The Interplay Between Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Asthma Inception: Insights Gained From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the first year of life has been linked with an increased risk for asthma. Some propose that RSV-induced inflammation leads to lasting airway changes, while others contend that RSV bronchiolitis is a marker for underlying predisposition. Social distancing adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic reduction in RSV activity, providing an unexpected opportunity to investigate this debate.

Carbon Dynamics Under Drought and Recovery in Grapevine's Leaves.

Drought stress reduces leaf net assimilation (A) and phloem export, but the equilibrium between the two is unknown. Consequently, the leaf carbon balance and the primary use of the leaf nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) under water deficit are unclear. Also, we do not know how quickly leaves can replenish their NSC storage and resume export after rehydration.

Da Vinci's friction for granular media.

The concept of friction was integrated into the broader field of tribology in the 20th century. Here, we revive the older friction coefficient concept and show that it is the defining parameter for a family of granular materials. We show, for the first time, that kinetic friction coefficients of such systems can be described as a function of the lubricating fluid and the shape of the granules, without any fitting parameters.

The Asgard archaeal ESCRT-III system forms helical filaments and remodels eukaryotic-like membranes.

The ESCRT machinery mediates membrane remodeling in numerous processes in cells including cell division and nuclear membrane reformation. The identification of ESCRT homologs in Asgard archaea, currently considered the closest prokaryotic relative of eukaryotes, implies a role for ESCRTs in the membrane remodeling processes that occurred during eukaryogenesis. Yet, the function of these distant ESCRT homologs is mostly unresolved.

Double resonance spectroscopy reveals structure and dynamics near transition states.

A shared ambition of molecular spectroscopy and molecular dynamics is to establish the truths of chemical intuition on solid physical bedrock. Experimental characterization of the transition state was thought unattainable, but modern techniques have begun to achieve the incredible.

Novel bimanual haptic simulator for epidural loss-of-resistance detection: a pilot study assessing movement strategies and performance across anesthesiologist experience levels.

Background: Correct identification of the epidural space requires extensive training for technical proficiency. This study explores a novel bimanual haptic simulator designed for the precise insertion of an epidural needle based on loss-of-resistance (LOR) detection, providing realistic dual-hand force feedback.

Methods: The simulator, equipped with two haptic devices connected to a Tuohy needle and an LOR syringe, was designed to simulate the tissues' resistive forces felt by the user during the procedure, offer anatomical variability and record detailed performance metrics for personalized feedback.

Cell-free DNA Levels in Herpes Zoster: A Cross-sectional Longitudinal Study.

This study investigates serum cell-free DNA fluctuations in patients with herpes zoster or post-herpetic neuralgia, offering insight into the tissue damage and inflammatory dynamics associated with these conditions. A single-centre combined cross-sectional and longitudinal study was conducted with 59 patients to assess cell-free DNA levels in herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia. Cell-free DNA was extracted from blood samples of patients with herpes zoster or post-herpetic neuralgia and compared with healthy controls.

Sex Differences, Menses-Related Symptoms and Menopause in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction.

Background: Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) predominate in women, but little is known about sex differences in menses-related or menopause symptoms.

Methods: Using data from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Survey, we assessed Rome IV DGBI symptoms in individuals in 26 countries who met criteria for ≥ 1 of 5 DGBI: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), functional constipation (FC), functional diarrhea (FDr), or functional bloating (FB). Participants included pre- and post-menopausal women with DGBI and age-matched men.

Stereotactic implantation of diffusing alpha-emitters radiation therapy sources in the swine brain: a potential new focal therapy for brain tumors.

Purpose: Diffusing alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy ("Alpha DaRT") is a new cancer treatment modality that employs radium-224-loaded metal sources implanted in solid tumors to disperse alpha-emitting atoms within a therapeutic "kill-zone" of a few millimeters around each source. Preclinical studies have demonstrated tumor growth delay in various cancer types, including glioblastoma multiforme, and the method is used in clinical trials for patients with skin and head and neck cancer. This study aims to assess the safety and feasibility of implementing Alpha DaRT for brain tumor treatment in a large animal model.

Intracellular pressure controls the propagation of tension in crumpled cell membranes.

Propagation of membrane tension mediates mechanical signal transduction along surfaces of live cells and sets the time scale of mechanical equilibration of cell membranes. Recent studies in several cell types and under different conditions revealed a strikingly wide variation range of the tension propagation speeds including extremely low ones. The latter suggests a possibility of long-living inhomogeneities of membrane tension crucially affecting mechano-sensitive membrane processes.

A New Perspective in Epileptic Seizure Classification: Applying the Taxonomy of Seizure Dynamotypes to Noninvasive EEG and Examining Dynamical Changes across Sleep Stages.

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures, significantly impacts patient quality of life. Current classification methods focus primarily on clinical observations and electroencephalography (EEG) analysis, often overlooking the underlying dynamics driving seizures. This study uses surface EEG data to identify seizure transitions using a dynamical systems-based framework-the taxonomy of seizure dynamotypes-previously examined only in invasive data.

Integrated use of electrochemical anaerobic reactors and genomic based modeling for characterizing methanogenic activity in microbial communities exposed to BTEX contamination.

In soil polluted with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), oxygen is rapidly depleted by aerobic respiration, creating a redox gradient across the plume. Under anaerobic conditions, BTEX biodegradation is then coupled with fermentation and methanogenesis. This study aimed to characterize this multi-step process, focusing on the interactions and functional roles of key microbial groups involved.

Enhanced cyanophycin accumulation in diazotrophic cyanobacterium through random mutagenesis and tailored selection under varying phosphorus availability.

This study explored a sustainable alternative to the Haber-Bosch process by enhancing the production of the nitrogen-rich polymer cyanophycin (CGP) in the diazotrophic cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. PCC 7120. Applying UV-mutagenesis followed by canavanine selection, we isolate an initial mutant with enhanced CGP accumulation.

Stereospecific Radical Bromination of β-Aryl Alcohols with Thiourea Additives Through A Serendipitous Discovery of A 1,2-Aryl Migration.

The development of new protocols for stereospecific and stereoselective halogenation transformations by mild reaction conditions is a highly desirable research target for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Following the straightforward methodology for directly transforming a wide scope of alcohols to alkyl bromides and chlorides using substoichiometric amounts of thioureas and N-halo succinimides (NXS) as a halogen source in a single step, we noticed that in apolar solvents bromination of chiral secondary alcohols did not produce the expected racemates. In this study, the stereochemical aspects of the bromination reaction were examined.

Synthetic ion channels made of DNA.

Natural ion channels have long inspired the design of synthetic nanopores with protein-like features. A significant leap towards this endeavor has been made possible using DNA origami. The exploitation of DNA as a building material has enabled the construction of biomimetic DNA nanopores with a range of pore dimensions and stimuli-responsive capabilities.

Reepithelialization of partial thickness porcine burns treated with silver sulfadiazine, triple antibiotic or petrolatum.

Topical antibiotic application and occlusive dressings stand as the current standard of care for partial thickness burn (PTB) treatment. Silver sulfadiazine (SSD) is the most widely used topical antimicrobial agent for acute burn management worldwide. Despite its antimicrobial benefits, there is emerging evidence that SSD might delay wound reepithelialization.

Engineering of the genetic code.

The genetic code is a universally conserved mechanism that translates genetic information into proteins, consisting of 64 codons formed by four nucleotide bases. With a few exceptions, the genetic code universally encodes 20 canonical amino acids (AAs) and three stop signals, with many AAs represented by multiple codons. Genetic engineering has expanded this system through approaches like codon reassignment and synthetic base pair introduction, allowing for the incorporation of noncanonical AAs (ncAAs) into proteins, known as genetic code expansion (GCE).

Enhanced high-sensitivity multi-layer neutron detector based on LiF:ZnS(Ag) scintillator.

This study proposes a novel, highly sensitive neutron detector design utilizing a unique multi-layered configuration. Each layer consists of a LiF: ZnS(Ag) scintillator coupled with a transparent neutron moderator that also functions as a light guide for the Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) light sensor. This design offers a cost-effective and readily available alternative for existing neutron detectors.

Hyperelastic models for the human zona pellucida and their implications on shear modulus estimation in the clinical practice.

It has long been speculated that the mechanical properties of the human oocyte can be an indicator for oocyte viability. Recent studies have demonstrated that embryo implantation rates, following Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) procedures, may be increased if the shear modulus value of the oocyte Zona Pellucida (ZP) is taken into consideration during embryo transfer. The shear modulus was determined by an iterative oocyte specific finite element (FE) analysis based on the clinical ICSI data.

GeniePool 2.0: advancing variant analysis through CHM13-T2T, AlphaMissense, gnomAD V4 integration, and variant co-occurrence queries.

Originally developed to meet the challenges of genomic data deluge, GeniePool emerged as a pioneering platform, enabling efficient storage, accessibility, and analysis of vast genomic datasets, enabled due to its data lake architecture. Building on this foundation, GeniePool 2.0 advances genomic analysis through the integration of cutting-edge variant databases, such as CHM13-T2T, AlphaMissense, and gnomAD V4, coupled with the capability for variant co-occurrence queries.

Integrated Profiling of Extracellular Vesicle microRNA Impact on Trabecular Meshwork mRNA Expression: Insights From Microarray Analysis.

Purpose: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by non-pigmented ciliary epithelial (NPCE) cells under oxidative stress may contribute to primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) pathogenesis by altering gene expression in human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. This study investigated the impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) carried by NPCE-derived EVs on HTM cell gene expression under oxidative stress conditions.

Methods: NPCE cells were exposed to oxidative stress, and EVs were isolated from control and stressed cells.

Impact of Baseline Hypoalbuminemia on Long-Term Survival Following Acute Myocardial Infarction According to Body Mass Index.

Serum albumin and body mass index (BMI, kg/m) have been associated with outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Aiming to assess whether the mortality risk inflicted by hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL) in this context is influenced by BMI, we conducted a retrospective analysis of AMI survivors hospitalized during 2004-2017.

Associations of adolescent obesity with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and polycystic ovaries in Arabs and Jews in Israel-a nationwide study.

Background: Previous studies on the association of adolescent obesity with comorbid diseases in Israel were conducted predominantly in the Israeli Jewish population.

Goal: To compare associations of adolescent obesity with Hypertension (HTN), Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM2), and Polycystic ovaries (PCO), singly or in combination, between Arabs and Jews in Israel.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 313,936 Arab adolescents aged 14-19 years between the years 2007-2022, and 289,616 adolescents in a matched Jewish comparison group.