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.

Site-specific DNA demethylation during spermatogenesis presets the sites of nucleosome retention in mouse sperm.

DNA methylation patterns are inherited from the parental germline to the embryo. In mature sperm, the sites of unmethylated DNA are tightly coupled to sites of histone retention at gene regulatory elements that are implicated in paternal epigenetic inheritance. The timing and mechanism of site-specific DNA demethylation in the male germline currently remains unknown.

Characterization of the Titanium(III) Tris(alkyl) Ti{CH(SiMe3)2}3 and its Conversion to a Dimeric Alkyl-bridged Titanium(IV) Species.

The reaction of three equivalents of LiCH(SiMe3)2 with TiCl3(NMe3)2 afforded the rare homoleptic Ti(III) alkyl Ti{CH(SiMe3)2}3 (1) which crystallized as blue needles in 32 % yield. Single crystal X-Ray data for 1 showed a trigonal pyramidal coordination geometry around titanium, which could be ascribed to weak interactions between the C-H bonds and the Ti(III) atom based on computational results. X-band EPR spectroscopy give spectral parameters consistent with the proposed Ti(III) formulation.

Utilization of Staging Laparoscopy for Patients With Gastric Cancer in Ukraine.

Background: The use of advanced diagnostic methods, such as high-resolution CT or PET-CT scans, are limited in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). In gastric cancer, occult peritoneal disease may be present in up to 20% of cases, limiting the benefits of surgical resection. Accurate staging of gastric cancer is essential to ensure optimal patient management and prevent undue morbidity from unnecessary surgery.

Seascape Genomics of Red Abalone: Limited Range-Wide Population Structure and Evidence for Local Adaptation.

Characterising patterns of genetic diversity including evidence of local adaptation is relevant for predicting and managing species recovering from overexploitation in the face of climate change. Red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) is a species of conservation concern due to recent declines from overharvesting, disease and climate change, resulting in the closure of commercial and recreational fisheries. Using whole-genome resequencing data from 23 populations spanning their entire range (southern Oregon, USA, to Baja California, MEX) we investigated patterns of population connectivity and genotype-environment associations that would reveal local adaptation across the mosaic of coastal environments that define the California Current System (CCS).

Dynamical effects of Mechano-Chemo-Transduction on Cardiac Alternans.

In every heartbeat, cardiac muscle cells perform excitation-Ca signaling-contraction (EC) coupling to pump blood against the vascular resistance. Cardiomyocytes can sense the mechanical load and activate mechano-chemo-transduction (MCT) mechanism, which provides feedback regulation of EC coupling. MCT feedback is important for the heart to upregulate contraction in response to increased load to maintain cardiac output.

Exploring the impact of grazing on fecal and soil microbiome dynamics in small ruminants in organic crop-livestock integration systems.

In integrated crop-livestock systems, livestock graze on cover crops and deposit raw manure onto fields to improve soil health and fertility. However, enteric pathogens shed by grazing animals may be associated with foodborne pathogen contamination of produce influenced by fecal-soil microbial interactions. We analyzed 300 fecal samples (148 from sheep and 152 from goats) and 415 soil samples (272 from California and 143 from Minnesota) to investigate the effects of grazing and the presence of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) or generic E.

Stimulating the regenerative capacity of the human retina with proneural transcription factors in 3D cultures.

Retinal diseases often lead to degeneration of specific retinal cell types with currently limited therapeutic options to replace the lost neurons. Previous studies have reported that overexpression of or combinations of proneural factors in Müller glia (MG) induce regeneration of functional neurons in the adult mouse retina. Recently, we applied the same strategy in dissociated cultures of fetal human MG and although we stimulated neurogenesis from MG, our effect in 2D cultures was modest and our analysis of newborn neurons was limited.

Total Hip Arthroplasty for Avascular Necrosis in a Patient With Hemophilia B.

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head accounts for up to 10% of all total hip arthroplasties performed annually. Typically associated with intravascular coagulation, AVN is extremely rare in patients with bleeding disorders such as hemophilia B. In this report, we describe the therapeutic management of a 46-year-old male with hemophilia B, presenting with chronic left hip pain and AVN of the femoral head.

Biomarkers of sepsis in burn injury: an update.

Sepsis, a dysregulated response to infection, is a leading cause of death after burn injury. Changes in the immune response as well as the loss of the skin, the primary barrier to infection, contribute to the increased risk for infection and sepsis in burn patients. This higher risk is further compounded by the development of the systemic inflammatory response and hypermetabolic state, which limit the utility of commonly used infection markers.

The March to Health Equity and Justice in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

Training programs in pulmonary and critical care medicine have greatly expanded in the past decade, yet they do not reflect the racial/ethnic and economic diversity of the United States, which has significant implications for health equity. The lack of representation across medical education is likely to worsen with the recent Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action. The authors review health disparities in pulmonary and critical care medicine, the relationship of the workforce to health equity, and 10 tactics for addressing this urgent public health issue.

Improving timing resolution of BGO for TOF-PET: a comparative analysis with and without deep learning.

Background: The renewed interest in BGO scintillators for TOF-PET is driven by the improved Cherenkov photon detection with new blue-sensitive SiPMs. However, the slower scintillation light from BGO causes significant time walk with leading edge discrimination (LED), which degrades the coincidence time resolution (CTR). To address this, a time walk correction (TWC) can be done by using the rise time measured with a second threshold.

Unmasking Long QT Syndrome in a Serviceman: Effects of Hypoglycemia and a Flight Duty Medical Examination.

We report the case of a 29-year-old male soldier with a time in service above 10 years, found to have asymptomatic long QT syndrome (LQTS), a condition associated with increased risk of potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmias, during a flight physical. A review of his past medical history revealed a transient QT prolongation during an episode of hypoglycemia due to endogenous hyperinsulinism caused by an insulinoma, as an infantryman 7 years earlier; the resolution of the QT prolongation was spontaneous. He was evaluated and considered fit for duty by cardiology.

First Report of Bacterial Wilt of Ginger Caused by in the Continental United States.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an herbaceous perennial in the Zingiberaceae family grown primarily in tropical to subtropical biomes as a culinary spice, a traditional medicine, and a landscaping plant. While ginger grows at soil temperatures above 20°C, several farmers in the upper Midwestern US farmers grows short-season ginger in high tunnels. In 2023 and 2024, growers in southeastern Minnesota reported a new disease of ginger.

Sex Differences in the Striatal Contributions to Longitudinal Fine Motor Development in Autistic Children.

Background: Fine motor challenges are prevalent in autistic populations. However, little is known about their neurobiological underpinnings or how their related neural mechanisms are influenced by sex. The dorsal striatum, comprised of the caudate nucleus and putamen, is associated with motor learning and control and may hold critical information.

Advancing pancreatic cancer research and therapeutics: the transformative role of organoid technology.

Research on pancreatic cancer has transformed with the advent of organoid technology, providing a better platform that closely mimics cancer biology in vivo. This review highlights the critical advancements facilitated by pancreatic organoid models in understanding disease progression, evaluating therapeutic responses, and identifying biomarkers. These three-dimensional cultures enable the proper recapitulation of the cellular architecture and genetic makeup of the original tumors, providing insights into the complex molecular and cellular dynamics at various stages of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Episodic and associative memory from spatial scaffolds in the hippocampus.

Hippocampal circuits in the brain enable two distinct cognitive functions: the construction of spatial maps for navigation, and the storage of sequential episodic memories. Although there have been advances in modelling spatial representations in the hippocampus, we lack good models of its role in episodic memory. Here we present a neocortical-entorhinal-hippocampal network model that implements a high-capacity general associative memory, spatial memory and episodic memory.

An experimental test of eco-evolutionary dynamics on rocky shores.

A growing body of theoretical studies and laboratory experiments has focused attention on reciprocal feedbacks between ecological and evolutionary processes. However, uncertainty remains about whether such eco-evolutionary feedbacks have an important or negligible influence on natural communities. Thus, recent discussions call for field experiments that explore whether selection on phenotypic variation within populations leads to contemporaneous effects on community dynamics.

Perioperative Management, Complications, and Outcomes of Shoulder Arthroplasty in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

» Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) undergoing shoulder arthroplasty (SA) have a unique risk profile, which must be considered by clinicians.» The presence of DM as a comorbidity is associated with longer length of stay following SA, greater likelihood of nonhome discharge, and a higher rate of 90-day readmission.» Though the incidence is low, patients with DM are at an increased risk of serious postoperative cardiovascular complications, such as pulmonary embolism, venous thromboembolism, and myocardial infarction.