Search

Social controllability, or the ability to exert control during social interactions, is crucial for optimal decision-making. Inability to do so might contribute to maladaptive behaviors such as smoking, which often takes place in social settings. Here, we examined social controllability in nicotine-dependent humans as they performed an fMRI task where they could influence the offers made by simulated partners. Computational modeling revealed that smokers under-estimated the influence of their actions and self-reported a reduced sense of control, compared to non-smokers. These findings were replicated in a large independent sample of participants recruited online. Neurally, smokers showed reduced tracking of forward projected choice values in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and impaired computation of social prediction errors in the midbrain. These results demonstrate that smokers were less accurate in estimating their personal influence when the social environment calls for control, providing a neurocomputational account for the social cognitive deficits in this population. Pre-registrations: OSF Registries|How interoceptive state interacts with value-based decision-making in addiction (fMRI study). OSF Registries|COVID-19: social cognition, mental health, and social distancing (online study). A neurocomputational model of social forward thinking shows that smokers under-estimate the influence of their actions on future interactions, a cognitive deficit associated with aberrant prefrontal and midbrain activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid bilayer-delimited particles that are naturally released from cells into body fluids, and therefore can travel and convey regulatory functions in the distal parts of the body. EVs can transmit paracrine signaling by carrying over cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, interleukins (ILs), transcription factors, and nucleic acids such as DNA, mRNAs, microRNAs, piRNAs, lncRNAs, sn/snoRNAs, mtRNAs and circRNAs; these EVs travel to predecided destinations to perform their functions. While mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to improve healing and facilitate treatments of various diseases, the allogenic use of these cells is often accompanied by serious adverse effects after transplantation. MSC-produced EVs are less immunogenic and can serve as an alternative to cellular therapies by transmitting signaling or delivering biomaterials to diseased areas of the body. This review article is focused on understanding the properties of EVs derived from different types of MSCs and MSC–EV-based therapeutic options. The potential of modern technologies such as 3D bioprinting to advance EV-based therapies is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 56-year-old female with a history of meningioma status post subtotal resection (Simpson grade IV) and extensive radiation therapy presented with osteoradionecrosis (O.R.N.) managed previously with a microvascular free flap (MVFF). The evaluation revealed worsening O.R.N. and a scalp defect of 15 x 10cm. The patient underwent MVFF reconstruction utilizing a free latissimus muscle flap covered by meshed split-thickness skin graft (STSG). Her surgery was complicated by delayed free flap failure and Serratia marces-cens growth, which occurred sometime after discharge from the hospital. This was managed with removal of the free muscle flap and skin graft, serial debridements, antibiotics, and replacements of a synthetic dural matrix and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Once a clean wound bed was again obtained, the patient underwent fasciocutaneous anterolateral thigh (A.L.T.) MVFF reconstruction, which was complicated by left hypoglossal nerve injury, dehiscence of the flap inset, and dehiscence of the neck access incision requiring revision surgery. On the last follow-up 2 weeks after her surgery, the patient had 100% flap viability and a 2 x 1.5 cm on the left parietal aspect of the flap healing be secondary intent. We demonstrate that NPWT is successful in managing open calvarial wounds due to O.R.N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation impacts and management options for 15 coral reef fish species central to the commercial and recreational fisheries of the southern Florida USA coral reef ecosystem were evaluated using a length-based risk analysis (LBRA) framework. Population abundance-at-length composition data were obtained from several regional federal-state sampling programs. These and updated life history demographic data were integrated into a length-based numerical cohort model to generate LBRA fishery sustainability metrics from a probabilistic perspective. Three of five groupers, eight of eight snappers, and two of two grunts were below the 40% spawning potential ratio (SPR) stock sustainability minimum; ten of these stocks are at < 20% of their historical spawning biomass, some as low as 5%. Therefore, to ameliorate overfishing for the 13 stocks with sustainability risks ≥ 98%, fisheries management requires increased minimum sizes of first capture L c and significant reductions in fishing mortality F . To achieve sustainability and reduce sustainability risks area-time protections are also needed. While lack of data often limits the evaluation of management options, this paper establishes benchmarks from which data-limited approaches can move forward. In addition, the approach can be used to cross-check other data-rich analyses. A goal of this work is to effectively balance sustainability risks with fishery production to mitigate overfishing likelihoods and to increase the probability of sustainable fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]