evaluate the use of LLMs as mutation operators for genetic improvement (GI), an SBSE approach, to improve the GI search process.

Predicting hydrogen atom transfer energy barriers using Gaussian process regression.

Predicting reaction barriers for arbitrary configurations based on only a limited set of density functional theory (DFT) calculations would render the design of catalysts or the simulation of reactions within complex materials highly efficient. We here propose Gaussian process regression (GPR) as a method of choice if DFT calculations are limited to hundreds or thousands of barrier calculations. For the case of hydrogen atom transfer in proteins, an important reaction in chemistry and biology, we obtain a mean absolute error of 3.

Ramadan during pregnancy and the role of dietary intake for neonatal health in Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Ramadan during pregnancy is associated with adverse offspring health outcomes. Recent evidence from Europe indicates that maternal diet during non-fasting hours might alleviate these effects. This study describes fasting, diet, and sleep habits among pregnant Muslims in Kaduna, Nigeria, and assesses impacts on neonatal health in this setting.

Standardized Reporting of HCC with LI-RADS and mRECIST: Update on the Situation in Germany.

Online survey about the current status of CT protocols in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the year 2023/2024. Moreover, the usage of structured reporting using LI-RADS and mRECIST was surveyed and the results were compared with a survey from 2020.Radiologists working in outpatient or inpatient care in Germany were invited.

The ReAct project: Analysis of data from 23 different laboratories to characterise DNA recovery given two sets of activity level propositions.

The ReAct (Recovery, Activity) project is an ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) supported initiative comprising a large consortium of laboratories. Here, the results from more than 23 laboratories are presented. The primary purpose was to design experiments simulating typical casework circumstances; collect data and to implement Bayesian networks to assess the value (i.