: A Model Eukaryotic Organism for Astrobiological Studies on Microbial Interactions with Martian Soil Analogs.

The exploration of our solar system for microbial extraterrestrial life is the primary goal of several space agencies. Mars has attracted substantial attention owing to its Earth-like geological history and potential niches for microbial life. This study evaluated the suitability of the polyextremophilic fungal strain LaBioMMi 1217 as a model eukaryote for astrobiology.

Anesthetic Management and Considerations for Cesarean Delivery in a Patient With Cystic Fibrosis.

Recent advancements in therapeutics and risk reduction in the management of cystic fibrosis have increased the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients to the fifth decade of life. As the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients has increased, more cystic fibrosis patients have opted to pursue pregnancy. Normal pregnancy is accompanied by physiological changes that affect anesthetic management.

Entomopathogenic Nematode Species Vary in Their Behavior and Virulence in Response to Cardiac Glycosides Within and Around Insect Hosts.

Plants produce defensive toxins to deter herbivores. In response, some specialized herbivores evolved resistance and even the capacity to sequester toxins, affecting interactions at higher trophic levels. Here, we test the hypothesis that potential natural enemies of specialized herbivores are differentially affected by plant toxins depending on their level of adaptation to the plant-herbivore system.

The Emerging Role of Pleural Macrophages in Influenza Defense.

The pleural cavity is gaining recognition as an important player in lung infections. Our recent research revealed that pleural macrophages (PMs) migrate from the pleural cavity into the lung during influenza virus infection, contributing to improved disease outcomes. This summary highlights key findings on the role of PMs in influencing viral lung infection outcomes and explores the potential directions for advancing this emerging field of study.

Investigating a hybrid mixed population leads to recognizing a new species of (Ericaceae).

While investigating the potential for species to hybridize in the mixed populations of Point Sal and Burton Mesa in Santa Barbara County, California, we discovered that from the Nipomo Mesa (San Luis Obispo County), formerly considered a northern population of , are genetically and morphologically distinct. We name this new taxon after the ytt (Northern Chumash language) word for the Nipomo Mesa region. For morphological and molecular analyses, we sampled 54 plants, focusing on , , and from multiple species and comparative single species populations.

Disparities in Trauma Care for Latino Patients: An Analysis by Trauma Center Verification Level.

Introduction Trauma is the leading cause of death for individuals under 45 in the United States (US), with significant disparities in outcomes among minority groups. Latinos, the largest ethnic minority in the US, often face barriers to optimal trauma care that may require additional resources. This study aimed to compare trauma outcomes for Latino patients treated at Level I versus Level II/III trauma centers (TCs).

Next-Generation Photosensitizers: Cyanine-Carborane Salts for Superior Photodynamic Therapy of Metastatic Cancer.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising targeted treatment for cancer. However, current PDT is limited by low tissue penetration, insufficient phototoxicity (toxicity with light irradiation), and undesirable cytotoxicity (toxicity without light irradiation). Here, we report the discovery of cyanine-carborane salts as potent photosensitizers (PSs) that harness the near-infrared (NIR) absorbing [cyanine+] with the inertness of [carborane-].

CIMNE-CRISPR: A novel amplification-free diagnostic for rapid early detection of African Swine Fever Virus.

African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious pathogen with nearly 100% mortality in swine, causing severe global economic loss. Current detection methods rely on nucleic acid amplification, which requires specialized equipment and skilled operators, limiting accessibility in resource-constrained settings. To address these challenges, we developed the Covalently Immobilized Magnetic Nanoparticles Enhanced CRISPR (CIMNE-CRISPR) system.

The Toxoplasma rhoptry protein ROP55 is a major virulence factor that prevents lytic host cell death.

Programmed-cell death is an antimicrobial defense mechanism that promotes clearance of intracellular pathogens. Toxoplasma counteracts host immune defenses by secreting effector proteins into host cells; however, how the parasite evades lytic cell death and the effectors involved remain poorly characterized. We identified ROP55, a rhoptry protein that promotes parasite survival by preventing lytic cell death in absence of IFN-γ stimulation.

Fibrotic and Emphysematous Murine Lung Mechanics Under Negative-Pressure Ventilation.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide and the progressive nature heightens the calamity of the disease. Despite countless existing COPD studies, lung mechanics are often reported under positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) and implications and extrapolations made from these studies pose serious restrictions as recent works have divulged disparate elastic and energetic results between PPV and more physiological negative-pressure counterparts (NPV). This non-equivalence of PPV and NPV needs to be investigated under diseased states to augment our understanding of disease mechanics.

Electrically Switching Ferroelectric Order in 3R-MoS Layers.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with rhombohedral (3R) stacking order are excellent platforms to realize multiferroelectricity. In this work, we demonstrate the electrical switching of ferroelectric orders in bilayer, trilayer, and tetralayer 3R-MoS dual-gate devices by examining their reflection and photoluminescence (PL) responses under sweeping out-of-plane electric fields. We observe sharp shifts in excitonic spectra at different critical fields with pronounced hysteresis.

Towards constructing a generalized structural 3D breathing human lung model based on experimental volumes, pressures, and strains.

Respiratory diseases represent a significant healthcare burden, as evidenced by the devastating impact of COVID-19. Biophysical models offer the possibility to anticipate system behavior and provide insights into physiological functions, advancements which are comparatively and notably nascent when it comes to pulmonary mechanics research. In this context, an Inverse Finite Element Analysis (IFEA) pipeline is developed to construct the first continuously ventilated three-dimensional structurally representative pulmonary model informed by both organ- and tissue-level breathing experiments from a cadaveric human lung.

Flexibility in PAM Recognition Expands DNA Targeting in xCas9.

xCas9 is an evolved variant of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system, engineered to improve specificity and reduce undesired off-target effects. How xCas9 expands the DNA targeting capability of Cas9 by recognizing a series of alternative Protospacer Adjacent Motif (PAM) sequences while ignoring others is unknown. Here, we elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying xCas9's expanded PAM recognition and provide critical insights for expanding DNA targeting.

Evaluating the Impact of Phosphatidylethanol Testing on Hospital Outcomes.

Background: Alcohol dependence remains a significant global health issue, exacerbated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Phosphatidylethanol (PEth), a direct biomarker of recent alcohol consumption, offers improved specificity, sensitivity, and a longer detection window of 2 - 4 weeks compared to traditional biomarkers. This study evaluates the association between PEth testing and hospital outcomes in hospitalized patients by comparing outcomes among patients with positive PEth and negative PEth test results.

What role did serious mental illness play in Jackson Pollock's drip paintings? Abstract expressionism and possible links to serious mental illness and encrypted images (polloglyphs).

The link between creativity and serious mental illness (SMI) is widely discussed. Jackson Pollock is one example of a giant in the field of art who was both highly creative and experiencing an SMI. Pollock created a new genre of art known as abstract expressionism ("action painting") defined as showing the frenetic actions of painting.

Nebulized dexmedetomidine in the treatment of obstetric post-dural puncture headache: two case reports.

Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a debilitating complication of neuraxial anesthesia, particularly prevalent in obstetric patients, usually characterized by a postural headache. PDPH is hypothesized to result from cerebrospinal fluid leakage through a dural puncture, triggering symptoms like neck stiffness and subjective hearing changes. While conservative measures are common for treatment, more refractory cases may require invasive interventions such as an epidural blood patch (EBP).

A Review on Remediation Technology and the Remediation Evaluation of Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soils.

With the rapid development of industry and agriculture, soil contamination has become a significant environmental issue, and the heavy metal contamination of soils is an important part of it. The main methods for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils include physical methods, chemical methods, biological methods, and combined remediation methods have been proposed as research deepens. However, the standards and evaluation methods for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils are still not well-established.

House Mice in the Atlantic Region: Genetic Signals of Their Human Transport.

Background/objectives: The colonization history of house mice reflects the maritime history of humans that passively transported them worldwide. We investigated western house mouse colonization in the Atlantic region through studies of mitochondrial D-loop DNA sequences from modern specimens.

Methods: We assembled a dataset of 758 haplotypes derived from 2765 mice from 47 countries/oceanic archipelagos (a combination of new and published data).

Tofacitinib Mitigates the Increased SARS-CoV-2 Infection Susceptibility Caused by an IBD Risk Variant in the PTPN2 Gene.

Background & Aims: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acquired respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), triggered a global pandemic with severe medical and socioeconomic consequences. Although fatality rates are higher among the elderly and those with underlying comorbidities, host factors that promote susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease are poorly understood. Although individuals with certain autoimmune/inflammatory disorders show increased susceptibility to viral infections, there is incomplete knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility in these diseases.

KDM6A facilitates Xist upregulation at the onset of X inactivation.

Background: X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a female-specific process in which one X chromosome is silenced to balance X-linked gene expression between the sexes. XCI is initiated in early development by upregulation of the lncRNA Xist on the future inactive X (Xi). A subset of X-linked genes escape silencing and thus have higher expression in females, suggesting female-specific functions.