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Percutaneous coronary intervention, a common treatment for atherosclerotic coronary artery lesions, occasionally results in perforations associated with increased mortality rates. Stents coated with a bioresorbable polymer membrane may offer an effective solution for sealing coronary artery perforations. Additionally, such coatings could be effective in mitigating neointimal hyperplasia within the vascular lumen and correcting symptomatic aneurysms. This study examines polymer membranes fabricated by electrospinning of polycaprolactone, polydioxanone, polylactide-co-caprolactone, and polylactide-co-glycolide. In uniaxial tensile tests, all the materials appear to surpass theoretically derived elongation thresholds necessary for stent deployment, albeit polydioxanone membranes are found to disintegrate during the experimental balloon expansion. As revealed by in vitro hemocompatibility testing, polylactide-co-caprolactone membranes exhibit higher thrombogenicity compared to other evaluated polymers, while polylactide-co-glycolide samples fail within the first day post-implantation into the abdominal aorta in rats. The PCL membrane exhibited significant water leakage in the permeability test. Comprehensive evaluation of mechanical testing, bio- and hemocompatibility, as well as biodegradation dynamics shows the advantage of membranes based on and the mixture of polylactide-co-caprolactone and polydioxanone over other polymer groups. These findings lay a foundational framework for conducting preclinical studies on stent configurations in large laboratory animals, emphasizing that further investigations under conditions closely mimicking clinical use are imperative for making definitive conclusions.

Measurements of water vapor are important for understanding the hydrological cycle, the thermodynamic structure of the lower troposphere, and broader atmospheric circulation. Subsequently, many scientific communities have emphasized a need for high-accuracy and spatial resolution profiles of water vapor within and above the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Advancements in lidar technologies at the NASA Langley Research Center are ongoing to enable the first space-based water vapor differential absorption lidar (DIAL) that can provide high-accuracy and vertical resolution retrievals of moisture in the PBL and through the mid-troposphere. The performance of this space-based DIAL is assessed here for sensitivity throughout the troposphere and globally with representative canonical cases of water vapor and aerosol loading. The specific humidity retrieval sensitivity to systematic and random errors is assessed, and measurement resolutions and capabilities are provided. We show that tunable operation along the side of the 823-nm absorption line allows for the optimization of the lower-tropospheric water vapor retrievals across different meteorological regimes and latitudes and provides the operational flexibility needed to dynamically optimize random errors for different scientific applications. The analysis presented here suggests that baseline and threshold systematic error requirements of

This study was conducted to observe the sensitivity and resistance of status of antibiotics for respiratory tract infection (RTI). Throat swab culture and sensitivity report of 383 patients revealed sensitivity profiles were observed with amoxycillin (7.9%), penicillin (33.7%), ampicillin (36.6%), co-trimoxazole (46.5%), azithromycin (53.5%), erythromycin (57.4%), cephalexin (69.3%), gentamycin (78.2%), ciprofloxacin (80.2%), cephradine (81.2%), ceftazidime (93.1%), ceftriaxone (93.1%). Sensitivity to cefuroxime was reported 93.1% cases. Resistance was found with amoxycillin (90.1%), ampicillin (64.1%), penicillin (61.4%), co-trimoxazole (43.6%), erythromycin (39.6%), and azithromycin (34.7%). Cefuroxime demonstrates high level of sensitivity than other antibiotics and supports its consideration with patients with upper RTI.

Photosynthetic eukaryotes, such as microalgae and plants, foster fundamentally important relationships with their microbiome based on the reciprocal exchange of chemical currencies. Among these, the dicarboxylate metabolite azelaic acid (Aze) appears to play an important, but heterogeneous, role in modulating these microbiomes, as it is used as a carbon source for some heterotrophs but is toxic to others. However, the ability of Aze to promote or inhibit growth, as well as its uptake and assimilation mechanisms into bacterial cells are mostly unknown. Here, we use transcriptomics, transcriptional factor coexpression networks, uptake experiments, and metabolomics to unravel the uptake, catabolism, and toxicity of Aze on two microalgal-associated bacteria, Phycobacter and Alteromonas, whose growth is promoted or inhibited by Aze, respectively. We identify the first putative Aze transporter in bacteria, a ‘C4-TRAP transporter’, and show that Aze is assimilated through fatty acid degradation, with further catabolism occurring through the glyoxylate and butanoate metabolism pathways when used as a carbon source. Phycobacter took up Aze at an initial uptake rate of 3.8×10–9 nmol/cell/hr and utilized it as a carbon source in concentrations ranging from 10 μM to 1 mM, suggesting a broad range of acclimation to Aze availability. For growth-impeded bacteria, we infer that Aze inhibits the ribosome and/or protein synthesis and that a suite of efflux pumps is utilized to shuttle Aze outside the cytoplasm. We demonstrate that seawater amended with Aze becomes enriched in bacterial families that can catabolize Aze, which appears to be a different mechanism from that in soil, where modulation by the host plant is required. This study enhances our understanding of carbon cycling in the oceans and how microscale chemical interactions can structure marine microbial populations. In addition, our findings unravel the role of a key chemical currency in the modulation of eukaryote-microbiome interactions across diverse ecosystems.

Consumption of fish containing elevated levels of radionuclides can lead to undesirable health effects for consumers. People in the Singida Municipality harvest fish from lakes and ponds of granite rocks which are linked with hazardous radioisotopes that may be bio-concentrated by fishes they consume. Currently, no study has ascertained the levels of radioisotopes in fish from these environments. This study was carried out to analyse the radioactivity levels of 226Ra, 228Ra and 40K isotopes in order to assess the radiological risk associated with Tilapia fish consumption and its environment in Singida Municipality. Some 51 samples, which included water (20), sediment (20), Nile tilapia (8) and Manyara tilapia (3), were randomly sampled and composited; then, they were analysed using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector, between May and June 2022. The results revealed that (i) the activity levels of 228Ra were below the detection limit for fish and water samples, while in sediment, the combined activity of 228Ra was within the acceptable international levels; (ii) the mean activity concentrations of 226Ra and 40K in all other samples were within the recommended levels; (iii) the activities of radionuclides in the samples analysed were high in sediments, followed by fish, and lastly water; (iv) the bioaccumulation results show that only 40K was bio-accumulated (with 1.26 in Nile tilapia), while other radionuclides (226Ra, 228Ra) were not bio-accumulated; (vi) the radionuclide transfer from water to fish was higher compared to the radionuclide transfer from sediment to fish; (vii) the human effective doses due to consumption of Nile tilapia and Manyara tilapia were 0.00973 and 0.005 mSv/y, respectively, which is below the 1 mSv/y international limit. These findings therefore show that the current levels of radioactivity in fish in the study area do not pose a significant radiological risk to fish consumers. However, more studies on other types of fish are recommended.

People's subjective response to any thermal environment is commonly investigated by using rating scales describing the degree of thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability. Subsequent analyses of results collected in this way rely on the assumption that specific distances between verbal anchors placed on the scale exist and that relationships between verbal anchors from different dimensions that are assessed (e.g. thermal sensation and comfort) do not change. Another inherent assumption is that such scales are independent of the context in which they are used (climate zone, season, etc.). Despite their use worldwide, there is indication that contextual differences influence the way the scales are perceived and therefore question the reliability of the scales’ interpretation. To address this issue, a large international collaborative questionnaire study was conducted in 26 countries, using 21 different languages, which led to a dataset of 8225 questionnaires. Results, analysed by means of robust statistical techniques, revealed that only a subset of the responses are in accordance with the mentioned assumptions. Significant differences appeared between groups of participants in their perception of the scales, both in relation to distances of the anchors and relationships between scales. It was also found that respondents’ interpretations of scales changed with contextual factors, such as climate, season, and language. These findings highlight the need to carefully consider context-dependent factors in interpreting and reporting results from thermal comfort studies or post-occupancy evaluations, as well as to revisit the use of rating scales and the analysis methods used in thermal comfort studies to improve their reliability.

Abstract Background Despite sexual development being ubiquitous to vertebrates, the molecular mechanisms underpinning this fundamental transition remain largely undocumented in many organisms. We designed a time course experiment that successfully sampled the period when Atlantic salmon commence their trajectory towards sexual maturation. Results Through deep RNA sequencing, we discovered key genes and pathways associated with maturation in the pituitary-ovarian axis. Analyzing DNA methylomes revealed a bias towards hypermethylation in ovary that implicated maturation-related genes. Co-analysis of DNA methylome and gene expression changes revealed chromatin remodeling genes and key transcription factors were both significantly hypermethylated and upregulated in the ovary during the onset of maturation. We also observed changes in chromatin state landscapes that were strongly correlated with fundamental remodeling of gene expression in liver. Finally, a multiomic integrated analysis revealed regulatory networks and identified hub genes including TRIM25 gene (encoding the estrogen-responsive finger protein) as a putative key regulator in the pituitary that underwent a 60-fold change in connectivity during the transition to maturation. Conclusion The study successfully documented transcriptome and epigenome changes that involved key genes and pathways acting in the pituitary – ovarian axis. Using a Systems Biology approach, we identified hub genes and their associated networks deemed crucial for onset of maturation. The results provide a comprehensive view of the spatiotemporal changes involved in a complex trait and opens the door to future efforts aiming to manipulate puberty in an economically important aquaculture species.

Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is the most important and frequent cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Controversy exists concerning the role of renal biopsy in the evaluation of ATN prognosis. We aim in our study to evaluate the role of renal biopsy for the detection of recovery and progression and rate of recovery of ATN. The study was designed to include all biopsies with the diagnosis in ATN in adults >21-year-old, from January 2016 to December 2018. Biopsies were recruited retrospectively and were reviewed by three pathologists and quantitated. Four histological ATN features were evaluated. Flattening cells, distension or dilatation, debris, and vacuolation and for each a score were attributed as follows: 0 = less than 5% of section, 1 = 6%–25%, 2 = 26%–50%, 3 = >50%. Thirty-five patients with 35 renal biopsies were analyzed. Flattening was seen 50% in five patients. Dilatation was seen 50% in eight patients. The presence of debris was seen in 50% seen in five patient. Vacuolation was seen in 5% in eight patients, 6%–25% in 14 patients, 26%–50% in seven patients, and >50% in six patients. It was found that flattening 50% in renal biopsy are the good indicators for recovery and good prognosis of cases of ATN, in addition debris 50% and vacuolation 50% are also indicators for delayed recovery and poor prognosis of cases of ATN. Renal biopsy in AKI with the diagnosis of ATN with scoring system of flattening, dilatation, debris, and vacuolation can point to indication of recovery or progression of these cases.

Background: There are two main causes of exudative effusion including malignancy-induced effusion and tuberculosis. Considering that in reactive ejections, such as tuberculosis-induced effusion, the role of B lymphocytes and in the malignant effusion, the role of T lymphocytes are more important, in this study we analyzed the frequency of CD4, CD8, CD19, CD56-16, CD64, QuantiFERON in the pleural and serum samples of patients with exudative lymphocytic-dominant effusion. Methods: In total, 73 patients were enrolled in the study by exudative lymphocyte effusion, and finally, 63 patients had definite diagnoses. The patients were sorted into three groups including malignant, tuberculosis, and none. The sample of blood plasma and pleural effusion were collected and CD markers were analyzed using flow cytometry. Results: The mean age in the malignancy and tuberculous (TB) groups was 63.16 ± 12 and 52.15 ± 22.62, respectively. There was no significant difference in the frequency of CD8, CD4, and CD16-56 cells in blood samples of patients with tuberculosis and malignancy. Compared to those with tuberculosis, the percentage of CD64 cells was significantly higher in patients with tuberculosis than in malignant subjects. Moreover, a comparison of the frequency of cells with CD8, CD4, CD19, CD64, CD16-56, and CD14 markers in pleural samples showed no significant difference between groups. Other inflammatory factors were also investigated. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) value for tuberculosis patients was significantly higher than malignancy. Also, QuantiFERON was positive in 14.3% of malignant patients, and 62.5% of patients with TB, which had a significant difference.Conclusion: Considering that there are many confounding variables in the study, such as previous medications, subtypes of Mycobacterium, and race of patients conducting studies in different groups and performing data mining for using a set of parameters can be used to detect the exact diagnosis.

Measurements of water vapor are important for understanding the hydrological cycle, the thermodynamic structure of the lower troposphere, and broader atmospheric circulation. Subsequently, many scientific communities have emphasized a need for high-accuracy and spatial resolution profiles of water vapor within and above the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Advancements in lidar technologies at the NASA Langley Research Center are ongoing to enable the first space-based water vapor differential absorption lidar (DIAL) that can provide high-accuracy and vertical resolution retrievals of moisture in the PBL and through the mid-troposphere. The performance of this space-based DIAL is assessed here for sensitivity throughout the troposphere and globally with representative canonical cases of water vapor and aerosol loading. The specific humidity retrieval sensitivity to systematic and random errors is assessed, and measurement resolutions and capabilities are provided. We show that tunable operation along the side of the 823-nm absorption line allows for the optimization of the lower-tropospheric water vapor retrievals across different meteorological regimes and latitudes and provides the operational flexibility needed to dynamically optimize random errors for different scientific applications. The analysis presented here suggests that baseline and threshold systematic error requirements of <1.5% and <2.5%, respectively, are achievable. Random error is shown to dominate the retrieval, with errors on the order of 5% within the PBL being achievable with 300-m vertical 50-km horizontal resolutions over open ocean and on the order of 10%-- 15% over high-albedo surfaces. The flexibility of the DIAL method to trade retrieval precision for spatial resolution is shown, highlighting its strengths over passive techniques to tailor retrievals to different scientific applications. Combined, the total error budget demonstrated here indicates a high impact for space-based DIAL, with technologies being advanced for space missions within the next 5--10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing electrode fabrication method for lithium-ion battery electrodes includes calendering at high pressures to densify the electrode and promote adhesion to the metal current collector. However, this process increases the tortuosity of the pore network in the primary transport direction and imposes severe tradeoffs between electrode thickness and rate capability. With the aim of understanding the impact of pore tortuosity on electrode kinetics, and enabling cell designs with thicker electrodes and improved cost and energy density, we use here freeze-casting, a shaping technique able to produce low-tortuosity structures using ice crystals as a pore-forming agent, to fabricate LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathodes with controlled, aligned porosity. Electrode tortuosity is characterized using two complementary methods, X-ray tomography combined with thermal diffusion simulations, and electrochemical transport measurements. The results allow comparison across a wide range of microstructures, and highlight the large impact of a relatively small numerical change in tortuosity on electrode kinetics. Under galvanostatic discharge, optimized microstructures show a three- to fourfold increase in area-specific capacity compared to typical Li-ion composite electrodes. Hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) demonstrates improved power capability, while dynamic stress tests (DST) shows that an area-specific area capacity corresponding to 91% of the NCA galvanostatic C/10 capacity could be reached.

The lack of suitable autologous grafts and the impossibility of using synthetic prostheses for small artery reconstruction make it necessary to develop alternative efficient vascular grafts. In this study, we fabricated an electrospun biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) prosthesis and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PHBV/PCL) prosthesis loaded with iloprost (a prostacyclin analog) as an antithrombotic drug and cationic amphiphile with antibacterial activity. The prostheses were characterized in terms of their drug release, mechanical properties, and hemocompatibility. We then compared the long-term patency and remodeling features of PCL and PHBV/PCL prostheses in a sheep carotid artery interposition model. The research findings verified that the drug coating of both types of prostheses improved their hemocompatibility and tensile strength. The 6-month primary patency of the PCL/Ilo/A prostheses was 50%, while all PHBV/PCL/Ilo/A implants were occluded at the same time point. The PCL/Ilo/A prostheses were completely endothelialized, in contrast to the PHBV/PCL/Ilo/A conduits, which had no endothelial cells on the inner layer. The polymeric material of both prostheses degraded and was replaced with neotissue containing smooth-muscle cells; macrophages; proteins of the extracellular matrix such as type I, III, and IV collagens; and vasa vasorum. Thus, the biodegradable PCL/Ilo/A prostheses demonstrate better regenerative potential than PHBV/PCL-based implants and are more suitable for clinical use.

Abstract Background Dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae are important photosynthetic symbionts in cnidarians (such as corals) and other coral reef organisms. Breakdown of the coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis due to environmental stress (i.e. coral bleaching) can lead to coral death and the potential collapse of reef ecosystems. However, evolution of Symbiodiniaceae genomes, and its implications for the coral, is little understood. Genome sequences of Symbiodiniaceae remain scarce due in part to their large genome sizes (1–5 Gbp) and idiosyncratic genome features. Results Here, we present de novo genome assemblies of seven members of the genus Symbiodinium, of which two are free-living, one is an opportunistic symbiont, and the remainder are mutualistic symbionts. Integrating other available data, we compare 15 dinoflagellate genomes revealing high sequence and structural divergence. Divergence among some Symbiodinium isolates is comparable to that among distinct genera of Symbiodiniaceae. We also recovered hundreds of gene families specific to each lineage, many of which encode unknown functions. An in-depth comparison between the genomes of the symbiotic Symbiodinium tridacnidorum (isolated from a coral) and the free-living Symbiodinium natans reveals a greater prevalence of transposable elements, genetic duplication, structural rearrangements, and pseudogenisation in the symbiotic species. Conclusions Our results underscore the potential impact of lifestyle on lineage-specific gene-function innovation, genome divergence, and the diversification of Symbiodinium and Symbiodiniaceae. The divergent features we report, and their putative causes, may also apply to other microbial eukaryotes that have undergone symbiotic phases in their evolutionary history.