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Simple Summary: This study aimed to evaluate and analyze the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACTx) processes and surgical and pathological outcomes in breast cancer (BC). NACTx for BC caused grade ≥ 3 adverse events in one-fifth of the patients in our study. Anthracyline cardiotoxicity (2.2%) resulted in one death (0.4%). Clinical disease progression occurred in 3.9% of the cases (14% in triple-negative BC). Cavity shaving was required in one-fifth of the patients. We found that invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and tumors with low SUVmax values are very risky for positive surgical margins. Axillary clinical complete response is not reliable for luminal A (LA) BC and ILC, but trustworthy for HER2-enriched and triple-negative BC. It was also found that the need for ALND decreases with HER2(+) disease and higher SUVMax values of axillary lymph nodes, but increases with ER positivity and higher PR expression levels. A pathologic complete response is unlikely in well-defined LA BC. Objectives: To evaluate the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACTx) process in breast cancer (BC), its significant treatment-related adverse events (trAEs), tumor clinical response rates, and surgical and pathological outcomes, and to analyze factors influencing cavity shaving and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) following sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Methods: A comprehensive retrospective study was conducted at a single center on patients who received NACTx for BC between 2015 and 2021. Results: Medical records of 242 patients were reviewed. Approximately one-fifth encountered grade ≥ 3 trAEs (21.5%), leading 3.3% to discontinue chemotherapy. Anthracycline cardiotoxicity (2.2%) caused one death (mortality rate = 0.4%). For clinical response and surgical and pathological outcomes, 229 patients were eligible. Clinical progression occurred in 3.9% of the patients (14% in triple-negative BC, p = 0.004). Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) was performed in 55% of the patients. There was no significant difference between the type of breast surgery (BCS vs. mastectomy) and molecular subtype, histology, tumor size, or tumor's pathological response degree. Cavity shaving was required in one-fifth of the patients who underwent BCS (n = 134) due to an invasive tumor at the surgical margin (SM). Tumor histology (invasive ductal vs. invasive lobular carcinoma; OR: 4.962, 95% CI 1.007–24.441, p = 0.049) and tumor SUVMax value (OR: 0.866, 95% CI 0.755–0.993, p = 0.039) had significant independent efficacy on SM positivity. Initially, 75% underwent SLNB, but nearly half of them needed ALND. ALND rates were significantly higher in the luminal A and LB-HER2(−) groups (87% vs. 69%) than in the HER2(+) and TN groups (43% to 50%) (p = 0.001). All luminal A patients and those with lobular histology required ALND after SLNB, but no patients in the HER2-enriched group required ALND. ER positivity and higher PR expression levels were associated with an increased need for ALND after SLNB, whereas HER2 positivity and higher SUVMax values of LN(s) were associated with a significantly reduced need for ALND. About 27% of the patients achieved overall pCR. No pCR was achieved in the LA group. Conclusions: The BC NACTx process requires close monitoring due to severe AEs and disease progression. NACTx decisions must be made on experienced multidisciplinary tumor boards, considering tumor characteristics and expected targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex health care interventions often consist of specific and non-specific effects and can present a methodological and intellectual challenge to researchers. This is especially the case in Complementary and Integrative Medicines (CIM), where research may inadequately capture the holistic nature of therapies, affecting the quality of outcomes and evidence reported. This article introduces a novel approach that advances methodology and helps researchers to "step inside" the therapeutic drama, to improve the quality of evidence produced. The method, termed Theatricality, was trialed in five complementary health centers across four European countries and provides a fresh view of therapy, where the interventions, practitioners, and researchers appear bound by their context and space, creating, or limiting the potential for these acts. Delivered as an adjunct to Ethnography, this approach offers a new way of conceiving, capturing, and communicating whole health care performances that may help to improve the quality of evidence in complex health care interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In functional magnetic resonance imaging, the hemodynamic response function (HRF) is a stereotypical response to local changes in cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism due to briefly (< 4 s) evoked neural activity. Accordingly, the HRF is often used as an impulse response with the assumption of linearity in data analysis. In cognitive aging studies, it has been very common to interpret differences in brain activation as age‐related changes in neural activity. Contrary to this assumption, however, evidence has accrued that normal aging may also significantly affect the vasculature, thereby affecting cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism, confounding interpretation of fMRI cognitive aging studies. In this study, use was made of a multisensory task to evoke the HRF in ~87% of cerebral cortex in cognitively intact adults with ages ranging from 22 to 75 years. This widespread activation enabled us to investigate age trends in the spatial distributions of HRF characteristics within the majority of cortical gray matter, which we termed as global age trends. The task evoked both positive and negative HRFs, which were characterized using model‐free parameters in native‐space coordinates. We found significant global age trends in the distributions of HRF parameters in terms of both amplitudes (e.g., peak amplitude and contrast‐to‐noise ratio) and temporal dynamics (e.g., full‐width‐at‐half‐maximum). Our findings offer insight into how age‐dependent changes affect neurovascular coupling and show promise for use of HRF parameters as non‐invasive indicators for age‐related pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue carbon serves as a significant natural carbon sink and presents substantial opportunities for greenhouse gas mitigation actions. This study first elucidates the importance of blue carbon conservation and its basis in international law, and then analyzes the progress and shortcomings of China's efforts in blue carbon protection in the areas of legislation, enforcement, and judicial practices related to ocean governance and climate change mitigation. Finally, from the perspective of coordinating ocean and climate governance, this paper proposes legal pathways to improve blue carbon conservation. In terms of legislation, it advocates for the explicit inclusion of the legal concept of "blue carbon" in the legal frameworks governing ocean and climate governance, and for the clarification of the legal status of "blue carbon credits". In terms of regulatory enforcement, it recommends developing a detailed implementation plan to integrate blue carbon into the China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) system, designating a regulatory body for blue carbon trading, and establishing a multi-stakeholder governance mechanism involving government, market, and society. In the judicial realm, the paper suggests issuing judicial interpretations to clarify the scope, prerequisites, and implementation of "purchasing blue carbon credit" to prevent such purchases from becoming a "free pass" that could damage marine ecosystems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence exists that the gut microbiome influences toxicity as well as outcomes in a variety of cancers. To investigate the role of the gut microbiome in pediatric neuro-oncology, microbiome analysis has been included in multiple prospective pediatric neuro-oncology clinical trials (NCT05009992, NCT04732065, NCT04775485). In these trials, the OMNIgene-GUTtm preservation tubes are used for the collection of the feces. OMNIgene-GUTtm has demonstrated reliability in preserving the composition of the gut microbiome in adults; however, its validation for use in the pediatric population remains limited. Therefore, we compared the quality of the DNA by 16S rRNA gene sequencing after various methods of stabilizing fecal samples in pediatric populations, from the direct freeze method at − 80 °C to preserving samples with OMNIgene-GUTtm at room temperature for various durations. Our results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the alpha-diversity, and beta-diversity. However, pairwise differential abundance analyses demonstrated that OMNIgene-GUT™ is superior in maintaining microbial community structure compared to storing samples without any preservation method. With the OMNIgene-GUTtm's stabilization of the fecal samples being superior and its ease-of-use benefits, it proves to be a valid and ideal method of stabilizing fecal samples for current and future pediatric clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic link between Weideshan-type rocks and gold mineralization in the Jiaodong Peninsula remains unclear. In this study, we examined the geochemical characteristics, water content, and oxidation states of Weideshan-type rocks and associated felsic dykes to assess the potential of a Weideshan-type batholith in directly contributing the fluids responsible for extensive gold mineralization. The findings reveal that the emplacement timing of Weideshan-type magmatic rocks in the Jiaodong Peninsula is slightly different from the timing of gold mineralization. Additionally, high zircon Eu/Eu* values indicate a relatively high water content within the Weideshan batholith. However, due to limited data on crystallization pressures, it remains equivocal whether water was saturated during the emplacement of the Weideshan batholith. Even if fluid saturation did occur, the magmatic oxidation states of Weideshan-type rocks are notably high (>FMQ + 1.5), which is incompatible with the reduced mineral assemblages typical of Jiaodong gold deposits. Therefore, our study suggests that the genetic link between gold mineralization and Weideshan-period granitic magmatism may be weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magmatic fluid degassing within shallow magma chambers underneath the ore bodies is critical to the formation of porphyry Cu-Au deposits (PCDs). Yet, it remains unclear how the fluid degassing influences the development of PCDs. Here, geochemical data of apatite, amphibole, and plagioclase from ore-bearing and coeval barren porphyries have been analyzed in Sanjiang metallogenic belt, China. The ore-bearing porphyries normally exhibit high and wide XF/XCl (31.76–548.12) and XF/XOH (0.779–7.370) ratios of apatites, which are evidently higher than those of the barren porphyries (XF/XCl of 1.03–26.58; XF/XOH of 0.686–3.602). Combined with the continuous variation features of Cl/OH ratios and H2O contents of melts calculated by amphiboles, as well as fluid migration models, we constrained the mechanisms of fluid degassing within shallow magma chambers underneath PCDs. There are three different ways of fluid degassing, while only fluid degassing via fluid channel stage can migrate and focus the metal-rich fluids effectively, conducive to the development of PCDs. The mechanisms of magmatic fluid degassing processes are further controlled by the storage depths of magma chambers and initial H2O contents of the magmas revealed by the compositions of amphibole, plagioclase, and thermodynamic modeling. Magmas with shallower storage depths and higher initial H2O contents are more likely to experience extensive and focused fluid degassing, leading to the generation of PCDs. This study demonstrates the potential utility of integrated mineral analyses and thermodynamic modeling for investigating the mechanisms of magmatic fluid degassing in porphyry systems, as well as for identifying prospective buried PCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circumstances and nature of concussions among youth who play tackle, flag, or touch football are not well understood. This study used data from Utah's Student Injury Reporting System (SIRS) to explore suspected concussions among K-12 students sustained during participation in football-related activities (tackle, flag, or touch football). Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses showed that 54.7% of suspected concussions due to football-related activity were among elementary and middle school and 41.3% were among high school students. Most suspected concussions resulted from being struck by or against something (81.9%) and occurred during school-sanctioned games and practices (37.9%), lunch, lunch recess, and recess (34.8%), or physical education class (22.7%). The type of school activity and context for suspected concussions varied by school level. School nurses and others in Utah may use study findings to customize concussion prevention efforts by school level and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization has recognized road traffic accidents as a global crisis, particularly in urban environments. Despite extensive research endeavors, significant gaps remain in our understanding of how various factors interact to influence urban road traffic incidents. This study analyzed data from 4285 urban road traffic accidents in Hubei Province, employing a two-step clustering algorithm to classify accidents into distinct groups based on specific conditions. Subsequently, association rule mining was utilized to discern relationships between accident characteristics within each cluster. Additionally, a classification based on the association rule algorithm was implemented to develop a predictive model for analyzing factors contributing to casualties. The data were categorized into clusters based on weather and road conditions, with separate discussions conducted for each scenario. The findings indicated that urban congestion is the most critical factor contributing to accidents. Interestingly, rather than in severe weather, accidents were more prevalent during cloudy, light-rain conditions. Electric vehicles and motorcycles emerged as the most vulnerable groups. Furthermore, a notable interaction was observed between the day of the week, time of day, and weather conditions. The predictive model achieved an impressive average accuracy of 86.9%. This methodology facilitates the identification of contributing factors and mechanisms underlying urban road traffic accidents in China and holds potential for establishing accident analysis models in similar contexts. The interactive visualization of association rules further enhances the applicability of the findings. The findings of this study can provide valuable insights for traffic management authorities to understand the causes of urban road traffic accidents, assisting them in devising effective policy measures and countermeasures to reduce the occurrence of accidents and casualties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our diet, we ingest a variety of compounds that are TRPV1 modulators. It is important to understand if these compounds alter neural and behavioral responses to taste stimuli representing all taste qualities. Here, we will summarize the effects of capsaicin, resiniferatoxin, cetylpyridinium chloride, ethanol, nicotine, N-geranyl cyclopropylcarboxamide, Kokumi taste peptides, pH, and temperature on neural and behavioral responses to taste stimuli in rodent models and on human taste perception. The above TRPV1 agonists produced characteristic biphasic effects on chorda tympani taste nerve responses to NaCl in the presence of amiloride, an epithelial Na+ channel blocker, at low concentrations enhancing and at high concentrations inhibiting the response. Biphasic responses were also observed with KCl, NH4Cl, and CaCl2. In the presence of multiple stimuli, the effect is additive. These responses are blocked by TRPV1 antagonists and are not observed in TRPV1 knockout mice. Some TRPV1 modulators also increase neural responses to glutamate but at concentrations much above the concentrations that enhance salt responses. These modulators also alter human salt and glutamate taste perceptions at different concentration ranges. Glutamate responses are TRPV1-independent. Sweet and bitter responses are TRPV1-independent but the off-taste of sweeteners is TRPV1-dependent. Aversive responses to acids and ethanol are absent in animals in which both the taste system and the TRPV1-trigeminal system are eliminated. Thus, TRPV1 modulators differentially alter responses to taste stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Waxing Mo polymetallic deposit is located in the central part of the Lesser Xing'an–Zhangguangcai Range (LXZR), NE China. The Mo (Cu) mineralization in the deposit is dominantly hosted by quartz veinlets and stockworks and is closely related to silicification and potassic alteration, while the W mineralization is most closely related to greisenization. Zircon samples from granodiorite, biotite monzogranite, granodiorite porphyry, and syenogranite in the Waxing deposit yielded U-Pb ages of 172.3 Ma, 172.8 Ma, 173.0 Ma, and 171.4 Ma, respectively. Six molybdenite samples from porphyry Mo ores yielded a Re-Os isochron age of 172.0 ± 1.1 Ma. The granitoids in the ore district are relatively high in total alkali (Na2O + K2O), are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous, and are classified as I-type granitoids. The zircon samples from all granitoids showed a relatively consistent Hf isotopic composition, as shown by positive εHf(t) values (3.1–8.3) and young TDM2 ages (0.69–1.25 Ga). These results, combined with the whole-rock geochemistry, suggest that the magma source of these rocks most likely derived from partial melting of a juvenile middle-lower continental crust, with a minor contribution from the mantle. These granitoids have compositional characteristics of adakites such as relatively high Sr contents (e.g., >400 ppm) and Sr/Y ratios (e.g., >33), as well as weak Eu anomalies (e.g., Eu/Eu* = 0.8–1.1), indicating extensive fractionation crystallization of a hydrous magma. The apatite geochemistry indicates that the ore-related magma in Waxing is F-rich and has a relatively low content of sulfur. The zircon geochemistry reveals that the granodiorite, biotite monzogranite, and granodiorite porphyry have relatively high oxygen fugacity (i.e., ΔFMQ = +1.1~1.3), whereas the fO2 values of the granite porphyry and syenogranite are relatively low (i.e., ΔFMQ = +0.1~0.5). The whole-rock and mineral geochemistry suggest that the Mo mineralization in Waxing is probably genetically related to granitoids (i.e., granodiorite, biotite monzogranite, and granodiorite porphyry), with higher oxygen fugacity and a high water content, whereas the magmatic S concentration is not the key factor controlling the mineralization. A comparison of the geochemical compositions of ore-forming and barren stocks for porphyry Mo deposits in the LXZR showed that geochemical ratios, including Eu/Eu* (>0.8), 10,000*(Eu/Eu*)/Y (>600), Sr/Y (>33), and V/Sc (>8), could be effective indicators in discriminating fertile granitoids for porphyry Mo deposits from barren ones in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alaskan-type ultramafic–mafic intrusions in convergent-margin settings provide valuable information on melt-cumulate petrogenetic processes operating at depth in the sub-arc crust. Here, we report the compositions and textural relationships of cumulus and postcumulus minerals in a suite of clinopyroxenites and hornblendites from the peripheral zone of the Tulameen Alaskan-type intrusion in British Columbia, Canada. Mineral chemistry is used to establish magma storage conditions (P, T, fO2, H2Omelt) and to reconstruct the composition of cryptic residual liquids that equilibrated with the mineral phases and subsequently escaped the local mush system. Residual liquids in equilibrium with clinopyroxene (diopside) are metaluminous calc-alkaline basalt to andesite; melts equilibrated with amphibole (magnesio-hastingsite) are metaluminous to peraluminous calc-alkaline dacite to low-silica rhyolite. Thermobarometry yields a robust estimate of storage pressure of 400 ± 50 MPa (~ 15 km paleodepth) for the Tulameen magma reservoir and equilibration temperatures of 1130–960 °C for clinopyroxene and 950–850 °C for amphibole. The large cooling interval between the early crystallization of clinopyroxene and late appearance and continued crystallization of peritectic amphibole facilitated progressive extraction of residual liquids from clinopyroxene-rich cumulates, consistent with textural relationships, mass balance calculations and experimental petrology. Peritectic dacitic melts are hydrous (~ 6–8.3 wt% H2Omelt), oxidized (fO2 ~ NNO + 1.6 to NNO + 3.6 log units) and buoyantly mobile with low density (~ 2200 kg/m3) and viscosity (~ 103 poise). Lower water contents likely reflect degassing of peritectic melts driven by amphibole crystallization; relatively high redox conditions are attributed to precursor fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene preserved as cumulates in the core of the Tulameen intrusion. Peritectic amphibole crystallized in response to migration of a thermally buffered reaction front marking the stability limit of amphibole (≤ 950 °C) and driven by near-isobaric cooling. Pervasive infiltration of reactive dacitic liquids through the clinopyroxene mush formed intergranular/poikilitic amphibole and channelized flow was captured in part by cm-scale hornblendite segregations; aggregated melts formed in situ bodies of replacive hornblendite. The absence of orthopyroxene and rarity of plagioclase in the evolved ultramafic cumulates of Alaskan-type intrusions and similar arc-related rocks is attributed primarily to high H2Omelt and oxygen fugacity in differentiated arc magmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Modular Approach to Therapy for Youths with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Conduct Problems (MATCH) for Norwegian youths referred to seven Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics. MATCH addresses comorbid problems that are common in children and youth, and its transdiagnostic design may therefore be more effective compared to standard treatments that often address single problems. MATCH has, however, never been evaluated in a Nordic context, and the present study aimed to fill this gap. Methods: A sample of 121 Norwegian youths (Mage = 9.83, 58.7% boys) was randomly assigned to MATCH (n = 73) or treatment as usual (TAU, n = 48). Primary treatment outcomes were youths' externalizing and internalizing problems as reported by parents, using the Child Behavior Checklist, the Behavior and Feelings Survey. In addition, the study included assessments of parent-reported Top Problems. Results: Overall, youths showed significant improvements in both externalizing and internalizing problems from intake to post-test. Results did not provide evidence that MATCH reduces symptoms of these problems compared to TAU. Conclusions: The findings were inconclusive regarding whether MATCH was more effective than TAU in reducing youth internalizing and externalizing problems. Trial Registration Identifier: ISRCTN24029895. Registration date: 8/8/2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Understanding how older adults perceive and interpret emotional cues in speech prosody contributes to our knowledge of cognitive aging. This study provides a systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate the extent of the decline in affective prosody recognition (APR) among older adults in terms of overall and emotion-specific performance and explore potential moderators that may cause between-studies heterogeneity. Method: The literature search encompassed five electronic databases, with a specific emphasis on studies comparing the APR performance of older adults with that of younger adults. This comparison was focused on basic emotions. Meta-regression analyses were executed to pinpoint potential moderators related to demographic and methodological characteristics. Results: A total of 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 560 older adults with a mean age of 69.15 years and 751 younger adults with a mean age of 23.02 years. The findings indicated a substantial negative effect size (g = -1.21). Furthermore, the magnitude of aggregated effect sizes showed a distinct valence-related recognition pattern with positive prosody exhibiting smaller effect sizes. Language background and years of education were found to moderate the overall and emotion-specific (i.e., disgust and surprise) performance effect estimate, and age and gender significantly influenced the effect estimate of happiness. Conclusions: The results confirmed a significant decline in APR ability among older adults compared to younger adults, but this decline was unbalanced across basic emotions. Language background and educational level emerged as significant factors influencing older adults' APR ability. Moreover, participants with a higher mean age exhibited notably poorer performance in recognizing happy prosody. These findings underscore the need to further investigate the neurobiological mechanisms for APR decline associated with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphibole is an important mineral during the differentiation of arc magmas but rarely as a phenocryst in arc lavas or eruptive pyroclastic rocks. The Sanggeda complex, intruded into the ophiolite of the Indus–Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone (IYZSZ), Zedong, southern Tibet, mainly consists of amphibole-rich, fine-grained, and porphyritic gabbros. The complex provides an opportunity to study the differentiation of arc magmas through amphibole crystals. Four distinct amphibole crystal populations can be recognized according to petrographic observations, EMPA, and LA–ICP–MS analysis. The first ones (Type 1) are fined-grained and euhedral, are crystallized during ascent, and are the product of the shallow emplacement of host magma. The second ones (Type 2) are euhedral, with slight negative Eu and Sr anomalies, and crystallize from an evolved magma that previously experienced plagioclase fractionation. Type 3 amphiboles have similar morphological characteristics to Type 2 but are without Eu and Sr anomalies. Type 4 crystals are shown as pseudomorphs, formed by the reaction–replacement between the clinopyroxene and melt. Type 1 crystals are autocrysts. Other amphiboles within host magma, whether presented as phenocrysts or cumulate nodules, are antecrysts. Based on the amphibole crystal population developed in the complex, in this study, a trans-crustal magma plumbing system is proposed, containing at least three magma reservoirs located at different crust depths: the shallow emplaced crust (~4.8 km), the mid-crust (~12.9 km), and the lower crust (~21.8–24.9 km). Early amphibole crystallization is an effective process to generate silicic residual melts. Gravity could help in that sense. Precursor amphibole and clinopyroxene can efficiently delaminate back into the mantle and promote the generation of silicic continental crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and information technology, the emergence of big data and machine learning provides a new research paradigm for mineral exploration. Focusing on the Tethyan metallogenic domain, this paper conducted a series of research works based on machine learning methods to explore the critical geochemical element signals that affect the metallogenic potential of porphyry deposits and reveal the metallogenic regularity. Binary classifiers based on random forest, XGBoost, and deep neural network are established to distinguish zircon fertility, and these machine learning methods achieve higher accuracy, exceeding 90%, compared with the traditional geochemical methods. Based on the random forest and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) algorithms, key chemical element characteristics conducive to magmatic mineralization are revealed. In addition, a deposit classification model was constructed, and the t-SNE method was used to visualize the differences in zircon trace element characteristics between porphyry deposits of different mineralization types. The study highlights the promise of machine learning algorithms in metallogenic potential assessment and mineral exploration by comparing them with traditional chemical methods, providing insights into future mineral classification models utilizing sub-mineral geochemical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acupuncture is one of the most significant therapies of Chinese traditional medical science, and it is now globally utilized for diverse treatments, e.g., pain management. Traditionally, there is no quantification means for storing masters’ skills and examining trainee’s learning effect, hence, strongly limiting the development of acupuncture. For addressing this issue, in this article, a piezoelectric glove based wearable stress sensing technique is presented. Experimental results showcase that through the piezoelectric force-sensing glove, key parameters (e.g., peak stress at needle) during performing acupuncture are detected and extracted. Simultaneously, the Leap Motion, as a finger gesture monitoring technique, is utilized to capture the finger motion during acupuncture, allowing trainees to have a straightforward understanding of how gesture details are correlated to the stress information. The technique presented in this article potentially improves the learning efficiency of trainees and therefore advancing the progress of acupuncture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers in China and seriously threaten life and health of Chinese people. We analysed the trends and disparities of oral cancer mortality rates and the disease burden of oral cancer in China from 2006 to 2021 to provide a reference for its prevention and control. Methods: Annual death data for oral cancer was gleaned from the China Death Surveillance Database. The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), annual percentage change (APC), and average APC (AAPC) were used to analyze the trend of mortality. Loss of life expectancy (LLE) and years of life lost (YLL) were adopted to assess disease burden. Results: From 2006 to 2021, the overall ASMR of oral cancer lightly declined (AAPC: − 0.97%; 95% CI: − 1.89%, − 0.04%), and the similar trend was observed among females (AAPC: − 1.22%; 95% CI: − 1.89%, − 0.55%). The ASMR of males was 2.31–3.16 times higher than that of females per year. The median of LLE for overall, males and females caused by oral cancer from 2006 to 2021 were 0.05, 0.06 and 0.03 years, respectively. There was a decrease of standardized YLL rate from 2006 to 2021 for overall (AAPC: − 1.31%, 95% CI: − 2.24% ~ − 0.37%) and for female (AAPC: − 1.63%, 95% CI: − 2.30% ~ − 0.95%). ASMR in urban areas was 1.02–1.28 times higher than that in rural areas from 2006 to2011, but 0.85–0.97 times lower in urban areas than that in rural areas from 2018 to 2021. The disease burden was higher in urban areas than in rural areas in 2006, whereas the reverse was observed in 2021. Conclusions: There are severe health gaps and disparities in trends between sexes and different areas in China. Males and rural populations need to be focused on targeted interventions for the main influencing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although evidence supports the effective use of a cue to forget an encoded stimulus, the mechanisms of this forgetting are not well understood. Evidence from item-method directed forgetting in long-term memory reveals greater prefrontal and parietal activation for information that is cued to be forgotten. Activation in those brain regions is typically associated with increased effort and cognitive control. Method: To test themechanismof directed forgetting in visual workingmemory, we used stimuli that rely on distinct brain regions such as faces and buildings and varied memory stability. Participants completed a directed forgetting task with faces and buildings, and memory stability was manipulated by presenting some stimuli repeatedly throughout the study, and other stimuli were only presented once. Results and discussion: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) results fromthe parahippocampal place area suggest that to-be-remembered buildings elicit higher activation than to-be-forgotten buildings. In addition, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation changed throughout the trial period, possibly suggesting that the cue led to information being dropped from visual working memory, or through a shift in attention, as occurs with the retro-cue paradigm. Several explanations for these results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) and its derivatives, including extracellular vesicles (EVs) and outer membrane proteins, are recognized for enhancing intestinal balance and metabolic health. However, the mechanisms of Akkermansia muciniphila's action and its effects on the microbiome are not well understood. In this study, we examined the influence of A. muciniphila and its derivatives on gastrointestinal (GI) and metabolic disorders through a meta-analysis of studies conducted on mouse models. A total of 39 eligible studies were identified through targeted searches on PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Embase until May 2024. A. muciniphila (alive or heat-killed) and its derivatives positively affected systemic and gut inflammation, liver enzyme level, glycemic response, and lipid profiles. The intervention increased the expression of tight-junction proteins in the gut, improving gut permeability in mouse models of GI and metabolic disorders. Regarding body weight, A. muciniphila and its derivatives prevented weight loss in animals with GI disorders while reducing body weight in mice with metabolic disorders. Sub-group analysis indicated that live bacteria had a more substantial effect on most analyzed biomarkers. Gut microbiome analysis using live A. muciniphila identified a co-occurrence cluster, including Desulfovibrio, Family XIII AD3011 group, and Candidatus Saccharimonas. Thus, enhancing the intestinal abundance of A. muciniphila and its gut microbial clusters may provide more robust health benefits for cardiometabolic, and age-related diseases compared with A. muciniphila alone. The mechanistic insight elucidated here will pave the way for further exploration and potential translational applications in human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apatite major and trace element chemistry is a widely used tracer of mineralization as it sensitively records the characteristics of the magmatic-hydrothermal system at the time of its crystallization. Previous studies have proposed useful indicators and binary discrimination diagrams to distinguish between apatites from mineralized and unmineralized rocks; however, their efficiency has been found to be somewhat limited in other systems and larger-scale data sets. This work applied a machine learning (ML) method to classify the chemical compositions of apatites from both fertile and barren rocks, aiming to help determine the mineralization potential of an unknown system. Approximately 13 328 apatite compositional analyses were compiled and labeled from 241 locations in 27 countries worldwide, and three apatite geochemical data sets were established for XGBoost ML model training. The classification results suggest that the developed models (accuracy: 0.851–0.992; F1 score: 0.839–0.993) are much more accurate and efficient than conventional methods (accuracy: 0.242–0.553). Feature importance analysis of the models demonstrates that Cl, F, S, V, Sr/Y, V/Y, Eu*, (La/Yb)N, and La/Sm are important variables in apatite that discriminate fertile and barren host rocks and indicates that V/Y and Cl/F ratios and the S content, in particular, are crucial parameters to discriminating metal enrichment and mineralization potential. This study suggests that ML is a robust tool for processing high-dimensional geochemical data and presents a novel approach that can be applied to mineral exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 230Th‐238U crystallization ages and trace element compositions for zircons spanning the late Pleistocene to Holocene rhyolite eruptive record at South Sister volcano in the central Oregon Cascade Range. Most zircon ages are between 100 and 20 ka, with very few in secular equilibrium (>350 ka). The weighted mean of zircon ages for the two oldest South Sister rhyolites, 31.5 ± 2.1 and 39.1 ± 2.4 ka, are significantly younger than the associated 40Ar/39Ar ages, 47.4 ± 9.7 and 51.4 ± 9.7 ka. We propose that these 40Ar/39Ar dates, performed on plagioclase separates, are compromised by a subtle amount of excess Ar and therefore the younger weighted mean zircon ages yield more reliable eruption ages. These results imply that the interval of rhyolite eruption at South Sister during the late Pleistocene was both shorter and more productive than previously thought and that eruption at South Sister initiated after Middle Sister. Compositionally, zircons from the Pleistocene rhyolites are broadly similar and show down‐temperature zircon and plagioclase crystallization trends. However, we argue that destabilized amphibole and titanite in a common mush also exert leverage on the Pleistocene zircon trace element compositions. Divergence in the Eu/Eu* ratio between the Pleistocene and Holocene lavas implies chemically distinct magma reservoirs originating from the Pleistocene rhyolite eruptive sequence and the Holocene eruptive sequence. This work suggests a higher flux of rhyolite volcanism than previously thought and characterizes magmatic storage distinctions between the Pleistocene and Holocene rhyolites, aiding in the assessment of future eruptive hazards at South Sister volcano. Key Points: Zircon ages shift inferred eruption ages for two South Sister rhyolites over 10 kyr youngerCrystallization of zircon and plagioclase as well as destabilized amphibole and titanite leveraged melt compositions of Pleistocene magmasCompositional distinctions between the Pleistocene and Holocene lavas suggest distinct melt sources for both eruption sequences [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karstification refers to the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks by water and the deposition of calcium carbonate due to CO2 degassing. In a macro sense, karstification can be divided into epikarstification and deep-seated (geothermal) karstification. Karst covers about 22 million km2 all over the world, accounting for 15% of the land area, and is of enormous carbon sink potential. Therefore, to alleviate the pressure of carbon neutrality and help China achieve the "Dual Carbon" target, it is of great significance for us to accurately understand the relationship between karst and carbon cycle and the carbon sink effect of karst. As an important tool for us to comprehensively understand the research progress in a specific area, bibliometric analysis can measure the relationship and influence among publications through a series of mathematical and statistical tools, and hence has been applied in many research fields. In order to understand the research hotspots and the development directions in the field of karst carbon cycle and carbon sink effect, this study undertook bibliometric citation analysis on 573 contributions to the literature written from January the 1st, 1991 to June the 6th, 2017, based on the Web of Science core collection. CiteSpace was used to analyze keyword frequency and emergency, country (region) and institution, author impact, research hot spot, co-cited literature and evolution of research topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the capability of amphibole in tracing the physicochemical process of magma mixing through spatially associated gabbros, mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) and granodiorites from central Tibet. These rocks share similar zircon ages as well as zircon Hf‐O and plagioclase Sr isotopes. However, the amphiboles within the gabbros and granodiorites have different Sr and B isotope compositions, while amphiboles with both heterogeneous isotopic imprints occur in the MMEs. According to data and modeling, significant mixing of two isotopically distinct magmas is recorded by amphibole but not by zircon and plagioclase. Based on a synthesis of petrography, geochemistry and thermobarometry, we interpret this inconsistency by the crystallization order of minerals and propose that magma mixing occurred after the parent magma was emplaced at ∼10 km and cooled to ∼750°C. Our study highlights that amphibole may be a more sensitive tracer of magma mixing relative to other commonly used methods. Plain Language Summary: Magma mixing significantly shapes the composition of silicic igneous rocks representing the major constituent of the upper continental crust. Since bulk‐rock composition may only bear the average of mixed sources, in situ techniques such as Hf‐O isotopes in zircon and Sr‐Pb isotopes in plagioclase are widely used to investigate the details of magma mixing. However, these methods cannot constrain how magma mixing operates in the deep crust. This study novelly uses in situ Sr‐B isotopes and trace elements in amphibole to trace the physicochemical process of magma mixing through spatially associated gabbros, mafic microgranular enclaves and granodiorites from the central Tibetan Plateau. Our data show that significant mixing of two isotopically distinct magmas is recorded by amphibole but not by zircon and plagioclase. We demonstrate that the amphibole geochemistry (i.e., trace element, Sr‐B isotope compositions) may be more sensitive in tracing magma mixing relative to traditional isotopic tools and has the potential to unravel the physicochemical process(es) of magma mixing in the deep crust. In addition, our work reinforces the use of B isotopes in amphibole to discern the nature (fluids released from altered oceanic crust vs. residual slab) of the slab components that metasomatized the supra‐subduction mantle. Key Points: The amphiboles in central Tibetan magmatic complex have contrasting geochemical and Sr‐B isotopic compositionsSignificant magma mixing is well recorded by amphibole but not by zircon and plagioclaseAmphibole is a more sensitive tracer of magma mixing relative to zircon and plagioclase [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oral detection of sugars relies on two types of receptor systems. The first is the G-protein-coupled receptor TAS1R2/TAS1R3. When activated, this receptor triggers a downstream signaling cascade involving gustducin, phospholipase Cβ2 (PLCβ2), and transient receptor potential channel M5 (TRPM5). The second type of receptor is the glucose transporter. When glucose enters the cell via this transporter, it is metabolized to produce ATP. This ATP inhibits the opening of KATP channels, leading to cell depolarization. Beside these receptor systems, sweet-sensitive taste cells have mechanisms to regulate their sensitivity to sweet substances based on internal and external states of the body. Sweet taste receptors are not limited to the oral cavity; they are also present in extraoral organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and brain. These extraoral sweet receptors are involved in various functions, including glucose absorption, insulin release, sugar preference, and food intake, contributing to the maintenance of energy homeostasis. Additionally, sweet receptors may have unique roles in certain organs like the trachea and bone. This review summarizes past and recent studies on sweet receptor systems, exploring the molecular mechanisms and physiological functions of sweet (sugar) detection in both oral and extraoral organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) involving live visits with canines shows strong promise to improve quality of life (QOL) in hospitalized youth with cancer or blood disorders. The emerging field of virtual AAI allows access to AAI regardless of setting and extends to children at home. Youth and Pet Survivors™ (YAPS) is a novel form of virtual AAI with dog and cat pen pals who share a diagnosis of cancer or serious illness. Little is known about how exchanging letters with animals with a shared diagnosis influences perceived QOL, and how the human–animal bond (HAB) is expressed in letter narratives. Method: A thematic narrative analysis approach was used to analyze a secondary dataset consisting of letters and interviews from children in YAPS. The research team designed a conceptual framework to guide the analysis, integrating concepts of perceived QOL, the HAB, and emotional social support. Results: Collectively, the letter and interview texts illustrated cocreated stories of the HAB. Themes included the virtual HAB as a mirror, constructing identity in the context of the HAB, expressions of the mutuality of the HAB, happiness with having a pen pal, illness story, and connection to normalcy. Answers to research questions operationalize the influence of virtual AAI. Discussion: Having an animal pen pal improved perceived QOL and was a potent source of emotional social support across the illness trajectory, supporting YAPS as a nurse-led intervention for facilitating adjustment to illness. This study adds a conceptual framework and scientific evidence to the emerging field of virtual AAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies to-date have explored the intersection(s) of Islam and human sexuality. This paucity translates into poorly-equipped educators and clinicians who would otherwise be positioned to help young adults navigate contemporary Western culture(s). The qualitative investigation presented here engaged eight Muslim university students via key informant interviews. Principal topics covered included sexuality, religion, family, social media, friends, and culture(s). Thematic analyses followed an iterative data reduction method that was guided by a feminist lens, with particular attention to equity and power foci. Participants shared struggles and successes with integrating their Muslim identities in a Western world. They described how, by reinterpreting elements of the Quran and through self- and family- differentiation, it was (is) possible to embrace Islam in a manner that feels personally pious and sexually healthy. Research-, education-, and clinical- implications are presented in conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a post-Covid context, the term presence has become the subject of renewed academic focus, amplified by mass phenomena such as Zoom fatigue and online classroom teaching. The prism of new materialism allows for a new reading of relationships between technology and human sensing, physical and virtual presence and copresence, with possible design implications: Current research in public health and social-environment discourse is interested in the effect of presence on well-being. As a theoretical framework, new materialism provides a lens that foregrounds complex relations between affect and technology, enabling us, through interventions like the KIMA: Colour participatory artwork, to interrogate the broad discourse on mediated presence and social connectivity. This paper provides an overview of the AHRC-funded research project, 'p_ART_icipate!', which is a collaborative investigation led by the University of Greenwich, CNWL NHS Foundation Trust, and Brunel University. This paper describes one of the case studies within the project, 'KIMA Colour', a collaboration with the art collective Analema Group, the National Gallery and the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB). The case study explores the effect of collective cultural experiences and participatory art on a sense of social connectivity and copresence. In collaboration with RNIB and a group of visually impaired individuals, the team asked how we can design meaningful and accessible online interfaces that actively contribute to a sense of 'participatory presence'. Findings suggest a possible link between the experience, presence and social connectedness. This research aims to contribute to our understanding of participatory art and to provide recommendations for accessibility and facilitation designc for participatory online interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zircon is a common, widely distributed accessory mineral in most igneous rocks and its refractory nature records magmatic evolution in terms of oxygen and U-Th-Pb isotopes, and trace-element contents all of which reflect the intrinsic physio-chemical evolution of the magmatic systems in which it crystallized. Zircon compositions can be used as an indicator of relative fertility of hypabyssal intrusions in terms Cu ± Mo ± Au porphyry mineralization. To further characterize syn-to post-collisional adakitic Devonian oxidized I-type granitoids in the New Brunswick (specifically, those with Cu ± Mo ± Au porphyrystyle mineralization), LA-ICP-MS analyses (guided by µXRF-EDS mapping and SEM-BSE imaging of polished thin sections) of zircons from 13 granitoids was conducted. The zircons studied were similar in terms of their textures (homogenous cores, patchy zoning, oscillatory zoning, and some unzoned zircon); however, they have a wide range of trace- and minor-element (Hf, HREE, Y, Th, U) compositions. Specifically, Zr/Hf ranges between 24-60, whereas Th/U ranges between 0.15 and 5.37. The presence of inherited zircon affects the concentrations of Th and U, as well as other key elements. Estimated crystallization temperatures of granitoids, ranging from 737 to 899°C, were calculated via Ti-in-zircon geothermometry assuming reduced TiO[sub 2] and SiO[sub 2] activities. The calculated log fO2 values for zircons from some of these granitoids indicate a highly oxidized magmatic signature. Zr/Hf, Eu/Eu*, and (Eu/Eu*)/Y in zircon, as well as zircon (Ce/Nd)/Y are some of the best indicators of porphyry fertility. The Ce/Ce* in zircon exhibit a large range (1.1-590), with higher Ce/Ce* reflecting more metallogenically favourable oxidizing conditions. If Eu/Eu* in zircon is ≥0.4 (relatively oxidized conditions), it indicates a high potential for an ore-forming porphyry Cu mineralizing system. Lower Eu contents reflect relatively reducing conditions, as Eu anomalies vary with oxygen fugacity as well, and the relative abundance of Eu2+ is higher, but does not substitute into the zircon lattice. The evidence extracted from analyzing the zircon composition within New Brunswick's I-type granitoids indicates the fertility of these hypabyssal intrusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration parameters during drilling play a critical role in enhancing drilling speed and ensuring safety. However, traditional downhole vibration sensors face limitations in their power supply methods, hindering widespread adoption. To address this challenge, our research introduces a novel solution: a hybrid downhole vibration sensor (HDV-TENG) utilizing triboelectric nanogenerators. This sensor not only enables the measurement of low- to medium–high-frequency vibrations using self-power but also serves to energize other downhole devices. We utilized a self-constructed vibration simulator to replicate downhole drilling tool vibrations and conducted a comprehensive series of sensor tests. The test results indicate that the frequency measurement bandwidth of the HDV-TENG spans from 0 to 200 kHz. Especially, the measurement errors for vibrations within the low-frequency range of 0 to 10 Hz and the high-frequency range of 10 to 200 k Hz are less than 5% and 8%, respectively. Additionally, the experimental findings regarding load matching demonstrate that the HDV-TENG achieves an output power level in the milliwatt range, representing a significant improvement over the output power of traditional triboelectric nanogenerators. Unlike traditional downhole vibration measurement sensors, HDV-TENG operates without requiring any external power supply, thereby conserving downhole space and significantly enhancing drilling efficiency. Furthermore, HDV-TENG not only offers a broad measurement range but also amplifies output power through the synergy of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG), and electromagnetic power generator (EMG). This capability enables its utilization as an emergency power source for other micropower equipment downhole. The introduction of HDV-TENG also holds considerable implications for the development of self-powered underground sensors with high-frequency measurement capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB), a leading cause of infectious death, is curable when patients complete a course of multi-drug treatment. Because entry into the TB treatment cascade usually relies on symptomatic individuals seeking care, little is known about linkage to care and completion of treatment in people with subclinical TB identified through community-based screening. Methods: Participants of the Vukuzazi study, a community-based survey that provided TB screening in the rural uMkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal from May 2018 – March 2020, who had a positive sputum (GeneXpert or Mtb culture, microbiologically-confirmed TB) or a chest x-ray consistent with active TB (radiologically-suggested TB) were referred to the public health system. Telephonic follow-up surveys were conducted from May 2021 – January 2023 to assess linkage to care and treatment status. Linked electronic TB register data was accessed. We analyzed the effect of baseline HIV and symptom status (by WHO 4-symptom screen) on the TB treatment cascade. Results: Seventy percent (122/174) of people with microbiologically-confirmed TB completed the telephonic survey. In this group, 84% (103/122) were asymptomatic and 46% (56/122) were people living with HIV (PLWH). By self-report, 98% (119/122) attended a healthcare facility after screening, 94% (115/122) started TB treatment and 93% (113/122) completed treatment. Analysis of electronic TB register data confirmed that 67% (116/174) of eligible individuals started TB treatment. Neither symptom status nor HIV status affected linkage to care. Among people with radiologically-suggested TB, 48% (153/318) completed the telephonic survey, of which 80% (122/153) were asymptomatic and 52% (79/153) were PLWH. By self-report, 75% (114/153) attended a healthcare facility after screening, 16% (24/153) started TB treatment and 14% (22/153) completed treatment. Nine percent (28/318) of eligible individuals had TB register data confirming that they started treatment. Conclusions: Despite high rates of subclinical TB, most people diagnosed with microbiologically-confirmed TB after community-based screening were willing to link to care and complete TB treatment. Lower rates of linkage to care in people with radiologically-suggested TB highlight the importance of streamlined care pathways for this group. Clearer guidelines for the management of people who screen positive during community-based TB screening are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acids are major structures detected by the innate immune system. Although intracellular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) accumulates during pathogen infection or disease, it remains unclear whether and how intracellular ssDNA stimulates the innate immune system. Here, we report that intracellular ssDNA triggers cytokine expression and cell death in a CGT motif–dependent manner. We identified Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) as an ssDNA-activated RNase, which is essential for the innate immune responses induced by intracellular ssDNA and adeno-associated virus infection. We found that SLFN11 directly binds ssDNA containing CGT motifs through its carboxyl-terminal domain, translocates to the cytoplasm upon ssDNA recognition, and triggers innate immune responses through its amino-terminal ribonuclease activity that cleaves transfer RNA (tRNA). Mice deficient in Slfn9, a mouse homolog of SLFN11, exhibited resistance to CGT ssDNA–induced inflammation, acute hepatitis, and septic shock. This study identifies CGT ssDNA and SLFN11/9 as a class of immunostimulatory nucleic acids and pattern recognition receptors, respectively, and conceptually couples DNA immune sensing to controlled RNase activation and tRNA cleavage. Editor's summary: Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) generated during microbial infection and in response to DNA damage activates innate immune signaling. Toll-like receptor 9 senses endosomal ssDNA, but whether a designated pattern recognition receptor (PRR) detects ssDNA in other intracellular compartments remains unclear. By screening a library of ssDNA mimics, Zhang et al. identified CGT motifs as immunostimulatory sequences in intracellular ssDNA that lead to cell death and cytokine transcription. After a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen, they found that SLFN11 (encoding Schlafen 11) and its murine homolog Slfn9 bind CGT ssDNA and activate innate immune responses via the amino-terminal ribonuclease domain. Together, these results demonstrate that Schlafen 11 can function as a PRR for intracellular ssDNA. —Claire Olingy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and youths diagnosed with FASD may experience a range of adverse health and social outcomes. This cross-sectional study investigated the characteristics and outcomes of children and youths diagnosed with FASD between 2015 and 2018 at the Sunny Hill Centre in British Columbia, Canada and examined the relationships between prenatal substance exposures, FASD diagnostic categories, and adverse health and social outcomes. Patient chart data were obtained for 1187 children and youths diagnosed with FASD and analyzed. The patients (mean age: 9.7 years; range: 2–19) had up to 6 physical and 11 mental health disorders. Prenatal exposure to other substances (in addition to alcohol) significantly increased the severity of FASD diagnosis (OR: 1.18): the odds of FASD with sentinel facial features (SFF) were 41% higher with prenatal cigarette/nicotine/tobacco exposure; 75% higher with exposure to cocaine/crack; and two times higher with exposure to opioids. Maternal mental health issues and poor nutrition also increase the severity of FASD diagnosis (60% and 6%, respectively). Prenatal exposure to other substances in addition to alcohol significantly predicts involvement in the child welfare system (OR: 1.52) and current substance use when adjusted for age (aOR: 1.51). Diagnosis of FASD with SFF is associated with an increased number of physical (R2 = 0.071, F (3,1183) = 30.51, p = 0.000) and mental health comorbidities (R2 = 0.023, F (3,1185) = 9.51, p = 0.000) as compared to FASD without SFF adjusted for age and the number of prenatal substances. Screening of pregnant women for alcohol and other substance use, mental health status, and nutrition is extremely important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports training may lead to functional changes in the brain, and different types of sports, including table tennis, have different influences on these changes. However, the effects of long-term table tennis practice on brain function in expert athletes are largely undefined. Here, we investigated spontaneous regional brain activity characteristics of expert table tennis athletes by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare differences between 25 athletes and 33 age- and sex-matched non-athletes. We analyzed four metrics—amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF, regional homogeneity, and degree centrality—because together they identify functional changes in the brain with greater sensitivity than a single indicator and may more comprehensively describe regional functional changes. Additional statistical analysis was conducted to assess whether any correlation existed between brain activity and years of table tennis training for athletes. Results show that compared with non-athletes, table tennis athletes showed altered spontaneous regional brain activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the calcarine sulcus, a visual area. Furthermore, the functional changes in the calcarine sulcus showed a significant correlation with the number of years of expert sports training. Despite the relatively small sample size, these results indicated that the regional brain function of table tennis athletes was associated with sports training–related changes, providing insights for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying the expert performance of athletes. Highlights: Resting-state fMRI assessed brain functional activity in expert table tennis athletes. Indicators of whole brain activity included ALFF, fALFF, ReHo, and DC. Compared with non-athletes, athletes showed brain functional plasticity changes. Changes were in prefrontal cortex, calcarine sulcus, and left inferior frontal gyrus. Altered brain functional activity may be caused by long-term sports training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myotonic Dystrophy type I (DM1) is the most common muscular dystrophy in adults. Previous reports have highlighted that neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) deteriorate in skeletal muscle from DM1 patients and mouse models thereof. However, the underlying pathomechanisms and their contribution to muscle dysfunction remain unknown. Methods: We compared changes in NMJs and activity-dependent signalling pathways in HSALR and Mbnl1ΔE3/ΔE3 mice, two established mouse models of DM1. Results: Muscle from DM1 mouse models showed major deregulation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II (CaMKIIs), which are key activity sensors regulating synaptic gene expression and acetylcholine receptor (AChR) recycling at the NMJ. Both mouse models exhibited increased fragmentation of the endplate, which preceded muscle degeneration. Endplate fragmentation was not accompanied by changes in AChR turnover at the NMJ. However, the expression of synaptic genes was up-regulated in mutant innervated muscle, together with an abnormal accumulation of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4), a known target of CaMKII. Interestingly, denervation-induced increase in synaptic gene expression and AChR turnover was hampered in DM1 muscle. Importantly, CaMKIIβ/βM overexpression normalized endplate fragmentation and synaptic gene expression in innervated Mbnl1ΔE3/ΔE3 muscle, but it did not restore denervation-induced synaptic gene up-regulation. Conclusions: Our results indicate that CaMKIIβ-dependent and -independent mechanisms perturb synaptic gene regulation and muscle response to denervation in DM1 mouse models. Changes in these signalling pathways may contribute to NMJ destabilization and muscle dysfunction in DM1 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of years of co-evolution between animals and their associated microbial communities have shaped and diversified the nature of their relationship. Studies continue to reveal new layers of complexity in host–microbe interactions, the fate of which depends on a variety of different factors, ranging from neutral processes and environmental factors to local dynamics. Research is increasingly integrating ecosystem-based approaches, metagenomics and mathematical modelling to disentangle the individual contribution of ecological factors to microbiome evolution. Within this framework, host factors are known to be among the dominant drivers of microbiome composition in different animal species. However, the extent to which they shape microbiome assembly and evolution remains unclear. In this review, we summarize our understanding of how host factors drive microbial communities and how these dynamics are conserved and vary across taxa. We conclude by outlining key avenues for research and highlight the need for implementation of and key modifications to existing theory to fully capture the dynamics of host-associated microbiomes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sculpting the microbiome: how host factors determine and respond to microbial colonization'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive aging research has studied the influence of healthy aging on the ability to multitask. Yet, little is known about the factors that might improve or impair serial multitasking performance in older adults. Three experiments involving younger and older adults assessed the impact of interruptions and planning on a prop-based test of multitasking. In Experiment 1, 26 younger adults and 25 older adults' multitasking abilities were assessed; older adults performed significantly more poorly than younger adults. In Experiment 2, 19 younger and 22 older adults were randomly allocated to a group who experienced a one minute unexpected interruption while multitasking or a group with no interruption. The results showed that, when there was an interruption, the age difference disappeared. In Experiment 3, 32 younger and 30 older adults were randomly allocated to a group who were given 3 minutes to write an outline describing how they intended to approach the multitasking task, and another group who were given 3 minutes to label pictures of everyday objects prior to multitasking. Again, when participants were encouraged to plan, no age difference was found. These results highlight the advantage that interruptions and planning might have on serial everyday multitasking performance in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genomic architecture is a key evolutionary trait for living organisms. Due to multiple complex adaptive and neutral forces which impose evolutionary pressures on genomes, there is a huge variability of genomic features. However, their variability and the extent to which genomic content determines the distribution of recovered loci in reduced representation sequencing studies is largely unexplored. Results: Here, by using 80 genome assemblies, we observed that whereas plants primarily increase their genome size by expanding their intergenic regions, animals expand both intergenic and intronic regions, although the expansion patterns differ between deuterostomes and protostomes. Loci mapping in introns, exons, and intergenic categories obtained by in silico digestion using 2b-enzymes are positively correlated with the percentage of these regions in the corresponding genomes, suggesting that loci distribution mostly mirrors genomic architecture of the selected taxon. However, exonic regions showed a significant enrichment of loci in all groups regardless of the used enzyme. Moreover, when using selective adaptors to obtain a secondarily reduced loci dataset, the percentage and distribution of retained loci also varied. Adaptors with G/C terminals recovered a lower percentage of selected loci, with a further enrichment of exonic regions, while adaptors with A/T terminals retained a higher percentage of loci and slightly selected more intronic regions than expected. Conclusions: Our results highlight how genome composition, genome GC content, RAD enzyme choice and use of base-selective adaptors influence reduced genome representation techniques. This is important to acknowledge in population and conservation genomic studies, as it determines the abundance and distribution of loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) ranks as the second leading cause of death globally among all infectious diseases. This problem is likely due to the lack of biomarkers to differentiate the heterogeneous spectrum of infection. Therefore, the first step in solving this problem is to identify biomarkers to distinguish the different disease states of an individual and treat them accordingly. Circulating microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers are promising candidates for various diseases. In fact, we are yet to conceptualize how miRNA expression influences and predicts TB disease outcomes. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the diagnostic efficacy of circulating miRNAs in Latent TB (LTB) and Active Pulmonary TB (PTB). Methods: Literature published between 2012 and 2021 was retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar. Articles were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and their quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. Funnel plots and forest plots were generated to assess the likelihood of study bias and heterogeneity, respectively. Results: After the screening process, seven articles were selected for qualitative analysis. The study groups, which consisted of Healthy Control (HC) vs. TB and LTB vs. TB, exhibited an overall sensitivity of 81.9% (95% CI: 74.2, 87.7) and specificity of 68.3% (95% CI: 57.8, 77.2), respectively. However, our meta-analysis results highlighted two potentially valuable miRNA candidates, miR-197 and miR-144, for discriminating TB from HC. The miRNA signature model (miR197-3p, miR-let-7e-5p, and miR-223-3p) has also been shown to diagnose DR-TB with a sensitivity of 100%, but with a compromised specificity of only 75%. Conclusion: miRNA biomarkers show a promising future for TB diagnostics. Further multicentre studies without biases are required to identify clinically valid biomarkers for different states of the TB disease spectrum. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO (CRD42022302729). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the challenges of managing risk in dementia care and the need to strike a balance between preventing harm and preserving quality of life. The global prevalence of dementia is increasing, leading to higher rates of falls, accidents, and mortality among people living with dementia (PLwD). The article highlights the importance of respecting the autonomy of PLwD while also addressing the concerns of substitute decision-makers and health practitioners. The authors emphasize the concept of risk enablement, which involves finding ways to support PLwD in living well at home while managing risks. The article also discusses the limitations of current risk assessment tools and the need for more research in this area. The perspectives of PLwD and their families and carers are crucial in advocating for change and making them central to decision-making. The article suggests that efforts should be made to educate and engage individuals in advance care planning, particularly among those at high risk of dementia. Socioeconomic factors, such as ethnicity, should also be considered when addressing risk and risk enablement. The authors propose various strategies for promoting risk enablement, including individualizing risk assessments, sustaining activities, and fostering open discussions within multidisciplinary teams. Ultimately, the goal is to reimagine risk in dementia care and improve the quality of life for PLwD. [Extracted from the article]

High-Sr/Y granitoids in continental settings are sometimes erroneously regarded as the products derived from partial melting of thickened/delaminated mafic lower curst under relatively higher pressures (>1.5 GPa) in a collisional orogenic setting. In fact, multiple magmatic processes in the trans-crustal magma system, such as recycling of antecrysts, crustal assimilation, and fractional crystallization, can create or modify the primary "adakitic" signature. As a result, the generation of adakitic magmas in continental settings remains controversial from a bulk-rock perspective. Here, we address the origin of adakitic plutonic rocks through geochemical and textural characterization of rock-forming minerals in the pyroxene-bearing Zhuyuan granodiorite, West Qinling, China. The Zhuyuan granodiorite formed in a post-collisional setting and primarily consists of resorbed orthopyroxene, three types of clinopyroxene, amphibole, two types of plagioclases, K-feldspar, biotite, and quartz. Type-1 Cpx has high XMg (70.0–81.7). Type-2 Cpx displays normal zoning and decreasing XMg (80.9 to 71.5) from the core to rim. Type-3 Cpx is reversely zoned, where the rims have higher XMg (75.5–86.9), Ni, Cr, suggesting a recharge event. Orthopyroxene has high-Ni and -Cr contents, as well as high XMg (80.9–82.8), indicative of antecrysts that grew in mafic magma reservoirs. The injection of magmas from different sources is supported by sieve-textured plagioclase and crystal size distributions of non-poikilitic amphibole. Finally, non-sieve textured plagioclase, biotite, K-feldspar, and quartz are late-crystallized phases, indicative of an orthocrystic origin. The melts in equilibrium with these orthocrysts display significantly higher Sr/Y values than the magma batches that crystallized other mafic phases (i.e., amphibole, clinopyroxene, and orthopyroxene). Thus, we propose that the system involved an initial high-Sr/Y melts in equilibrium with the orthocryst assemblage was generated by water-fluxed melting of intermediate to felsic sources. The addition of low Sr/Y non-orthocrysts (e.g., amphibole and pyroxene) and associated melt diluted the original "adakitic signal" in the magma reservoir and drove the bulk composition to more mafic values. Consequently, the Zhuyuan pyroxene-bearing granodiorite represents a mixture of crystals with diverse origins and distinct magma batches of various compositions (from felsic to mafic compositions). Our study emphasizes that the origin of adakitic granitoids cannot be clearly deciphered without geochemical analysis of the constituent minerals. We also suggest that Sr/Y values in plutons should be cautiously used in paleo-crustal thickness estimates in collisional settings because of possible open system scenarios as described here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgE-mediated food allergy (IgE-FA) occurs due to a breakdown in immune tolerance that leads to a detrimental type 2 helper T cell (TH2) adaptive immune response. While the processes governing this loss of tolerance are incompletely understood, several host-related and environmental factors impacting the risk of IgE-FA development have been identified. Mounting evidence supports the role of an impaired epithelial barrier in the development of IgE-FA, with exposure of allergens through damaged skin and gut epithelium leading to the aberrant production of alarmins and activation of TH2-type allergic inflammation. The treatment of IgE-FA has historically been avoidance with acute management of allergic reactions, but advances in allergen-specific immunotherapy and the development of biologics and other novel therapeutics are rapidly changing the landscape of food allergy treatment. Here, we discuss the pathogenesis and immunobiology of IgE-FA in addition to its diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This scoping review aimed to characterise definitions used to describe subclinical tuberculosis (TB), estimate the prevalence in different populations and describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in the scientific literature. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed. We included studies published in English between January 1990 and August 2022 that defined “subclinical” or “asymptomatic” pulmonary TB disease, regardless of age, HIV status and comorbidities. We estimated the weighted pooled proportions of subclinical TB using a random-effects model by World Health Organization reported TB incidence, populations and settings. We also pooled the proportion of subclinical TB according to definitions described in published prevalence surveys. Results: We identified 29 prevalence surveys and 71 other studies. Prevalence survey data (2002–2022) using “absence of cough of any duration” criteria reported higher subclinical TB prevalence than those using the stricter “completely asymptomatic” threshold. Prevalence estimates overlap in studies using other symptoms and cough duration. Subclinical TB in studies was commonly defined as asymptomatic TB disease. Higher prevalence was reported in high TB burden areas, community settings and immunocompetent populations. People with subclinical TB showed less extensive radiographic abnormalities, higher treatment success rates and lower mortality, although studies were few. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of TB is subclinical. However, prevalence estimates were highly heterogeneous between settings. Most published studies incompletely characterised the phenotype of people with subclinical TB. Standardised definitions and diagnostic criteria are needed to characterise this phenotype. Further research is required to enhance case finding, screening, diagnostics and treatment options for subclinical TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel structure of a photonic two-dimensional force perceptron based on fiber Bragg gratings for the first time to demonstrate microforce detection and direction recognition in an all-optical transmission sensing platform. Silicone gel was used to encapsulate the Bragg gratings arranged in equilateral triangles with specific side lengths in a hollow cylindrical structure. The force stimulation is sensed by stress transfer ball located on top of the perceptron, and the force is transmitted to three Bragg gratings arranged in equilateral triangles through the encapsulation material. The perceptron can achieve force detection with a sensitivity of 0.06 mN and a force stimulation resolution of 0.1 mN . The reset operation mainly relies on the high elastic modulus of the material itself. The results demonstrate continuous optical sensing of microforce stimulation ranging from 0 mN to 2 mN , In addition, we presented the results of large-scale directional force stimulus recognition, successfully achieving directional recognition of force stimuli. Furthermore, we achieved angle recognition with an error rate of 1 % , prove the practical potential of constructing a precise positioning continuous all-optical force sensing platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]