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The movement of air into and out of the lungs is facilitated by changes in pressure within the thoracic cavity relative to atmospheric pressure, as well as the resistance encountered by airways. In this process, the movement of air into and out of the lungs is driven by pressure gradients established by changes in lung volume and intra-alveolar pressure. However, pressure never sucks! The concept that pressure never sucks, pressure only pushes encapsulates a fundamental principle in the behavior of gases. This concept challenges common misconceptions about pressure, shedding light on the dynamic forces that govern the movement of gases. In this Illumination, we explore the essence of this concept and its applications in pulmonary ventilation. Pressure is one of the most important concepts in physics and physiology. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is equal to 1 atmosphere or around 101,325 Pascal [Pa (1 Pa ¼ 1 N/m[superscript 2])]. This huge pressure is pushing down on everything all the time. However, this pressure is difficult to understand because we do not often observe the power of this incredible force. We used five readily available, simple, and inexpensive demonstrations to introduce the physics and power of pressure. This extraordinarily complex physics concept was approached in a straightforward and inexpensive manner while still providing an understanding of the fundamental concepts. These simple demonstrations introduced basic concepts and addressed common misconceptions about pressure.

BackgroundRestraining or slowing ageing hallmarks at the cellular level have been proposed as a route to increased organismal lifespan and healthspan. Consequently, there is great interest in anti-ageing drug discovery. However, this currently requires laborious and lengthy longevity analysis. Here, we present a novel screening readout for the expedited discovery of compounds that restrain ageing of cell populations in vitro and enable extension of in vivo lifespan.MethodsUsing Illumina methylation arrays, we monitored DNA methylation changes accompanying long-term passaging of adult primary human cells in culture. This enabled us to develop, test, and validate the CellPopAge Clock, an epigenetic clock with underlying algorithm, unique among existing epigenetic clocks for its design to detect anti-ageing compounds in vitro. Additionally, we measured markers of senescence and performed longevity experiments in vivo in Drosophila, to further validate our approach to discover novel anti-ageing compounds. Finally, we bench mark our epigenetic clock with other available epigenetic clocks to consolidate its usefulness and specialisation for primary cells in culture.ResultsWe developed a novel epigenetic clock, the CellPopAge Clock, to accurately monitor the age of a population of adult human primary cells. We find that the CellPopAge Clock can detect decelerated passage-based ageing of human primary cells treated with rapamycin or trametinib, well-established longevity drugs. We then utilise the CellPopAge Clock as a screening tool for the identification of compounds which decelerate ageing of cell populations, uncovering novel anti-ageing drugs, torin2 and dactolisib (BEZ-235). We demonstrate that delayed epigenetic ageing in human primary cells treated with anti-ageing compounds is accompanied by a reduction in senescence and ageing biomarkers. Finally, we extend our screening platform in vivo by taking advantage of a specially formulated holidic medium for increased drug bioavailability in Drosophila. We show that the novel anti-ageing drugs, torin2 and dactolisib (BEZ-235), increase longevity in vivo.ConclusionsOur method expands the scope of CpG methylation profiling to accurately and rapidly detecting anti-ageing potential of drugs using human cells in vitro, and in vivo, providing a novel accelerated discovery platform to test sought after anti-ageing compounds and geroprotectors.

Splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) is the largest subunit and core component of the spliceosome. Inhibition of SF3B1 was associated with an increase in broad intron retention (IR) on most transcripts, suggesting that IR can be used as a marker of spliceosome inhibition in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Furthermore, we separately analyzed exonic and intronic mapped reads on annotated RNA-sequencing transcripts obtained from B cells (n = 98 CLL patients) and healthy volunteers (n = 9). We measured intron/exon ratio to use that as a surrogate for alternative RNA splicing (ARS) and found that 66% of CLL-B cell transcripts had significant IR elevation compared with normal B cells (NBCs) and that correlated with mRNA downregulation and low expression levels. Transcripts with the highest IR levels belonged to biological pathways associated with gene expression and RNA splicing. A >2-fold increase of active pSF3B1 was observed in CLL-B cells compared with NBCs. Additionally, when the CLL-B cells were treated with macrolides (pladienolide-B), a significant decrease in pSF3B1, but not total SF3B1 protein, was observed. These findings suggest that IR/ARS is increased in CLL, which is associated with SF3B1 phosphorylation and susceptibility to SF3B1 inhibitors. These data provide additional support to the relevance of ARS in carcinogenesis and evidence of pSF3B1 participation in this process.

BackgroundThe sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a globally important insect pest that damages crops through direct feeding and by transmitting viruses. Current B. tabaci management revolves around the use of insecticides, which are economically and environmentally costly. Host plant resistance is a sustainable option to reduce the impact of whiteflies, but progress in deploying resistance in crops has been slow. A major obstacle is the high cost and low throughput of screening plants for B. tabaci resistance. Oviposition rate is a popular metric for host plant resistance to B. tabaci because it does not require tracking insect development through the entire life cycle, but accurate quantification is still limited by difficulties in observing B. tabaci eggs, which are microscopic and translucent. The goal of our study was to improve quantification of B. tabaci eggs on several important crop species: cassava, cowpea, melon, sweet potato and tomato.ResultsWe tested a selective staining process originally developed for leafhopper eggs: submerging the leaves in McBryde's stain (acetic acid, ethanol, 0.2% aqueous acid Fuchsin, water; 20:19:2:1) for three days, followed by clearing under heat and pressure for 15 min in clearing solution (LGW; lactic acid, glycerol, water; 17:20:23). With a less experienced individual counting the eggs, B. tabaci egg counts increased after staining across all five crops. With a more experienced counter, egg counts increased after staining on melons, tomatoes, and cowpeas. For all five crops, there was significantly greater agreement on egg counts across the two counting individuals after the staining process. The staining method worked particularly well on melon, where egg counts universally increased after staining for both counting individuals.ConclusionsSelective staining aids visualization of B. tabaci eggs across multiple crop plants, particularly species where leaf morphological features obscure eggs, such as melons and tomatoes. This method is broadly applicable to research questions requiring accurate quantification of B. tabaci eggs, including phenotyping for B. tabaci resistance.

A new species in the rubbernose catfish genus Chaetostoma is described from the Aguaytia, Pisqui and Palcazu Rivers, which drain the Pampa de Sacramento Region in the Ucayali River drainage of central Peru. The new species is distinguished from congeners, except C. anomalum, C. branickii, C. dorsale, C. leucomelas, C. microps, C. nudirostre, C. palmeri and C. thomsoni by having distinct, white, variably-shaped spots or vermiculations ½–2× nostril diameter on dark grey to black background on the head (vs. spots absent or black on light-coloured background). The new species is distinguished from C. anomalum, C. branickii, C. dorsale, C. microps, C. nudirostre and C. thomsoni by having highly variable, distinct white spots, vermiculations or bands ½–10× nostril diameter on the body, from C. leucomelas by having dorsal and caudal fin indistinctly and variably-patterned with zero to four bands (vs. dorsal and caudal fin consistently having five or more uniform bands) and from C. palmeri by having two predorsal plates (vs. three), supraoccipital excrescence present (vs. absent) and pelvic-fin insertion slightly posterior to dorsal-fin insertion (vs. pelvic-fin insertion at middle of dorsal-fin base). Species delimitation analyses of the COI and Cytb genes further support the recognition of this new species.

Abstract Finalization of eukaryotic nuclear DNA replication relies on DNA ligase 1 (LIG1) to seal DNA nicks generated during Okazaki Fragment Maturation (OFM). Using a mutational reporter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we previously showed that mutation of the high-fidelity magnesium binding site of LIG1Cdc9 strongly increases the rate of single-base insertions. Here we show that this rate is increased across the nuclear genome, that it is synergistically increased by concomitant loss of DNA mismatch repair (MMR), and that the additions occur in highly specific sequence contexts. These discoveries are all consistent with incorporation of an extra base into the nascent lagging DNA strand that can be corrected by MMR following mutagenic ligation by the Cdc9-EEAA variant. There is a strong preference for insertion of either dGTP or dTTP into 3–5 base pair mononucleotide sequences with stringent flanking nucleotide requirements. The results reveal unique LIG1Cdc9-dependent mutational motifs where high fidelity DNA ligation of a subset of OFs is critical for preventing mutagenesis across the genome.

Manipulating carbon-centered radicals to add to electron-deficient systems is a well-precedented process. By coupling the Fe(II)-mediated Fenton reaction with the Fe(III)-mediated single-electron oxidation of anisolic compounds, we demonstrate how electron-rich carbon-centered radicals can react with electron-rich arenes through a radical-polar cascade pathway. This bioinspired approach produces diarylmethane derivatives from simple unfunctionalized precursors.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of prophylactic ranibizumab (PR) injections given every 3 months in eyes with intermediate nonexudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on drusen volume, macular layer thicknesses, and progression of geographic atrophy (GA) area over 24 months in the PREVENT trial. METHODS: This post hoc analysis of the prospective PREVENT trial compared eyes with intermediate AMD randomized to PR versus sham injections to determine rates of conversion to neovascular AMD over 24 months. Drusen area and volume, macular thickness and volume, and retinal layer thicknesses were measured on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images and analyzed. Masked grading of GA area and subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs) using fundus autofluorescence images was performed. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in drusen area and volumes between groups, and similar reductions in central subfield thickness, mean cube thickness, cube volume, and retinal sublayer thickness from baseline to 24 months (P = 0.018 to < 0.001), with no statistical differences between groups in any of these anatomic parameters. These findings were not impacted by the presence or absence of SDD. Among the 9 eyes with GA in this study, mean GA growth rate from baseline to 24 months was 1.34 +/- 0.79 mm2/year after PR and 1.95 +/- 1.73 mm2/year in sham-treated eyes (P = 0.49), and similarly showed no statistical difference with square root transformation (P = 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic ranibizumab given every 3 months did not appear to affect drusen volume, macular thinning, or GA progression in eyes with intermediate AMD. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: This work investigates the impact of PR on progressive retinal degeneration in a clinical trial.

Abstract Background Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has demonstrated multiple benefits in treating chronic pain and other clinical disorders related to sensorimotor dysfunctions. However, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood, including how electrode placement in relation to the spinal cord neuroanatomy influences epidural spinal recordings (ESRs). To characterize this relationship, this study utilized stimulation applied at various anatomical sections of the spinal column, including at levels of the intervertebral disc and regions correlating to the dorsal root entry zone. Method Two electrode arrays were surgically implanted into the dorsal epidural space of the swine. The stimulation leads were positioned such that the caudal-most electrode contact was at the level of a thoracic intervertebral segment. Intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were utilized to precisely determine the location of the epidural leads relative to the spinal column. High-resolution microCT imaging and 3D-model reconstructions of the explanted spinal cord illustrated precise positioning and dimensions of the epidural leads in relation to the surrounding neuroanatomy, including the spinal rootlets of the dorsal and ventral columns of the spinal cord. In a separate swine cohort, implanted epidural leads were used for SCS and recording evoked ESRs. Results Reconstructed 3D-models of the swine spinal cord with epidural lead implants demonstrated considerable distinctions in the dimensions of a single electrode contact on a standard industry epidural stimulation lead compared to dorsal rootlets at the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ). At the intervertebral segment, it was observed that a single electrode contact may cover 20-25% of the DREZ if positioned laterally. Electrode contacts were estimated to be ~0.75 mm from the margins of the DREZ when placed at the midline. Furthermore, ventral rootlets were observed to travel in proximity and parallel to dorsal rootlets at this level prior to separation into their respective sides of the spinal cord. Cathodic stimulation at the level of the intervertebral disc, compared to an ‘off-disc’ stimulation (7 mm rostral), demonstrated considerable variations in the features of recorded ESRs, such as amplitude and shape, and evoked unintended motor activation at lower stimulation thresholds. This substantial change may be due to the influence of nearby ventral roots. To further illustrate the influence of rootlet activation vs. dorsal column activation, the stimulation lead was displaced laterally at ~2.88 mm from the midline, resulting in variances in both evoked compound action potential (ECAP) components and electromyography (EMG) components in ESRs at lower stimulation thresholds. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the ECAP and EMG components of recorded ESRs can vary depending on small differences in the location of the stimulating electrodes within the spinal anatomy, such as at the level of the intervertebral segment. Furthermore, the effects of sub-centimeter lateral displacement of the stimulation lead from the midline, leading to significant changes in electrophysiological metrics. The results of this pilot study reveal the importance of the small displacement of the electrodes that can cause significant changes to evoked responses SCS. These results may provide further valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms and assist in optimizing future SCS-related applications.

Introduction: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains a therapeutic challenge. The surgical classification recommended by the Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia study group (CDHSG), based on the size of the defect, is used for staging in reference centres. Larger defects are associated with poorer outcomes. Our aim was to describe and compare the morbidity at hospital discharge of newborns who underwent surgical correction of CDH at the Juan P. Garrahan, according to the surgical staging of the defect proposed by the CDHSG. Material and methods: The study included patients with CDH admitted to the Juan P. Garrahan Hospital between 2012 and 2020, and we analysed the distribution, morbidity and mortality associated with the size of the defect. We carried out a descriptive analysis, calculating measures of central tendency and dispersion, and bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 230 patients with CDH were admitted and 158 underwent surgery. We found that defect sizes C and D sizes were associated with an increased risk of chronic pulmonary disease (CPD) (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 2.2–13.4; P

Abstract Background Restraining or slowing ageing hallmarks at the cellular level have been proposed as a route to increased organismal lifespan and healthspan. Consequently, there is great interest in anti-ageing drug discovery. However, this currently requires laborious and lengthy longevity analysis. Here, we present a novel screening readout for the expedited discovery of compounds that restrain ageing of cell populations in vitro and enable extension of in vivo lifespan. Methods Using Illumina methylation arrays, we monitored DNA methylation changes accompanying long-term passaging of adult primary human cells in culture. This enabled us to develop, test, and validate the CellPopAge Clock, an epigenetic clock with underlying algorithm, unique among existing epigenetic clocks for its design to detect anti-ageing compounds in vitro. Additionally, we measured markers of senescence and performed longevity experiments in vivo in Drosophila, to further validate our approach to discover novel anti-ageing compounds. Finally, we bench mark our epigenetic clock with other available epigenetic clocks to consolidate its usefulness and specialisation for primary cells in culture. Results We developed a novel epigenetic clock, the CellPopAge Clock, to accurately monitor the age of a population of adult human primary cells. We find that the CellPopAge Clock can detect decelerated passage-based ageing of human primary cells treated with rapamycin or trametinib, well-established longevity drugs. We then utilise the CellPopAge Clock as a screening tool for the identification of compounds which decelerate ageing of cell populations, uncovering novel anti-ageing drugs, torin2 and dactolisib (BEZ-235). We demonstrate that delayed epigenetic ageing in human primary cells treated with anti-ageing compounds is accompanied by a reduction in senescence and ageing biomarkers. Finally, we extend our screening platform in vivo by taking advantage of a specially formulated holidic medium for increased drug bioavailability in Drosophila. We show that the novel anti-ageing drugs, torin2 and dactolisib (BEZ-235), increase longevity in vivo. Conclusions Our method expands the scope of CpG methylation profiling to accurately and rapidly detecting anti-ageing potential of drugs using human cells in vitro, and in vivo, providing a novel accelerated discovery platform to test sought after anti-ageing compounds and geroprotectors.

La legislación peruana norma los programas de prevención, la protección, el control y la remediación de los impactos negativos en los ecosistemas marino-costeros, que pueden generarse por la ejecución de los proyectos del subsector hidrocarburos. Sin embargo, la ausencia de información ambiental de las zonas marino-costeras vulnerables frente a un posible derrame de hidrocarburos constituye una problemática seria. Esto limita la evaluación de los reales efectos ambientales postsiniestro y, consecuentemente, dificulta la estimación de las sanciones de los responsables. Luego del análisis de los monitoreos realizados en las áreas afectadas por el derrame de petróleo ocurrido en la refinería La Pampilla en enero de 2022, y constatar la escasa disponibilidad de datos ambientales previos al derrame, se propone que los titulares de los proyectos del subsector hidrocarburos establezcan puntos de monitoreo en zonas vulnerables que puedan ser considerados como zonas «control» en sus programas de monitoreo, previamente identificados en sus instrumentos de gestión ambiental, con auxilio de mapas de sensibilidad ambiental.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of a disease activity (DA) model developed to detect DA in participants with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Design: Post hoc analysis. Participants: Patient dataset from the phase III HAWK and HARRIER (H&H) studies. Methods: An artificial intelligence (AI)-based DA model was developed to generate a DA score based on measurements of OCT images and other parameters collected from H&H study participants. Disease activity assessments were classified into 3 categories based on the extent of agreement between the DA model’s scores and the H&H investigators’ decisions: agreement (“easy”), disagreement (“noisy”), and close to the decision boundary (“difficult”). Then, a panel of 10 international retina specialists (“panelists”) reviewed a sample of DA assessments of these 3 categories that contributed to the training of the final DA model. A panelists’ majority vote on the reviewed cases was used to evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the DA model. Main Outcome Measures: The DA model’s performance in detecting DA compared with the DA assessments made by the investigators and panelists’ majority vote. Results: A total of 4472 OCT DA assessments were used to develop the model; of these, panelists reviewed 425, categorized as “easy” (17.2%), “noisy” (20.5%), and “difficult” (62.4%). False-positive and false negative rates of the DA model’s assessments decreased after changing the assessment in some cases reviewed by the panelists and retraining the DA model. Overall, the DA model achieved 80% accuracy. For “easy” cases, the DA model reached 96% accuracy and performed as well as the investigators (96% accuracy) and panelists (90% accuracy). For “noisy” cases, the DA model performed similarly to panelists and outperformed the investigators (84%, 86%, and 16% accuracies, respectively). The DA model also outperformed the investigators for “difficult” cases (74% and 53% accuracies, respectively) but underperformed the panelists (86% accuracy) owing to lower specificity. Subretinal and intraretinal fluids were the main clinical parameters driving the DA assessments made by the panelists. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the potential of using an AI-based DA model to optimize treatment decisions in the clinical setting and in detecting and monitoring DA in patients with nAMD. Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Introducción y objetivos: Las Sierras Pampeanas Centrales de Argentina constituyen el cuarto centro de diversidad de licofitas y helechos del Cono Sur, donde habitan representantes de cuatro familias de Licofitas: Huperziaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Isoetaceae y Selaginellaceae. El objetivo de este trabajo es aportar datos sobre la morfología de las esporas observadas con microscopios óptico y electrónico de barrido como contribución a la taxonomía y conservación. M&M: El material fue analizado sin tratamiento químico previo y se obtuvieron registros fotográficos con ambos equipos de observación. Resultados: Se presentan las características diagnósticas de la morfología de las esporas. Las Huperziaceae y Lycopodiaceae son isosporadas con esporas triletes. Huperziaceae presenta esporas foveoladas o fosuladas, mientras que en las Lycopodiaceae las esporas son reticuladas, escabradas y baculadas. En Isoetes hieronymi (heterosporada), las microsporas son monoletes con ornamentación equinada, en tanto que las megasporas son triletes, con ornamentación reticulada. Las Selaginellaceae, todas heterosporadas, producen microsporas y megasporas triletes, ambas con ornamentación variada. Conclusiones: Las características de las esporas aportan información relevante para estudios florísticos regionales así como para asignaciones taxonómicas, tanto de la flora actual como de registros fósiles. También, para estudios de la composición de los bancos de esporas del suelo como herramienta para la conservación de la biodiversidad florística local

Background and aims: Ferns are sensitive to environmental changes, inhabiting ecosystems susceptible to degradation. Spore banks and in vitro spore culture are useful tools employed in their conservation. The objective was to test the ability of the spores to germinate after being stored in a freezer and to develop gametophytes and sporophytes, in native fern species of genera Amauropelta, Blechnum and Physematium. M&M: Spores of A. argentina, B. auriculatum and P. montevidensis were stored at -20 ºC in dry conditions for 6 and 12 months. They were sown in vitro in Dyer liquid medium and incubated in a growth chamber. The means of germination percentages were calculated and a one-way Student’s t-test was employed. Gametophyte and sporophyte development was registered under light and stereoscopic microscopes. Results: Depending on the species, statistical differences were recorded in germination percentages (viability) between both storage periods. The spores of A. argentina kept in freezer for 12 months completely lost viability. In B. auriculatum, viability decreased over time, and in P. montevidensis it remained constant. Gametophytes and sporophytes developed in all cultures; except in A. argentina spores, with 12 months in freezer. Conclusions: The viability of the spores under dry storage at low temperature could be conditioned by the ecological requirements of the species. Protocols used for spore storage and culture allowed obtaining gametophytes and sporophytes in trials.

Se estima que el 60% de la población mundial presenta títulos de anticuerpos contra Toxoplasma gondii. La primo-infección en embarazadas siempre implica preocupación, ya que tiene efecto teratogénico. América del Sur presenta la prevalencia combinada más alta. Los pacientes con HIV-SIDA u otras inmunodeficiencias pueden desarrollar toxoplasmosis por primo infección o reactivación. La Toxoplasmosis ocular, causa frecuente de corioretinitis que puede ocasionar disminución de visión y ceguera. Se elaboró una revisión narrativa, y describir la prevalencia de Toxoplasmosis en 3 grupos poblacionales de alto riesgo en Paraguay: *mujeres en edad fértil y embarazadas; *pacientes con inmunodepresión y * pacientes con alteraciones visuales. Se estableció un límite temporal de 15 años (2008-2023), se consultaron bases de datos de acceso libre Google Scholar, PubMed, y Scielo. Se obtuvieron 45 artículos, se seleccionaron 18 que correspondían a los objetivos del estudio; y 15 artículos de prevalencia mundial. En embarazadas la IgG oscilo entre 45 % y 90 % de seropositividad y la Ig M entre 6 % y 85%. La avidez de Ig G, arrojó una prevalencia entre el 13% y 18 % con baja avidez. La prevalencia de Ig G en LES fue del 73%; en artritis reumatoide y espondilo artrosis del 67% y en pacientes PVVS fue del 94%. La Toxoplasmosis congénita en recién nacidos, lactantes y niños pequeños se presentó entre un 19% y 46 %. Evaluar la prevalencia de Toxoplasmosis implica instaurar el desarrollo de estrategias de prevención y/o tratamiento en poblaciones de riesgo.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a frequent complication of metabolic syndrome and visceral obesity, is characterized by marked accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes, accompanied by oxidant stress. In a substantial minority of cases, this progresses to steatohepatitis, which in turn can lead to life-threatening hepatic fibrosis and/or hepatocarcinogenesis. This essay analyzes the molecular biology underlying fat accumulation and oxidant stress in NAFLD and identifies targets that can be addressed by nutraceutical or dietary measures. Nutraceuticals with potential for prevention or control of NAFLD as suggested on theoretical grounds, and borne out by experience in rodent studies and/or clinical trials include ferulic acid, melatonin, methyl nicotinamide, tetrahydro curcumin, nicotinamide riboside, carnosic acid, urolithin A, quercetin, high-dose biotin, citrulline, astaxanthin, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, berberine, lipoic acid, silibinin, N-acetylcysteine, taurine, capsaicin, spermidine, spirulina, and carnitine. Some of these agents can also address the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and transforming growth factor-β signaling that play a role in driving the transition to steatohepatitis and fibrosis. In addition, soy isoflavones, via estrogen receptor-beta agonism, have anti-fibrotic potential, and supplemental glycine may blunt the contribution of Kupffer cells to the progression of NAFLD. Methods: The research articles to carry out this work were focused based on many searches and reviews in the following databases: Google Scholar, MDPI, PubMed, ScienceDirect and using the following keywords and combined synonyms: (''nutraceuticals'' or '' dietary measures '' or '' Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) '' or ''Nrf2″ or ''Vegan diet”) AND (“NAFLD” or “vascular function” or “inflammation”). The keywords were also searched in the references of the original articles included in this study Whole-food plant-based diets of modest protein content, owing to their impact on hormones such as fibroblast growth factor 21 and adiponectin, as well as on the obesity and metabolic syndrome underlying NAFLD, may also be protective in this syndrome. There is considerable potential for complex medical foods or nutraceutical supplementation regimens of rational design to aid prevention and control of NAFLD.

Abstract Background The sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a globally important insect pest that damages crops through direct feeding and by transmitting viruses. Current B. tabaci management revolves around the use of insecticides, which are economically and environmentally costly. Host plant resistance is a sustainable option to reduce the impact of whiteflies, but progress in deploying resistance in crops has been slow. A major obstacle is the high cost and low throughput of screening plants for B. tabaci resistance. Oviposition rate is a popular metric for host plant resistance to B. tabaci because it does not require tracking insect development through the entire life cycle, but accurate quantification is still limited by difficulties in observing B. tabaci eggs, which are microscopic and translucent. The goal of our study was to improve quantification of B. tabaci eggs on several important crop species: cassava, cowpea, melon, sweet potato and tomato. Results We tested a selective staining process originally developed for leafhopper eggs: submerging the leaves in McBryde’s stain (acetic acid, ethanol, 0.2% aqueous acid Fuchsin, water; 20:19:2:1) for three days, followed by clearing under heat and pressure for 15 min in clearing solution (LGW; lactic acid, glycerol, water; 17:20:23). With a less experienced individual counting the eggs, B. tabaci egg counts increased after staining across all five crops. With a more experienced counter, egg counts increased after staining on melons, tomatoes, and cowpeas. For all five crops, there was significantly greater agreement on egg counts across the two counting individuals after the staining process. The staining method worked particularly well on melon, where egg counts universally increased after staining for both counting individuals. Conclusions Selective staining aids visualization of B. tabaci eggs across multiple crop plants, particularly species where leaf morphological features obscure eggs, such as melons and tomatoes. This method is broadly applicable to research questions requiring accurate quantification of B. tabaci eggs, including phenotyping for B. tabaci resistance.

Summary: Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy with significant reproductive, metabolic, and psychological complications. Consensus on PCOS clinical research priorities across end-users is fundamental and necessitates a robust co-development of a clinical research roadmap to guide international research efforts. Methods: A multistage process included: i) international surveys of women and healthcare providers to identify research priorities and unmet needs; ii) interrogation of systematic reviews conducted for the International PCOS Guideline to identify research gaps; iii) International PCOS Guideline Network consensus generated clinical research roadmap; and iv) international peer review for external validation. Findings: A codesigned survey engaging 1278 women with PCOS and 1474 healthcare providers found general concordance on research priorities. International PCOS Guideline development processes identified gaps in the literature and coproduced over 150 research priorities throughout the women’s life course, affirmed in international peer review. Key themes included: 1) Optimizing PCOS diagnosis; understanding natural history across diverse populations and life stages; detecting and preventing complications, and integrating and interrogating large data assets; 2) developing evidence-based resources, exploring optimal modes for information provision and models of care; 3) exploring effective lifestyle and weight management strategies; minimising weight stigma; 4) exploring intervention effects (including treatment efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness, and long-term follow-up) on diverse features of PCOS across subgroups; and 5) optimising preconception care and fertility treatments in PCOS. Interpretation: This rigorously coproduced International PCOS Guideline clinical research roadmap addresses stakeholder priorities to guide future clinical research in this common yet neglected condition. The roadmap complements the established PCOS Core Outcome Set to enhance research quality, and tackles evidence-practice gaps to improve health outcomes for women with PCOS throughout their life course. Funding: The survey, International PCOS Guideline Network and 2018 and 2023 International PCOS Guidelines were funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centres of Research excellence in PCOS (APP1078444) and in Women’s Health in Reproductive life (APP1171592). Guideline partners, American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Endocrine Society, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), and European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), provided additional funding and assisted in guideline development. HT and AM are NHMRC Research Fellows. LM was funded by a Heart Foundation Future Leader and Veski Fellowship and CTT by the NHMRC Centres of Research excellence in Women’s Health in Reproductive life. All disclosures of interest were declared before commencing GDG involvement and updated before all major milestones and are available alongside the PCOS Guideline (https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/3371292/Register-of-disclosures-of-interest.pdf).

We present the first publicly released catalog of sources obtained from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX). HETDEX is an integral field spectroscopic survey designed to measure the Hubble expansion parameter and angular diameter distance at 1.88 < z < 3.52 by using the spatial distribution of more than a million Lyα-emitting galaxies over a total target area of 540 deg2. The catalog comes from contiguous fiber spectra coverage of 25 deg2 of sky from 2017 January through 2020 June, where object detection is performed through two complementary detection methods: one designed to search for line emission and the other a search for continuum emission. The HETDEX public release catalog is dominated by emission-line galaxies and includes 51,863 Lyα-emitting galaxy (LAE) identifications and 123,891 [O ii]-emitting galaxies at z < 0.5. Also included in the catalog are 37,916 stars, 5274 low-redshift (z < 0.5) galaxies without emission lines, and 4976 active galactic nuclei. The catalog provides sky coordinates, redshifts, line identifications, classification information, line fluxes, [O ii] and Lyα line luminosities where applicable, and spectra for all identified sources processed by the HETDEX detection pipeline. Extensive testing demonstrates that HETDEX redshifts agree to within Δz < 0.02, 96.1% of the time to those in external spectroscopic catalogs. We measure the photometric counterpart fraction in deep ancillary Hyper Suprime-Cam imaging and find that only 55.5% of the LAE sample has an r-band continuum counterpart down to a limiting magnitude of r ∼ 26.2 mag (AB) indicating that an LAE search of similar sensitivity to HETDEX with photometric preselection would miss nearly half of the HETDEX LAE catalog sample. Data access and details about the catalog can be found online at http://hetdex.org/. A copy of the catalogs presented in this work (Version 3.2) is available to download at Zenodo doi:10.5281/zenodo.7448504.

BackgroundWhile evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a first-line treatment, its real-world effectiveness is unknown. We compared cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) each to an individual psychotherapy comparator group, and CPT to PE in a large national healthcare system.MethodsWe utilized effectiveness and comparative effectiveness emulated trials using retrospective cohort data from electronic medical records. Participants were veterans with PTSD initiating mental healthcare (N = 265 566). The primary outcome was PTSD symptoms measured by the PTSD Checklist (PCL) at baseline and 24-week follow-up. Emulated trials were comprised of 'person-trials,' representing 112 discrete 24-week periods of care (10/07-6/17) for each patient. Treatment group comparisons were made with generalized linear models, utilizing propensity score matching and inverse probability weights to account for confounding, selection, and non-adherence bias.ResultsThere were 636 CPT person-trials matched to 636 non-EBP person-trials. Completing ⩾8 CPT sessions was associated with a 6.4-point greater improvement on the PCL (95% CI 3.1-10.0). There were 272 PE person-trials matched to 272 non-EBP person-trials. Completing ⩾8 PE sessions was associated with a 9.7-point greater improvement on the PCL (95% CI 5.4-13.8). There were 232 PE person-trials matched to 232 CPT person-trials. Those completing ⩾8 PE sessions had slightly greater, but not statistically significant, improvement on the PCL (8.3-points; 95% CI 5.9-10.6) than those completing ⩾8 CPT sessions (7.0-points; 95% CI 5.5-8.5).ConclusionsPTSD symptom improvement was similar and modest for both EBPs. Although EBPs are helpful, research to further improve PTSD care is critical.

El artículo estudia las percepciones de los latinoamericanos sobre el sistema internacional y ha sido elaborado en base a una encuesta de opinión pública realizada en línea a 12.000 personas con educación secundaria o superior de 10 países de la región. El Realismo Neoclásico constituye el marco teórico de referencia, por lo que se plantean tanto variables exógenas como domésticas para explicar las políticas internacionales de los países. En particular, se asume que las opiniones de la ciudadanía de cada país operan como contexto decisorio de la política pública en materia internacional. La pregunta central del artículo considera si los latinoamericanos perciben la región como un área de influencia exclusivamente estadounidense o como un territorio en disputa entre dos o más actores internacionales. En tal sentido, la evidencia indica que la opinión pública latinoamericana más educada percibe con claridad tres transformaciones en curso en el sistema internacional: el fin de la hegemonía mundial estadounidense luego del retiro de Estados Unidos de Afganistán, la irrupción de China a nivel global y regional, y la presencia de otros actores estatales relevantes en el concierto mundial.