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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]

Touch plays a crucial role in providing humans with information from the external environment and can be perceived by humans as positively or negatively valenced. It is well documented that touch can differentially influence social functions, but very little is known about how touch can modulate (meta)cognition. Utilizing a within-subject design, participants were exposed to (a) positive, (b) negative, and (c) no touch, alongside encoding of emotionally valenced (positive and negative) images. After a 20-minute delay, participants completed a Yes/No recognition task to investigate how touch influenced memory-related decision components (e.g. criterion, confidence). Results showed that, compared to the control condition, both positive and negative touch were associated with overall lower confidence ratings, a less liberal response bias and slower response times. Interestingly, for correct recognitions, only negative touch (vs. no touch) led to inappropriately lower confidence and slower response times while both confidence and response time remained unaltered in positive touch. Our findings provide the first evidence that positive and negative touch differentially interact with metacognitive memory-related decisions. Altered metacognitive judgements after being touched could have significant consequences in applied settings, such as situations of eyewitness testimony., (© 2024 The British Psychological Society.)

Purpose: To analyze the relationship between mammographic breast density and tumor response and outcome at follow-up, in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), in patients with unilateral invasive breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT)., Methods: A total of 228 women (mean age, 47.6 years ± 10 [SD]; range: 24-74 years) with invasive breast cancer who underwent NACT were included in this observational retrospective study. Clinical, radiological and histopatological data were retrieved. Categorization of breast density was performed by two radiologists in consensus on mammography acquired at the time of diagnosis according to BI-RADS categories. Association between density categories and tumor response was analyzed in the overall population and in subgroups defined by menopausal status, tumor phenotype and stage at diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves were used to estimate the OS and DFS probabilities. Subgroup analyses based on menopausal status and tumor phenotype were performed., Results: A total of 30 patients (13.2%) achieved pathological complete response (pCR). No association between density categories and pCR was found (P = 0.973), even at subgroups analysis. The median follow-up time was 92 months. Patients with dense breast showed the longest DFS (P = 0.0094), results confirmed in premenopausal patients (P = 0.0024) and in triple negative breast cancers (P = 0.0292). Density category did not show a statistically significant association with OS., Conclusion: Breast cancer patients receiving NACT with extremely dense breasts showed better DFS. No evidence of breast density as a predictive marker for complete pathological response or as a prognostic factor in terms of OS was found., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The current standard of care involves neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by radical gastrectomy. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in comparison to chemotherapy alone for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC)., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase to identify studies examining the addition of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to neoadjuvant therapy for LAGC. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for binary outcomes, such as pathological complete response (pCR), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI)., Results: Seven studies were included, encompassing a total of 1772 patients. Baseline median age ranged from 31 to 75 years. Most patients had an ECOG performance status score of 0 (942 patients), while 294 had an ECOG score of 1. The estimated pCR (OR 5.94, 95% CI 3.98-8.87; p < 0.000001) significantly favored the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy over chemotherapy alone. Additionally, the incidence of certain adverse events increased significantly in the intervention group, including any-grade hypothyroidism (OR 4.55, 95% CI 2.27-9.10; p = 0.000019) and rash (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.10-2.76; p = 0.017). Conversely, the control group showed a statistically significant lower incidence of grade ≥ 3 fatigue (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.15-6.85; p = 0.024) compared to the intervention group., Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that the addition of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors to neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with a higher pathological complete response rate compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Eastern North Carolina has been subjected to widespread water quality degradation for decades, notably throughout the Cape Fear River Watershed, owing largely to the magnitude of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the region. Long-term nutrient monitoring data from numerous locations throughout southeastern North Carolina have shown significantly elevated organic nitrogen (Org-N) concentrations starting around the year 2000-a concerning development, as labile Org-N can stimulate algal blooms and subsequent bacterial production, thus enhancing eutrophication in freshwater systems. By measuring the stable isotope signatures (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) of particulate organic matter sampled from a range of southeastern North Carolina waters, the predominant sources to the observed Org-N loadings were elucidated. Isotope data from across the Cape Fear River watershed indicated a large gradient of livestock waste-N contributions, with hog waste-N contributions consistently higher in the Northeast Cape Fear River watershed and with fertilizer-N contributions higher in the Black River watershed-findings that are consistent with each sub-basin's land usage. %N sediment content was positively correlated with hog waste-N contributions in the Black River watershed, indicating that sediments in CAFO-dense regions are reservoirs for agricultural nutrient pollution. Hog waste-N source contributions and %N sample contents for Black River sediments were strongly correlated with regional swine and poultry CAFO densities, establishing a strong connection between industrial animal production and stream sediment nutrient loads. Collectively, these findings suggest a major role of livestock waste, as well as human sewage, in driving the long-term Org-N increase in eastern North Carolina water bodies., (© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Environmental Quality © 2025 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.)

Cognitive impairment refers to abnormalities in learning, memory and cognitive judgment, mainly manifested as symptoms such as decreased memory, impaired orientation and reduced computational ability. As the fundamental unit of information processing in the brain, neural circuits have recently attracted great attention due to their functions in regulating pain, emotion and behavior. Furthermore, a growing number of studies have suggested that neural circuits play an important role in cognitive impairment. Neural circuits can affect perception, attention and decision-making, they can also regulate language skill, thinking and memory. Pathological conditions crucially affecting the integrity and preservation of neural circuits and their connectivity will heavily impact cognitive abilities. Nowadays, technological developments have led to many novel methods for studying neural circuits, such as brain imaging, optogenetic techniques, and chemical genetics approaches. Therefore, neural circuits show great promise as a potential target in mitigating cognitive impairment. In this review we discuss the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment and the regulation and detection of neural circuits, thus highlighting the role of neural circuits in cognitive impairment. Hence, therapeutic agents against cognitive impairment may be developed that target neural circuits important in cognition., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics Approval: Not applicable. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Consent to Participate: Not applicable. Additional Declarations for Articles in life Science Journals that Report the Results of Studies Involving Humans and/or Animals: Not applicable. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

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]