The impact of spray-induced gene silencing on cereal phyllosphere microbiota.

Background: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a major disease affecting cereal crops including wheat, barley, rye, oats and maize. Its predominant causal agent is the ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum, which infects the spikes and thereby reduces grain yield and quality. The frequency and severity of FHB epidemics has increased in recent years, threatening global food security.

The influence of sintering of osteoporotic vertebral fractures on the sagittal lumbar profile and degenerative changes.

Background: Osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder affecting nearly 20% of the global population, poses a significant health concern, with osteoporotic vertebral body fractures (VBF) representing a common clinical manifestation. The impact of osteoporotic sintering fractures in the thoracolumbar spine on the sagittal lumbar profile is incompletely understood and may lead to the onset of clinical symptoms in previously asymptomatic patients.

Methods: This retrospective single-center study analyzed data from patients presenting with osteoporotic spine fractures between 2017 and 2022.

Feasibility of teleyoga for people with post COVID-19 condition- a mixed method design.

Background: Evidence about rehabilitation of post COVID-19 condition is scarce. Yoga has been found beneficial in other chronic conditions and can be delivered in a digital format at home. The aim of the study was to explore the feasibility of teleyoga in persons with post COVID-19 condition by assessing adherence, safety, limited efficacy and experiences.

Young people's proposals for tackling everyday challenges in order to improve mental health: a qualitative comparison study based on different socioeconomic neighborhoods.

Background: Everyday challenges and stress negatively affect young people's mental health. Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with different stressors and different stress-coping mechanisms. Many interventions target youth mental health, but few consider socioeconomic differences in the planning, implementation, or evaluation.

A practical approach to the spatial-domain calculation of nonprewhitening model observers in computed tomography.

Background: Modern reconstruction algorithms for computed tomography (CT) can exhibit nonlinear properties, including non-stationarity of noise and contrast dependence of both noise and spatial resolution. Model observers have been recommended as a tool for the task-based assessment of image quality (Samei E et al., Med Phys.

H3K36 methylation regulates cell plasticity and regeneration in the intestinal epithelium.

Plasticity is needed during development and homeostasis to generate diverse cell types from stem and progenitor cells. Following differentiation, plasticity must be restricted in specialized cells to maintain tissue integrity and function. For this reason, specialized cell identity is stable under homeostatic conditions; however, cells in some tissues regain plasticity during injury-induced regeneration.

Consuming a modified Mediterranean ketogenic diet reverses the peripheral lipid signature of Alzheimer's disease in humans.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major neurodegenerative disorder with significant environmental factors, including diet and lifestyle, influencing its onset and progression. Although previous studies have suggested that certain diets may reduce the incidence of AD, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Method: In this post-hoc analysis of a randomized crossover study of 20 elderly adults, we investigated the effects of a modified Mediterranean ketogenic diet (MMKD) on the plasma lipidome in the context of AD biomarkers, analyzing 784 lipid species across 47 classes using a targeted lipidomics platform.

Observer- and sequence variability in personalized 4D flow MRI-based cardiovascular models.

Subject-specific parameters in lumped hemodynamic models of the cardiovascular system can be estimated using data from experimental measurements, but the parameter estimation may be hampered by the variability in the input data. In this study, we investigate the influence of inter-sequence, intra-observer, and inter-observer variability in input parameters on estimation of subject-specific model parameters using a previously developed approach for model-based analysis of data from 4D Flow MRI acquisitions and cuff pressure measurements. The investigated parameters describe left ventricular time-varying elastance and aortic compliance.

The prognostic role of cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers in extubation failure in patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Extubation failure is associated with an increased morbidity, emphasizing the need to identify factors to further optimize extubation practices. The role of biomarkers in the prediction of extubation failure is currently limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of cardiac (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), High-sensitivity Troponin T (Hs-TnT)) and inflammatory biomarkers (Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Procalcitonin (PCT)) for extubation failure in patients with COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (C-ARDS).

When and how are complications suspected after shunt surgery in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus?

Purpose: The follow-up routine for patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) after shunt surgery differs across medical centers. Shunt surgery is not without risks, with complications emerging at various times after the procedure. The aim was to explore the timing and methods of detecting complications following ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery for iNPH.

Early life factors and later metabolic syndrome in European children and adolescents.

Background And Aims: Early life factors have been suggested to be associated with later cardiometabolic risk in children, adolescents and adults. Our study aimed to investigate the associations between early life factors and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents.

Methods And Results: Our analysis sample comprised of 8852 children aged 2-9 years at baseline that participated in up to three examination waves of the pan-European IDEFICS/I.

Continuous vital sign monitoring of patients recovering from surgery on general wards: a narrative review.

Most postoperative deaths occur on general wards, often linked to complications associated with untreated changes in vital signs. Monitoring in these units is typically intermittent checks each shift or maximally every 4-6 h, which misses prolonged periods of subtle changes in physiology that can herald a critical downstream event. Continuous monitoring of vital signs is therefore intuitively necessary for patient safety.

Benefit and Harms of Radical Nephroureterectomy as Part of a Multimodal Treatment Strategy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Patients Presenting with Clinical Evidence of Regional Lymph Node Metastasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis by the European Association of Urology Guidelines.

Background And Objective: Given the uncertainty regarding the role of radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) as part of a multimodal treatment strategy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients with cN+ disease, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the corresponding literature.

Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, we identified 17 observational comparative and noncomparative studies, published between January 2000 and September 2024, evaluating UTUC patients with cTanyN+M0 disease (P) who received RNU as part of a multimodal treatment strategy (I), as compared with any treatment strategy if applicable (C), to assess oncological or postoperative outcomes (O). Meta-analyses were further performed, as appropriate.

Identifying Bacteria Responsible for Non-Sulphate-Based Hydrogen Sulphide Production in Aquaculture.

The unintended microbiological production of hydrogen sulphide (HS) poses a significant challenge in engineered systems, including sewage treatment plants, landfills and aquaculture systems. Although sulphur-rich amino acids and other substrates conducive to non-sulphate-based HS production are frequently present, the capacity and potential of various microorganisms to perform sulphate-free HS production remain unclear. In this study, we identify the identity, activity and genomic characteristics of bacteria that degrade cysteine to produce HS in anaerobic enrichment bioreactors seeded with material from aquaculture systems.

Status in Brain Gliomas Can Be Predicted by the Spherical Mean MRI Technique.

Background And Purpose: Diffuse gliomas, a heterogeneous group of primary brain tumors, have traditionally been stratified by histology, but recent insights into their molecular features, especially the mutation status, have fundamentally changed their classification and prognosis. Current diagnostic methods, still predominantly relying on invasive biopsy, necessitate the exploration of noninvasive imaging alternatives for glioma characterization.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study, we investigated the utility of the spherical mean technique (SMT) in predicting the status and histologic grade of adult-type diffuse gliomas.

Improving ultrafiltration efficiency of acidified skim milk using bipolar membrane electrodialysis: Impact on protein concentrate composition, process performance, and fouling.

The efficiency of ultrafiltration (UF) of acidified skim milk (SM) is impaired by protein aggregation and mineral scaling. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of acidification by electrodialysis with bipolar membranes (EDBM), in comparison with citric acid (CA), prior to the UF process on filtration performance, fouling and composition of the protein concentrates. Electro-acidification, facilitated by a water-splitting reaction, decreased the pH of milk to ∼ 5.

NMR spectroscopic studies of chitin oligomers - Resolution of individual residues and characterization of minor amide cis conformations.

Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer in nature after cellulose and is composed of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) connected via β(1 → 4)-glycosidic bonds. Despite its prominence in nature and diverse roles in pharmaceutical and food technological applications, there is still a need to develop methods to study structure and function of chitin and its corresponding oligomers. Efforts have been made to analyse chitin oligomers by NMR spectroscopy, but spectral overlap has prevented any differentiation between the interior residues.

Updated Appropriate Use Criteria for Amyloid and Tau PET: A Report from the Alzheimer's Association and Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Workgroup.

The Alzheimer's Association and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging convened a multidisciplinary workgroup to update appropriate use criteria (AUC) for amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and to develop AUC for tau PET. The workgroup identified key research questions that guided a systematic literature review on clinical amyloid/tau PET. Building on this review, the workgroup developed 17 clinical scenarios in which amyloid or tau PET may be considered.

Efficacy and safety of the PHIL embolic agent in the treatment of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas: results of the PHIL-dAVF study.

Background And Purpose: Embolization is the first-line treatment for dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVF). The precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid (PHIL) embolic agent is a non-adhesive copolymer with specific features and endovascular behavior. This study assessed its safety and efficacy in a prospective real-life cohort.

Artificial intelligence in rheumatology research: what is it good for?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming rheumatology research, with a myriad of studies aiming to improve diagnosis, prognosis and treatment prediction, while also showing potential capability to optimise the research workflow, improve drug discovery and clinical trials. Machine learning, a key element of discriminative AI, has demonstrated the ability of accurately classifying rheumatic diseases and predicting therapeutic outcomes by using diverse data types, including structured databases, imaging and text. In parallel, generative AI, driven by large language models, is becoming a powerful tool for optimising the research workflow by supporting with content generation, literature review automation and clinical decision support.

Machine learning-derived asthma and allergy trajectories in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Numerous studies have characterised trajectories of asthma and allergy in children using machine learning, but with different techniques and mixed findings. The present work aimed to summarise the evidence and critically appraise the methodology.

Methods: 10 databases were searched.

Benchmarking cross-species single-cell RNA-seq data integration methods: towards a cell type tree of life.

Cross-species single-cell RNA-seq data hold immense potential for unraveling cell type evolution and transferring knowledge between well-explored and less-studied species. However, challenges arise from interspecific genetic variation, batch effects stemming from experimental discrepancies and inherent individual biological differences. Here, we benchmarked nine data-integration methods across 20 species, encompassing 4.

Asparagopsis taxiformis supplementation to mitigate enteric methane emissions in dairy cows - effects on performance and metabolism.

Methane emissions from ruminant digestion contribute significantly to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Members of the phylum Rhodophyta (red algae), particularly Asparagopsis sp., have shown promising results in reducing methane emissions in ruminants, due to their high content of halogenated methane analog compounds.