Detection of fungal sequences in human brain: rDNA locus amplification and deep sequencing.

The aetiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are unknown and tend to manifest at a late stage in life; even though these neurodegenerative diseases are caused by different affected proteins, they are both characterized by neuroinflammation. Links between bacterial and viral infection and AD/PD has been suggested in several studies, however, few have attempted to establish a link between fungal infection and AD/PD. In this study we adopted a nanopore-based sequencing approach to characterise the presence or absence of fungal genera in both human brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Continual deep reinforcement learning with task-agnostic policy distillation.

Central to the development of universal learning systems is the ability to solve multiple tasks without retraining from scratch when new data arrives. This is crucial because each task requires significant training time. Addressing the problem of continual learning necessitates various methods due to the complexity of the problem space.

Single unit-derived connectivity networks in tuberous sclerosis complex reveal propensity for network hypersynchrony driven by tuber-tuber interactions.

Network hypersynchrony is emerging as an important system-level mechanism underlying seizures, as well as cognitive and behavioural impairments, in children with structural brain abnormalities. We investigated patterns of single neuron action potential behaviour in 206 neurons recorded from tubers, transmantle tails of tubers and normal looking cortex in 3 children with tuberous sclerosis. The patterns of neuronal firing on a neuron-by-neuron (autocorrelation) basis did not reveal any differences as a function of anatomy.

SEAD reference panel with 22,134 haplotypes boosts rare variant imputation and genome-wide association analysis in Asian populations.

Limited whole genome sequencing (WGS) studies in Asian populations result in a lack of representative reference panels, thus hindering the discovery of ancestry-specific variants. Here, we present the South and East Asian reference Database (SEAD) panel ( https://imputationserver.westlake.

Strontium isoscape of sub-Saharan Africa allows tracing origins of victims of the transatlantic slave trade.

Strontium isotope (Sr/Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving Sr/Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the Sr/Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression.

Peripheral contributions to resting state brain dynamics.

The correlational structure of brain activity dynamics in the absence of stimuli or behavior is often taken to reveal intrinsic properties of neural function. To test the limits of this assumption, we analyzed peripheral contributions to resting state activity measured by fMRI in unanesthetized, chemically immobilized male rats that emulate human neuroimaging conditions. We find that perturbation of somatosensory input channels modifies correlation strengths that relate somatosensory areas both to one another and to higher-order brain regions, despite the absence of ostensible stimuli or movements.

Validation of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-R) in rural contexts in South Africa.

Resilience is central to young children's healthy and happy development. The Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-R) has been widely used in several countries. However, its construct validity among young children in rural South Africa has not been examined.

Genetic, natal and spatial drivers of social phenotypes in wild great tits.

In social animals, group dynamics profoundly influence collective behaviours, vital in processes like information sharing and predator vigilance. Disentangling the causes of individual-level variation in social behaviours is crucial for understanding the evolution of sociality. This requires the estimation of the genetic and environmental basis of these behaviours, which is challenging in uncontrolled wild populations.

Adiposity and risks of gastrointestinal cancers: A 10-year prospective study of 0.5 million Chinese adults.

Associations of adiposity with risks of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and non-cardia stomach cancer, both prevalent in China, are still inconclusive. While adiposity is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer, the relevance of fat-free mass and early-adulthood adiposity remains to be explored. The prospective China Kadoorie Biobank study included 0.

Hidden Causes of Variation in Offspring Reproductive Value: Negative Effects of Maternal Breeding Age on Offspring Telomere Length Persist Undiminished Across Multiple Generations.

Offspring of older breeders frequently show reduced longevity, which has been linked to shorter offspring telomere length. It is currently unknown whether such telomere reduction persists beyond a single generation, as would be the case if germline transmission is involved. In a within-grandmother, multi-generational study using zebra finches, we show that the shorter telomeres observed in F1 offspring of older mothers are still present in the F2 generation even when the breeding age of their F1 mothers is young.

T* relaxometry of fetal brain structures using low-field (0.55T) MRI.

Purpose: Human brain development during gestation is complex, as both structure and function are rapidly forming. Structural imaging methods using MRI are well developed to explore these changes, but functional imaging tools are lacking. Low-field MRI is a promising modality to bridge this gap.

Thermally Drawn Shape and Stiffness Programmable Fibers for Medical Devices.

Despite the significant advantages of Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs), material processing and production challenges have limited their applications. Recent advances in fiber manufacturing offer a novel approach to processing polymers, broadening the functions of fibers beyond optical applications. In this study, a thermal drawing technique for SMPs to fabricate Shape Memory Polymer Fibers (SMPFs) tailored for medical applications, featuring programmable stiffness and shape control is developed.

Non-APOE variants predominately expressed in smooth muscle cells contribute to the influence of Alzheimer's disease genetic risk on white matter hyperintensities.

Introduction: White matter hyperintensity volumes (WMHVs) are disproportionally prevalent in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), potentially reflecting neurovascular injury. We quantify the association between AD polygenic risk score (AD-PRS) and WMHV, exploring single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are proximal to genes overexpressed in cerebrovascular cell species.

Methods: In a UK-Biobank sub-sample (mean age = 64, range = 45-81 years), we associate WMHV with (1) AD-PRS estimated via SNPs across the genome (minus apolipoprotein E [APOE] locus) and (2) AD-PRS estimated with SNPs proximal to specific genes that are overexpressed in cerebrovascular cell species.

Challenges of equitable access to device-aided therapies for advanced Parkinson's Disease in Poland - expert consensus and treatment recommendations.

Introduction: In Poland, not all forms of device-aided therapies for advanced Parkinson's Disease (APD) are currently available.

Material And Methods: We aimed to produce a consensus recommendation from Polish movement disorders experts after discussing gaps in the APD care pathway in Poland.

Results: Rescue therapy with apomorphine (APO) PEN injection and levodopa-entacapone-carbidopa intestinal gel infusion are not included in Poland's Specialist Therapeutic Programme, and are thus not reimbursed.

Prevalence, Pattern and Factors Associated with Consumption of Sweetened Beverages Among Adolescents in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Background: Globally, there has been an increase in the trend of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption among adolescents and this has been implicated in the increased prevalence of diet-related NonCommunicable Diseases.

Objectives: This study compared the pattern of sweetened beverage consumption and factors associated with consumption among adolescents in rural and urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria.

Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among in-school adolescents in rural and urban areas of Ogun State.

Integrating dynamical modeling and phylogeographic inference to characterize global influenza circulation.

Global seasonal influenza circulation involves a complex interplay between local (seasonality, demography, host immunity) and global factors (international mobility) shaping recurrent epidemic patterns. No studies so far have reconciled the two spatial levels, evaluating the coupling between national epidemics, considering heterogeneous coverage of epidemiological, and virological data, integrating different data sources. We propose a novel-combined approach based on a dynamical model of global influenza spread (GLEAM), integrating high-resolution demographic, and mobility data, and a generalized linear model of phylogeographic diffusion that accounts for time-varying migration rates.

Preoperative difference between 2D and 3D planning correlates with difference between planned and achieved surgical correction in patient-specific instrumented total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The goals of this study were (1) to assess whether the preoperative difference between modalities and extent of deformity are associated with a higher difference between planned and achieved surgical correction and (2) if they yield a higher probability of intraoperative adjustments.

Methods: Retrospective single-centre analysis of patients undergoing patient-specific instrumented (PSI) total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Preoperative radiographic parameters were analysed on weightbearing (WB) long-leg radiographs (LLR) and nonweightbearing (NWB) computed tomography (CT).

Editorial. : The journal at age 5.

The journal () was conceived to serve at the border zone between the fields of cognition, brain vascular function, cerebrovascular disease and neurodegeneration. An umbrella term often used for this spectrum of disorders or conditions is Vascular contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID). The journal was launched in 2020.

A systematic review of adult pineoblastoma.

Background: Adult pineoblastoma is an extremely rare central nervous system malignancy. Limitations of tumour databases, single institution retrospective analyses and a few case reports are not sufficient to clarify treatment options. Therefore, a systematic review of comprehensive research data provides referenceable treatment options.

Re-scoping ultradian rhythms in the context of metabolism.

Rapid, ultradian biological rhythms are only partly comparable to circadian (24-h) rhythms. Often, the ensuing expectations from this comparison are that 1) ultradian rhythms should be driven by discrete oscillators, 2) they are biochemically buffered, and 3) they must be functionally linked to extrinsic events and cycles. These three expectations are not always met, but perhaps there is an adaptive benefit to ultradian rhythms not meeting these expectations, which sets them functionally apart from circadian rhythms.

Acceptability of human papillomavirus vaccination in the United Kingdom: a systematic review of the literature on uptake of, and barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccination.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide, with HPV and HPV-related diseases representing a substantial disease burden. HPV vaccination has reduced HPV infections and HPV-related diseases; however, there is growing evidence of delayed or refused vaccination due to a lack of trust in vaccines. Understanding the factors that impact vaccine uptake will allow the development and implementation of successful vaccination programmes.

New tools to monitor infection and biofilms in .

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is a growing health problem. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogen of major concern because of its multidrug resistance and global threat, especially in health-care settings. The pathogenesis and drug resistance of depends on its ability to form biofilms, making infections chronic and untreatable as the biofilm protects against antibiotics and host immunity.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Common Femoral Endarterectomy With Profundoplasty: A Three-Year Single-Center Perspective.

Background: This study aims to synthesise recent findings on the outcomes of common femoral endarterectomy (CFE) with profundoplasty, evaluating the efficacy, complications, and predictors of long-term success in patients undergoing this procedure.

Patients And Methods: This is a descriptive retrospective study assessing the outcomes of CFE with profundoplasty. All patients with chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) who attended and underwent CFE with profundoplasty with or without iliac intervention at Glan Clwyd Hospital (Wales, United Kingdom) were studied.