A cell atlas of the human fallopian tube throughout the menstrual cycle and menopause.

The fallopian tube undergoes extensive molecular changes during the menstrual cycle and menopause. We use single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing to construct a comprehensive cell atlas of healthy human fallopian tubes during the menstrual cycle and menopause. Our scRNA-seq comparison of 85,107 pre- and 46,111 post-menopausal fallopian tube cells reveals substantial shifts in cell type frequencies, gene expression, transcription factor activity, and cell-to-cell communications during menopause and menstrual cycle.

Skillful seasonal predictions of continental East-Asian summer rainfall by integrating its spatio-temporal evolution.

Skillful seasonal climate prediction is critical for food and water security over the world's heavily populated regions, such as in continental East Asia. Current models, however, face significant difficulties in predicting the summer mean rainfall anomaly over continental East Asia, and forecasting rainfall spatiotemporal evolution presents an even greater challenge. Here, we benefit from integrating the spatiotemporal evolution of rainfall to identify the most crucial patterns intrinsic to continental East-Asian rainfall anomalies.

Mechanistic evaluation of enhanced graphene toxicity to Bacillus induced by humic acid adsorption.

The extensive application of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) has raised concerns over risks to sensitive species in the aquatic environment. The humic acid (HA) corona is traditionally considered to reduce GNSs toxicity. Here, we evaluate the effect of sorbed HA (GNSs-HA) on the toxicity of GNSs to Gram positive Bacillus tropicus.

Exploring transition states of protein conformational changes via out-of-distribution detection in the hyperspherical latent space.

Identifying transitional states is crucial for understanding protein conformational changes that underlie numerous biological processes. Markov state models (MSMs), built from Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations, capture these dynamics through transitions among metastable conformational states, and have demonstrated success in studying protein conformational changes. However, MSMs face challenges in identifying transition states, as they partition MD conformations into discrete metastable states (or free energy minima), lacking description of transition states located at the free energy barriers.

Altered mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM) function shifts mitochondrial metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Mitochondrial function is modulated by its interaction with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recent research indicates that these contacts are disrupted in familial models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We report here that this impairment in the crosstalk between mitochondria and the ER impedes the use of glucose-derived pyruvate as mitochondrial fuel, causing a shift to fatty acids to sustain energy production.

Quantum-limited stochastic optical neural networks operating at a few quanta per activation.

Energy efficiency in computation is ultimately limited by noise, with quantum limits setting the fundamental noise floor. Analog physical neural networks hold promise for improved energy efficiency compared to digital electronic neural networks. However, they are typically operated in a relatively high-power regime so that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is large (>10), and the noise can be treated as a perturbation.

HLA-E: Immune Receptor Functional Mechanisms Revealed by Structural Studies.

HLA-E is a nonclassical, nonpolymorphic, class Ib HLA molecule. Its primary function is to present a conserved nonamer peptide, termed VL9, derived from the signal sequence of classical MHC molecules to the NKG2x-CD94 receptors on NK cells and a subset of T lymphocytes. These receptors regulate the function of NK cells, and the importance of this role, which is conserved across mammalian species, probably accounts for the lack of genetic polymorphism.

Tumor-intrinsic regulators of the immune-cold microenvironment of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PC) is a notoriously immune-cold tumor in that it often lacks substantial infiltration by antitumor immune cells, and in advanced diseases such as neuroendocrine PC, it could be devoid of immune cells. A majority of PC patients thus have, unfortunately, been unable to benefit from recent advances in immunotherapies. What causes this immunosuppressive microenvironment around PC? In this review, we discuss various genetic and epigenetic regulators intrinsic to prostate tumor cells that could have profound effects on the tumor microenvironment, thus contributing to this immune-cold status.

Transition from multi-year La Niña to strong El Niño rare but increased under global warming.

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exhibits a strong asymmetry between warm El Niño and cold La Niña in amplitude and temporal evolution. An El Niño often leads to a heat discharge in the equatorial Pacific conducive to its rapid termination and transition to a La Niña, whereas a La Niña persists and recharges the equatorial Pacific for consecutive years preconditioning development of a subsequent El Niño, as occurred in 2020-2023. Whether the multiyear-long heat recharge increases the likelihood of a transition to a strong El Niño remains unknown.

Elasticity Characteristics of Thenar Muscles in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Objective: Measurement of thenar muscle elasticity by ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) may be useful for the diagnosis and evaluation of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but there is a paucity of information on SWE of the thenar muscles in patients with CTS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the elasticity of the thenar muscles in patients with CTS.

Methods: Twenty-two adult patients with a referral diagnosis of CTS (27 hands) and 20 healthy volunteers as a control (20 dominant hands) participated in this study.

Added Value of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Analysis for Differential Diagnosis of Small (≤20 mm) Solid Pancreatic Lesions.

Objective: To evaluate the added value of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) analysis in pre-operative differential diagnosis of small (≤20 mm) solid pancreatic lesions (SPLs).

Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with biopsy or surgerical resection and histopathologically confirmed small (≤20 mm) SPLs were included. One wk before biopsy/surgery, pre-operative B-mode ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound were performed.

Gentrification, gun violence, and disparities in access to care for shooting victims.

Background: Gentrification is associated with redistribution of shootings but impacts on access to care are unknown. We evaluate the association of gentrification with shooting rates, transport times, and survival in Boston.

Methods: Gentrification was defined using income, housing, and educational attainment from the 2010-2020 census.

Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Diabetic kidney disease is a leading cause of kidney failure worldwide and is easily detectable with screening examination. Diabetes causes hyperfiltration and activation of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system by hemodynamic changes within the nephron, which perpetuates damaging physiology. Diagnosis is often clinical after detection of heavy proteinuria in a patient with diabetes,but can be confirmed by observation of histologic stages on kidney biopsy.

Lung-kidney axis in cystic fibrosis: Early urinary markers of kidney injury correlate with neutrophil activation and worse lung function.

Background: Adult people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) have a higher risk of end-stage kidney disease than the general population. The nature and mechanism of kidney disease in CF are unknown. This study quantifies urinary kidney injury markers and examines the hypothesis that neutrophil activation and lung infection are associated with early kidney injury in CF.

Processes and measurements: a framework for understanding neural oscillations in field potentials.

Various neuroscientific theories maintain that brain oscillations are important for neuronal computation, but opposing views claim that these macroscale dynamics are 'exhaust fumes' of more relevant processes. Here, we approach the question of whether oscillations are functional or epiphenomenal by distinguishing between measurements and processes, and by reviewing whether causal or inferentially useful links exist between field potentials, electric fields, and neurobiological events. We introduce a vocabulary for the role of brain signals and their underlying processes, demarcating oscillations as a distinct entity where both processes and measurements can exhibit periodicity.

Experimental investigation and finite element analysis on the durability of root-filled teeth treated with multisonic irrigation.

Objective: This study compared the fracture load, stress distribution, and survival probability under cyclic loading of extensively restored teeth treated with multisonic irrigation with those treated with conventional instrumentation, with or without a post.

Methods: Mesial-occlusal-distal cavities were prepared in 30 human mandibular premolars. The teeth were randomly divided into 3 groups of 10 based on the endodontic and restorative procedures: (1) Root canal treatment (RCT) followed by resin composite restoration (control group), (2) RCT followed by a glass fiber post restoration (conventional group), and (3) minimal instrumentation plus multisonic irrigation followed by resin composite restoration (GW group).

Assessing the need for specialty consultation for isolated medial orbital wall fractures.

Objective: This objective was to assess if the current practice of interfacility transfer and immediate specialty consult is justified by the rate of surgical repair for isolated medial orbital wall fractures.

Study Design: This is a retrospective descriptive study utilizing the records of all patients with isolated medial orbital wall fractures who presented to the ED at Boston Medical Center from January 2014 to December 2022. A descriptive analysis was completed.

Characterizing Sensitivity to Vincristine, Irinotecan, and Telomerase-targeted Therapy in Diffuse Anaplastic Wilms Tumor Patient-derived Xenografts.

Background: Patients with diffuse anaplastic Wilms tumor (DAWT) experience relatively poor oncologic outcomes. Previous work has described mechanisms of telomerase upregulation in DAWT, posing a potential therapeutic target.

Methods: We assessed in vitro sensitivity to vincristine, irinotecan, and telomerase-targeting drug 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine (6 dG) in DAWT cell lines WiT49 and PDM115 and in spheroids derived from cell lines and four DAWT patient-derived xenografts (PDX).

Local Infrastructure and Economy Predicts Traffic Related Fatalities in Children.

Purpose: Previous research on pediatric motor vehicle collisions (MVC) and fatalities has primarily focused on patient demographics and crash specific information. This study evaluates whether various measures of local infrastructure, including the National Walk Index (NWI), population density, and public school density, or macroeconomic forces, encapsulated in Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and food area deprivation (PFA) can predict which counties are most at risk for pediatric traffic fatalities.

Methods: Counties with more than 100,000 children in the most recent US census and ≥1 pediatric traffic fatality as identified in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) between 2017 and 2021 were included in the study.