snRNA-seq stratifies multiple sclerosis patients into distinct white matter glial responses.

Poor understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of clinical and genetic heterogeneity in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) has hindered the search for new effective therapies. To address this gap, we analyzed 632,000 single-nucleus RNA sequencing profiles from 156 brain tissue samples of MS and control donors to examine inter- and intra-donor heterogeneity. We found distinct cell type-specific gene expression changes between MS gray and white matter, highlighting clear pathology differences.

An expert consensus statement on biomarkers of ageing for use in intervention studies.

Biomarkers of ageing serve as important outcome measures in longevity-promoting interventions. However, there is limited consensus on which specific biomarkers are most appropriate for human intervention studies. This work aimed to address this need by establishing an expert consensus on biomarkers of ageing for use in intervention studies via the Delphi method.

The Systematic Development of a Mobile Phone Delivered Text-messaging Tobacco Cessation Intervention in India.

Introduction: Tobacco consumption is a leading cause of mortality globally. Eighty percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this, there is a large treatment gap due to both demand and supply-side barriers.

Using an electronic patient reported outcome measure (ePAQ-MPH) to assess potential harm for long-waiting patients in gynaecology.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, outpatient waits for gynaecology appointments increased by 60% in the UK National Health Service (NHS). The aim of this study was to use the electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire-Menstrual, Pain and Hormonal (ePAQ-MPH) electronic patient reported outcome measure (ePROM) to assess symptoms, impact and potential harm for patients waiting > 60 weeks for general gynaecology appointments at a teaching hospital.

Methods: 1070 patients waiting > 60 weeks for a new appointment (range 60-72 weeks) were invited to complete ePAQ-MPH online to measure gynaecological symptoms and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL).

Enhancing Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Blue Light Using FAD Photoreceptor AppA.

The Blue Light Using FAD (BLUF) photoreceptor utilizes a noncovalently bound FAD to absorb light and trigger the initial ultrafast events in receptor activation. FAD undergoes 1 and 2 electron reduction as an enzyme redox cofactor, and studies on the BLUF photoreceptor PixD revealed the formation of flavin radicals (FAD and FADH) during the photocycle, supporting a general mechanism for BLUF operation that involves PCET from a conserved Tyr to the oxidized FAD. However, no radical intermediates are observed in the closely related BLUF proteins AppA and BlsA, and replacing the conserved Tyr with fluoro-Tyr analogs that increase the acidity of the phenol OH has a minor effect on AppA photoactivation in contrast to PixD where the photocycle is halted at FAD.

Cognitive therapy for PTSD following multiple-trauma exposure in children and adolescents: a case series.

Background: Cognitive therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) is an efficacious treatment for children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following single incident trauma, but there is a lack of evidence relating to this approach for youth with PTSD following exposure to multiple traumatic experiences.

Aims: To assess the safety, acceptability and feasibility of CT-PTSD for youth following multiple trauma, and obtain a preliminary estimate of its pre-post effect size.

Method: Nine children and adolescents (aged 8-17 years) with multiple-trauma PTSD were recruited to a case series of CT-PTSD.

An update of a systematic review and meta-analyses exploring flavours in intervention studies of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.

Aims: To determine patterns of e-cigarette flavour use (sweet, tobacco, menthol/mint) in interventional studies of e-cigarettes for stopping smoking, and to estimate associations between flavours and smoking/vaping outcomes.

Methods: Update of secondary data analyses, including meta-analyses subgrouped by flavour provision and narrative syntheses, incorporating data from January 2004 to February 2024. Eligible studies were identified from a Cochrane review.

Bayesian unsupervised clustering identifies clinically relevant osteosarcoma subtypes.

Identification of cancer subtypes is a critical step for developing precision medicine. Most cancer subtyping is based on the analysis of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from patient cohorts using unsupervised machine learning methods such as hierarchical cluster analysis, but these computational approaches disregard the heterogeneous composition of individual cancer samples. Here, we used a more sophisticated unsupervised Bayesian model termed latent process decomposition (LPD), which handles individual cancer sample heterogeneity and deconvolutes the structure of transcriptome data to provide clinically relevant information.

Methane production related to microbiota in dairy cattle feces.

Methane (CH) emission from livestock feces, led by ruminants, shows a profound impact on global warming. Despite this, we have almost no information on the syntrophy of the intact microbiome metabolisms, from carbohydrates to the one-carbon units, covering multiple stages of ruminant development. In this study, syntrophic effects of polysaccharide degradation and acetate-producing bacteria, and methanogenic archaea were revealed through metagenome-assembled genomes from water saturated dairy cattle feces.

Methylmercury contamination in Mediterranean seafood: Exposure assessment and cost of illness implications.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a widespread contaminant that bioaccumulates in marine food webs, including those in the Mediterranean sea. It poses serious health risks, especially to developing infants and children, where exposure can cause neurological damage and developmental delays. In addition to health concerns, high MeHg levels in seafood can lead to economic losses through cognitive impairments that reduce productivity.

A common immune response node in diverse plants.

Small molecules activate a defense mechanism shared by all flowering plants.

Suitability of the -5 social anxiety disorder severity scale for autistic adults.

Mental health measures used with autistic adults are often only evaluated for use with non-autistic adults, which may cause inaccurate measurement. This is important when measuring social anxiety disorder as some features overlap with social characteristics of autism. This study evaluated one self-report questionnaire measure of social anxiety disorder, the Severity Measure for Social Anxiety Disorder.

Genomic analyses revealed low genetic variation in the intron-exon boundary of the doublesex gene within the natural populations of An. gambiae s.l. in Burkina Faso.

Background: The recent success of a population control gene drive targeting the doublesex gene in Anopheles gambiae paved the way for developing self-sustaining and self-limiting genetic control strategies targeting the sex determination pathway to reduce and/or distort the reproductive capacity of insect vectors. However, targeting these genes for genetic control requires a better understanding of their genetic variation in natural populations to ensure effective gene drive spread. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) data from the Ag1000G project (Ag3.

Chromosome-scale genome assembly and de novo annotation of Alopecurus aequalis.

Alopecurus aequalis is a winter annual or short-lived perennial bunchgrass which has in recent years emerged as the dominant agricultural weed of barley and wheat in certain regions of China and Japan, causing significant yield losses. Its robust tillering capacity and high fecundity, combined with the development of both target and non-target-site resistance to herbicides means it is a formidable challenge to food security. Here we report on a chromosome-scale assembly of A.

Chromosome-scale assembly of the African yam bean genome.

Genomics-informed breeding of locally adapted, nutritious, albeit underutilised African crops can help mitigate food and nutrition insecurity challenges in Africa, particularly against the backdrop of climate change. However, utilisation of modern genome-assisted crop improvement tools including genomic selection and genome editing for many African indigenous crops is hampered by the scarcity of genomic resources. Here we report on the assembly of the genome of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), a tuberous legume crop that is indigenous to Africa.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Comorbid Dementia and Diabetes: The Evidence So Far.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and dementia are two of the leading chronic diseases in aging and are known to influence each other's disease progression. There is well-established evidence that T2DM increases the risk for cognitive decline and dementia. At the same time, people with cognitive changes or dementia can find it difficult to manage their diabetes, resulting in hyper- or hypoglycemic events which can exacerbate the dementia disease progression further.

The bacterial burden of worn face masks-observational research and literature review.

Introduction: Facemasks were widely mandated during the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Especially the use by the general population is associated with a higher risk of improper handling of the mask and contamination and potential adverse microbiological consequences.

Methods: We investigated and quantified bacterial accumulation in facemasks used by the general population, using 16S rRNA (Sanger Sequencing), culture and biochemical analysis along with Rose Bengal staining.

Making beads and bead making: an introduction.

Beads are a prominent category of material culture in the African past. Crosscutting their study across temporal periods and geographical areas are some general methodological and theoretical convergences: the categorisation of beads in terms of materials and methods of manufacture, an emphasis on provenance and distribution, and the analysis of beads as 'social signals' in relation to identity, networks and status. This paper outlines the conceptual framework of 'making' and discusses how such a framework can expand on existing analyses and provide new avenues for studying beads in the African past.

Voice hearing in young people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following multiple trauma exposure.

PTSD is comorbid with a number of other mental health difficulties and the link between voice hearing and PTSD has been explored in adult samples. To compare the trauma history, symptomatology, and cognitive phenotypes of children and adolescents with a PTSD diagnosis following exposure to multiple traumatic events presenting with voice hearing with those who do not report hearing voices. Participants ( = 120) were aged 8-17 years and had PTSD following exposure to multiple traumas.

Benefits and challenges of the integration of haptics-enhanced virtual reality training within dental curricula.

Background: Haptics-enhanced virtual reality (VR-haptic) simulation in dental education has evolved considerably during the past decade, representing a promising resource of simulation-based training opportunities to support conventional practice. We aim to summarize current literature on the applications of VR-haptics in learning, practicing, and teaching dental education.

Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed, focusing on research articles published between January 2010 and January 2024.

Multiple independent genetic code reassignments of the UAG stop codon in phyllopharyngean ciliates.

The translation of nucleotide sequences into amino acid sequences, governed by the genetic code, is one of the most conserved features of molecular biology. The standard genetic code, which uses 61 sense codons to encode one of the 20 standard amino acids and 3 stop codons (UAA, UAG, and UGA) to terminate translation, is used by most extant organisms. The protistan phylum Ciliophora (the 'ciliates') are the most prominent exception to this norm, exhibiting the grfeatest diversity of nuclear genetic code variants and evidence of repeated changes in the code.

Factors Influencing Outcomes of Trauma Patients Transferred in Trauma Systems by Air or Ground Ambulance: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: This systematic review aims to determine the effectiveness of ambulance transportation versus helicopter transportation on mortality for trauma patients.

Methods: A systematic review of published and unpublished databases (to August 2023) was performed. Studies, reporting mortality, for people who experienced trauma and were transported to a trauma unit by ambulance or helicopter were eligible.