Role of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Chronic Pain and Alzheimer's Disease-A Review.

The coexistence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and chronic pain (CP) in the elderly population has been extensively documented, and a growing body of evidence supports the potential interconnections between these two conditions. This comprehensive review explores the mechanisms by which CP may contribute to the development and progression of AD, with a particular focus on neuroinflammatory pathways and the role of microglia, as well as the activation of the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The review proposes that prolonged pain processing in critical brain regions can dysregulate the activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome within microglia, leading to the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and excessive oxidative stress in these regions.

Fluorogenic Biosensing with Tunable Polydiacetylene Vesicles.

Polydiacetylenes (PDAs) are conjugated polymers that are well known for their colorimetric transition from blue to red with the application of energetic stimulus. Sensing platforms based on polymerized diacetylene surfactant vesicles and other structures have been widely demonstrated for various colorimetric biosensing applications. Although less studied and utilized, the transition also results in a change from a non-fluorescent to a highly fluorescent state, making polydiacetylenes useful for both colorimetric and fluorogenic sensing applications.

Ferns as facilitators of community recovery following biotic upheaval.

The competitive success of ferns has been foundational to hypotheses about terrestrial recolonization following biotic upheaval, from wildfires to the Cretaceous-Paleogene asteroid impact (66 million years ago). Rapid fern recolonization in primary successional environments has been hypothesized to be driven by ferns' high spore production and wind dispersal, with an emphasis on their competitive advantages as so-called disaster taxa. We propose that a competition-based view of ferns is outdated and in need of reexamination in light of growing research documenting the importance of positive interactions (i.

Secrets of the Goo: the Genome assembly of the Pacific Banana Slug, Ariolimax columbianus.

The Pacific banana slug, Ariolimax columbianus, is endemic to the forests of the Pacific Northern West. Found throughout coastal foothills and mountains of California, the hermaphroditic molluscs Ariolimax spp. are niche-constrained, hyper-localized, and phenotypically diverse.

26S Proteasome Subunit SlPBB2 Regulates Fruit Development and Ripening in Tomato.

Proteasomes are protein complexes responsible for degrading unneeded or damaged proteins through proteolysis and play critical roles in regulating plant development and response to environmental stresses. However, it is still unclear whether proteasomes regulate fruit development and ripening. In this study, we investigated the function of a core proteasome subunit, SlPBB2, in tomato fruit.

Deep learning enabled rapid classification of yeast species in food by imaging of yeast microcolonies.

Diverse species of yeasts are commonly associated with food and food production environments. The contamination of food products by spoilage yeasts poses significant challenges, leading to quality degradation and food loss. Similarly, the introduction of undesirable strains during fermentation can cause considerable challenges with the quality and progress of the fermentation process.

Fecal microbiota changes associated with pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas in foals.

Objectives: Diarrhea is a common disease that could threaten the welfare of newborn foals. While there are several forms of foal diarrhea, the etiologies can be considered known pathogenic or non-pathogenic in nature. Moreover, there are likely differences in the composition of microbial populations in the gastrointestinal tracts of foals depending upon the etiology of diarrhea.

Computational Nuclear Oncology Toward Precision Radiopharmaceutical Therapies: Ethical, Regulatory, and Socioeconomic Dimensions of Theranostic Digital Twins.

Computational nuclear oncology for precision radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is a new frontier for theranostic treatment personalization. A key strategy relies on the possibility to incorporate clinical, biomarker, image-based, and dosimetric information in theranostic digital twins (TDTs) of patients to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. The TDT framework enables treatment optimization by real-time monitoring of the real-world system, simulation of different treatment scenarios, and prediction of resulting treatment outcomes, as well as facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among health care professionals adopting a harmonized TDT.

How do restrictions on opioid prescribing, harm reduction, and treatment coverage policies relate to opioid overdose deaths in the United States in 2013-2020? An application of a new state opioid policy scale.

Background: Identifying the most effective state laws and provisions to reduce opioid overdose deaths remains critical.

Methods: Using expert ratings of opioid laws, we developed annual state scores for three domains: opioid prescribing restrictions, harm reduction, and Medicaid treatment coverage. We modeled associations of state opioid policy domain scores with opioid-involved overdose death counts in 3133 counties, and among racial/ethnic subgroups in 1485 counties (2013-2020).

From human to superhuman: the impact of the microbiome on physiology.

The complex microbial community residing in the human gut has long been understood to regulate gastrointestinal physiology and to participate in digestive diseases, but its extraintestinal actions and influences are increasingly recognized. This article discusses bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiome and athletic performance, metabolism, longevity and the ability of the gut-brain axis to influence cognitive function and mental health.

Hypotensive Episodes Identified on 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Impaired Cognitive Function: Insights From the SPRINT Study.

Background: Hypotensive episodes detected by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring capture daily cumulative hypotensive stress and could be clinically relevant to cognitive impairment, but this relationship remains unclear.

Methods: We included participants from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (receiving intensive or standard BP treatment) who had 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring measured near the 27-month visit and subsequent biannual cognitive assessments. We evaluated the associations of hypotensive episodes (defined as systolic BP drops of ≥20 mm Hg between 2 consecutive measurements that reached <100 mm Hg) and hypotensive duration (cumulative time of systolic BP <100 mm Hg) with subsequent cognitive function using adjusted linear mixed models.

Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction using synthetic suture tape: A systematic review of biomechanical and clinical outcomes.

Purpose: To review outcomes of medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) using synthetic suture tape in biomechanical and clinical studies.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in three databases. Studies reporting biomechanical and/or clinical outcomes of MPFLR using synthetic suture tape were included.

Novel p.Arg534del Mutation and MTHFR C667T Polymorphism in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) With Autism Spectrum Phenotype: A Case Report.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) presents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, developmental delay, seizures, hypotonia during infancy, joint laxity, behavioral issues, and characteristic facial features. The predominant mechanism is due to CGG trinucleotide repeat expansion of more than 200 repeats in the 5'UTR (untranslated region) of (Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1) causing promoter methylation and transcriptional silencing. However, not all patients presenting with the characteristic phenotype and point/frameshift mutations with deletions in have been described in the literature.

Meeting report - Alpine desmosome disease meeting 2024: advances and emerging topics in desmosomes and related diseases.

Desmosomes are adhesive cell contacts abundant in tissues exposed to mechanical strain, such as the stratified and simple epithelia of the epidermis and mucous membranes, as well as the myocardium. Besides their role in mechanical cell cohesion, desmosomes also modulate pathways important for tissue differentiation, wound healing and immune responses. Dysfunctional desmosomes, resulting from pathogenic variants in genes encoding desmosomal components, autoantibodies targeting desmosomal adhesion molecules or inflammation, cause the life-threatening diseases arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and pemphigus and contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases.

XopAE Effector from pv. Targets HSP20-Like p23 Cochaperone to Suppress Plant Basal Immunity.

Pathogenic bacteria use Type 3 effector proteins to manipulate host defenses and alter metabolism to favor their survival and spread. The non-model bacterial pathogen pv. () causes devastating disease in cassava.

panniculitis in a cat from northern California.

Case Summary: A 9-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat from northern California was evaluated for a 12-month history of dermal and subcutaneous dermatitis in the inguinal region. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy revealed severe, chronic, multifocal to coalescing pyogranulomatous dermatitis and panniculitis, accompanied by ulceration and central necrosis. Aerobic bacterial culture of lesions yielded mycobacterial growth.

Systematic ocular phenotyping of 8,707 knockout mouse lines identifies genes associated with abnormal corneal phenotypes.

Purpose: Corneal dysmorphologies (CDs) are typically classified as either regressive degenerative corneal dystrophies (CDtrs) or defective growth and differentiation-driven corneal dysplasias (CDyps). Both eye disorders have multifactorial etiologies. While previous work has elucidated many aspects of CDs, such as presenting symptoms, epidemiology, and pathophysiology, the genetic mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

Sacubitril/valsartan attenuates inflammation and myocardial fibrosis in Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) primarily manifests as a cardiomyopathy induced by physical or emotional stress, remains a poorly understood condition with no established treatments. In this study, we investigated the potential of sacubitril/valsartan (sac/val) to increase the survival of TTS patients and reduce inflammation and myocardial fibrosis in experimental models.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate whether sac/val could improve survival rates in TTS patients, mitigate cardiac remodeling in vivo, and explore its anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic mechanisms in vitro.

Morphologic and immunohistochemical characterization of small and large duct cholangiocarcinomas in a Western cohort: A panel of pCEA, CRP, N-cadherin, and albumin in situ hybridization aids in subclassification.

Two morphologic subtypes of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), small duct and large duct, are now recognized, and importantly, these subtypes are associated with distinct molecular pathways and therapeutic options. Initial studies demonstrated the feasibility of morphologic subclassification and helped characterize the immunoprofile of the subtypes. However, few studies have been undertaken in Western countries where incidence of the subtypes is likely distinct from that in the East.

Analysis of Platelet Morphological Parameters as Clinical Risk Stratification in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Platelet activation plays a central role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Platelet morphological parameters, including MPV, PDW, and P-LCR, are emerging as biomarkers for predicting the severity of ACS and prognosis.

Aims: This study aims to assess the relationship between these parameters and coronary severity and to evaluate their predicting adverse outcomes.

Challenges in estimating species' age from phylogenetic trees.

Aim: Species age, the elapsed time since origination, can give insight into how species longevity might influence eco-evolutionary dynamics, which has been hypothesized to influence extinction risk. Traditionally, species' ages have been estimated from fossil records. However, numerous studies have recently used the branch lengths of time-calibrated phylogenies as estimates of the ages of extant species.

Training T-shaped translational scientists.

Unlabelled: To evaluate the design of I-Corps@NCATS as a translational scientist training program, we mapped specific elements of the program's content and pedagogy to the characteristics of a translational scientist, as first defined by Gilliland et al. []: systems thinker, process innovator, boundary spanner, team player, and skilled communicator. Using a mixed-methods evaluation, we examined how the I-Corps@NCATS training program, delivered across twenty-two Clinical and Translational Science Award Hubs, impacted the development of these key translational scientist characteristics.

California provider and advocate perspectives about opportunities to optimize nutrition services and resources in the first 1000 days.

Background: Nutrition in the first 1000 days of life, from conception to age 2 years, plays a critical role in shaping offspring's physical and mental development, yet many families from underserved backgrounds suffer from nutrition inequity during this important stage of development. The objective of this study is to assess nutrition services and resources provided to families during the first 1000 days across diverse settings in California.

Methods: A semistructured survey was disseminated to healthcare and educational providers who offer services to pregnant and/or postpartum women and children up to age 2 years.