A high-quality assembly revealing the PMEL gene for the unique plumage phenotype in Liancheng ducks.

Background: Plumage coloration is a distinctive trait in ducks, and the Liancheng duck, characterized by its white plumage and black beak and webbed feet, serves as an excellent subject for such studies. However, academic comprehension of the genetic mechanisms underlying duck plumage coloration remains limited. To this end, the Liancheng duck genome (GCA_039998735.

Cervical extensor muscle activity during neck tasks in individuals with and without neck pain: A systematic review.

Background: In the context of neck pain, neck muscle activity adapts through diverse regional coordination modifications during tasks. Although patterns of cervical flexor muscle impairment are well-documented, patterns in the cervical extensor muscles are less clear, hindering assessment and treatment. Despite studies revealing adaptations in the cervical extensor muscles, outcome measure heterogeneity complicates interpretation, particularly between superficial and deep muscles.

Shaping the structural dynamics of motor learning through cueing during sleep.

Enhancing the retention of recent memory traces through sleep reactivation is possible via Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR), involving cueing learned material during post-training sleep. Evidence indicates detectable short-term microstructural changes in the brain within an hour after motor sequence learning, and post-training sleep is believed to contribute to the consolidation of these motor memories, potentially leading to enduring microstructural changes. In this study, we explored how TMR during post-training sleep affects performance gains and delayed microstructural remodeling, using both standard Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and advanced Neurite Orientation Dispersion & Density Imaging (NODDI).

Feasibility of an 8-Week Home-Based Sensory Perception Training Game for People with Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study.

People with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) may have difficulty attending rehabilitation sessions. We investigated the feasibility (adherence and satisfaction) of implementing an 8-week home-based somatosensory, entirely remote, self-training programme using the TrainPain smartphone app in people with FMS. The secondary aim was to evaluate the effect on pain symptoms.

Homeodomain Involvement in Nuclear HOX Protein Homo- and Heterodimerization.

genes play essential roles in patterning the anteroposterior axis of animal embryos and in the formation of various organs. In mammals, there are 39 genes organized into four clusters (HOXA-D) located on different chromosomes. In relationship with their orderly arrangement along the chromosomes, these genes show nested expression patterns which imply that embryonic territories co-express multiple genes along the main body axis.

Unveiling the Mineral and Sugar Richness of Moroccan Honeys: A Study of Botanical Origins and Quality Indicators.

This study comprehensively analyzes the mineral and heavy metal profiles of seven honey types, focusing on the contents of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb), with particular emphasis on honey produced in eastern Morocco. Multifloral honey was found to have the highest total mineral content (661 mg/kg), while rosemary honey had the lowest (201.31 mg/kg), revealing the strong influence of floral and botanical origin.

Pushing the boundaries: future directions in the management of spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a devastating, degenerative, paediatric neuromuscular disease which until recently was untreatable. Discovery of the responsible gene 30 years ago heralded a new age of pioneering therapeutic developments. Three disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have received regulatory approval and have transformed the disease, reducing disability and prolonging patient survival.

Insights into the catalytic mechanism of archaeal peptidoglycan endoisopeptidases from methanogenic phages.

Archaeal peptidoglycan, a crucial component of the cell walls of Methanobacteria and Methanopyri, enhances the tightness of methanogenic cells and their resistance to known lytic enzymes and antibiotics. Although archaeal peptidoglycan endoisopeptidases (Pei) can reportedly degrade archaeal peptidoglycan, their biochemistry is still largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the activity and catalytic properties of the endoisopeptidases PeiW and PeiP using synthesized isopeptides identical to natural substrates.

Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens.

An alternative hatching system known as hatch on-farm (HOF) provides early access to feed compared to hatch in hatchery (HH) system. Early feeding may promote favorable gut development, potentially improving intestinal health and broiler performance. Previous studies have assessed the effects of HOF on chick quality, welfare and performance, its impacts on gut health remain inconclusive.

Commutability assessment of new standard reference materials (SRMs) for determining serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D using ligand binding and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays.

Commutability is where the measurement response for a reference material (RM) is the same as for an individual patient sample with the same concentration of analyte measured using two or more measurement systems. Assessment of commutability is essential when the RM is used in a calibration hierarchy or to ensure that clinical measurements are comparable across different measurement procedures and at different times. The commutability of three new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for determining serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], defined as the sum of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], was assessed through an interlaboratory study.

Breakthrough Psoriasis in Patients Receiving Biologicals.

Background: Biological therapies, including TNF-alpha, IL12/23, IL17 and IL23 antagonists, adequately control a very high number of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis with an excellent long-term safety profile. However, on occasion, patients on biological therapy with stabilized disease or complete remission report episodes of sudden breakthrough psoriasis.

Aim: To study prospectively in a monocentric tertiary setting, the clinical characteristics of patients presenting a sudden breakthrough psoriasis although completely stabilized (PASI 90-100) under biological therapy.

How thawing and salting affects the post-cooked quality of frozen beef: New insights into the mechanism of fiber morphology evolution and water migration.

To get insight into the thawing and salting in recovery and protection mechanisms on quality in frozen meat after subsequent cooking. The myofiber morphological-water evolution and quality changes in beef during freezing-thawing-cooking and freezing-cooking treatments were investigated. The cooking losses of fresh-cooked, frozen-cooked, and frozen-thawed-cooked samples were 27.

First Step on the Way to Identify Dermatophytes Using Odour Fingerprints.

The clinical diagnosis of dermatophytosis and identification of dermatophytes face challenges due to reliance on culture-based methods. Rapid, cost-effective detection techniques for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been developed for other microorganisms, but their application to dermatophytes is limited. This study explores using VOCs as diagnostic markers for dermatophytes.

Are there individual acoustic signatures in the damselfish Dascyllus albisella?

Many animal species are known to show individuality in their acoustic communication. This variation in individual male signatures can be decisive for female choice. Within the damselfishes, Dascyllus species are known for prolific sound production during the realization of movements associated with courtship (i.

Current methods for halitosis diagnosis and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic: an international survey.

Halitosis specialists can be found all over the world, but very little is known about how they approach patients with halitosis complaints. Therefore, this web-based questionnaire study tried to reach as many of them to gain insight in their methods and tools used to diagnose the condition. Since this study was carried out in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact was also examined.

Development Using Bioluminescence Imaging of a Recombinant Anguillid Herpesvirus 1 Vaccine Candidate Associated with Normal Replication In Vitro but Abortive Infection In Vivo.

Background/objectives: Anguillid herpesvirus 1 (AngHV-1) (recently renamed Cyvirus anguillidallo 1) is the etiologic agent of a lethal disease that affects several eel species. It is thought to be one of the main infectious agents causing a population decline in wild eels and economic loss within the eel aquaculture sector. To date, no vaccines are available against AngHV-1.

Whipping Creams: Advances in Molecular Composition and Nutritional Chemistry.

Whipping cream (WC) is an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion used in food industry that can be transformed into aerated foam. The cream market has expanded significantly, driven by consumer demands for healthier and higher-quality products, leading to significant scientific research and innovation. This review focuses on formulation challenges related to ingredients such as fats, emulsifiers, and stabilizers, and how these components interact to form a stable emulsion and foam structure.

LAP1 Interactome Profiling Provides New Insights into LAP1's Physiological Functions.

The nuclear envelope (NE), a protective membrane bordering the nucleus, is composed of highly specialized proteins that are indispensable for normal cellular activity. Lamina-associated polypeptide 1 (LAP1) is a NE protein whose functions are just beginning to be unveiled. The fact that mutations causing LAP1 deficiency are extremely rare and pathogenic is indicative of its paramount importance to preserving human health, anticipating that LAP1 might have a multifaceted role in the cell.

Controversial Roles of Autophagy in Adenomyosis and Its Implications for Fertility Outcomes-A Systematic Review.

Adenomyosis is a benign condition where ectopic endometrial glandular tissue is found within the uterine myometrium. Its impact on women's reproductive outcomes is substantial, primarily due to defective decidualization, impaired endometrial receptivity, and implantation failure. The exact pathogenesis of the disease remains unclear, and the role of autophagy in adenomyosis and its associated infertility is not well understood.

Temporal Stages of Burnout: How to Design Prevention?

Burnout, a major concern defined most commonly in the literature with a symptoms-based classification, can also be described as a temporal process with various stages experienced by workers, each composed of unique characteristics and challenges. This intricate process of burnout emphasizes pivotal moments, such as engagement and enthusiasm with a high job ideal (Stage 0), weakening of the ideal (Stage 1), protective withdrawal (Stage 2) and confirmed burnout (Stage 3). Through an opinion review, the objective of this article is to examine which prevention level, and more specifically which prevention actions, can be developed at each stage of this temporal process of burnout.

Metabolite profiling of Artemisia afra and Artemisia annua extracts reveals divergent effects on Plasmodium falciparum.

Background: Artemisia spp. have been used for millennia in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including malaria. Extracts of Artemisia afra and A.