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Abstract Technologies capable of programmable translation activation offer strategies to develop therapeutics for diseases caused by insufficient gene expression. Here, we present “translation-activating RNAs” (taRNAs), a bifunctional RNA-based molecular technology that binds to a specific mRNA of interest and directly upregulates its translation. taRNAs are constructed from a variety of viral or mammalian RNA internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) and upregulate translation for a suite of target mRNAs. We minimize the taRNA scaffold to 94 nucleotides, identify two translation initiation factor proteins responsible for taRNA activity, and validate the technology by amplifying SYNGAP1 expression, a haploinsufficiency disease target, in patient-derived cells. Finally, taRNAs are suitable for delivery as RNA molecules by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to cell lines, primary neurons, and mouse liver in vivo. taRNAs provide a general and compact nucleic acid-based technology to upregulate protein production from endogenous mRNAs, and may open up possibilities for therapeutic RNA research.

• We suspect that our first patient’s presentation with discolored and foul-smelling urine may reflect amebic spread to the urinary tract • Our case of B. mandrillaris had the expected CSF abnormalities for amebic encephalitis • Lymphocytic pleocytosis • Elevated protein (peaked at 913 mg/dl) • Persistent hypoglycorrhachia • Our case of N. fowleri did not have characteristic CSF findings • Glucose remained normal • Typically, N. fowleri presents with a lower CSF glucose than B. mandrillaris – our cases show the opposite findings

Magnesium and magnesium based alloys biomaterials are considered the most viable and pragmatic choice of selection as biomedical alternatives for tissue repair of damaged bones, vascular and other biological disorders. Considering the sensitivity and health implication of implanting foreign matter into the human system, extensive studies are required before clearance for clinical trials is given. This often requires rigorous experimental evaluations of biomechanical and biodegradation properties of such biomaterials, which are often expensive, time consuming and practically demanding, and requires several validation protocols. The technical advances in computing power as well as computational modeling techniques, such as finite element analysis, have been sort to address these limitations, but very little has been catalogued in reviews on the basis of their utilization and sundry issues. This paper attempts to fill this gap by assessing from literature, how effective the application of finite element analysis has been in the evaluation of the biomechanical and biodegradation behaviour of Mg-based biomedical systems which are considered for use as stents, screws, staples, and implants for orthopedic and cardiovascular applications. The review focuses on how factors such as geometric profile of the Mg based system, the material properties and applicable physical and constitutive laws, design parameters, boundary conditions stipulated, the analysis of modeling and simulation outcomes, and agreements with experimental data, influence the potentials for utilization for real life designs of Mg based biomaterial systems. Also, the challenges that could affect their effectiveness with directions on future studies for improvements, were covered. The review will be of immense benefit to researchers, biomaterial designers and clinicians.

Agricultural development has been causing changes to the environment and the abundance and distribution of avian species. Agriculture is dynamic with changes in products occurring at large scales over relatively short time periods. The catfish aquaculture industry is one such agriculture industry that has undergone dramatic changes over the last 25 years. The double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) is a piscivorous bird that has an extensive history with the aquaculture industry of Mississippi due to its depredation of cultured catfish. A large-scale monitoring program began in 1989 to estimate the abundance and location of cormorants at every known roost in the primary catfish producing region of the state, regionally known as the Delta. We used this data set to address hypotheses pertaining to cormorant ecology within the Delta over time, particularly in relation to aquaculture. We found that, although the Midwest breeding population of cormorants has been increasing, the abundance of cormorants wintering in the Delta has been decreasing, closely following the decline of aquaculture, suggesting aquaculture area is the primary reason for cormorant inhabitation of the region. We also modeled cormorant presence and abundance at all roost sites to determine what factors most influenced cormorant distribution. Aquaculture area around roosts was a significant predictor of both cormorant presence and abundance. However, the influence of aquaculture area was seasonally dependent, with greater positive influences occurring prior to migration. Lastly, we found peak cormorant abundance in the Delta is occurring 2.14 days earlier each year, which may be indicative of changes to migration phenology. Information gained using this large dataset aids in cormorant damage mitigation and to further our understanding of cormorant ecology. Data indicate changes in agriculture, and potentially climate change, can influence phenology, distribution, and abundance of avian species at large geographic scales.