Background Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy that affects infants. It is characterized by massive and repetitive vomiting, lethargy, pallor, and watery diarrhea. Although FPIES can mimic acute gastrointestinal diseases, for which ultrasonography is useful, few studies on ultrasonographic findings in non-IgE-mediated food allergic disorders are available. We investigated the ultrasonographic features of patients with FPIES. Methods Patients who underwent an oral food challenge (OFC) test or were diagnosed with acute FPIES were enrolled. We divided the patients into the FPIES and non-FPIES groups. Ultrasonography was performed before and 6h after the OFC test. Patients in the FPIES group underwent ultrasonography 24 h after the OFC tests. We evaluated intestinal findings, including peristaltic movement, fluid accumulation, and wall thickness of the gastrointestinal tract. Results Fourteen patients in the FPIES group and 11 in the non-FPIES group were enrolled. Ultrasonography performed 6h after the OFC test showed that the number of patients with small intestinal fluid accumulation and hyperperistalsis was significantly higher in the FPIES group than in the non-FPIES group. In the FPIES group, jejunal wall thickness significantly increased 6h after the OFC test. Small bowel intussusception occurred in three patients with FPIES. Conclusions Small-intestinal wall thickening, fluid accumulation, and abnormal peristalsis on ultrasonography suggest its utility in diagnosing FPIES. In cases of small intestinal intussusception, FPIES should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Background: Numerous national-based indicators aid in designing population-centered chronic disease surveillance. However, there is little consensus on the key indicators and goals for developing a chronic disease surveillance analysis system. Objective: This study aimed to develop evidence-based indicators to measure and improve the health outcomes of chronic disease surveillance systems in Korea. Methods: A scoping review was focused on peer-reviewed literature from 2012 to 2022 using PubMed, Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, CINHAL, Wiley Online, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Three reviewers evaluated and selected the articles in accordance with comprehensive inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were synthesized using median descriptive analysis, prioritization, and agreement. There was a consensus meeting to discuss the recommendations, and the findings were analyzed thematically and descriptively. Results: Forty-eight articles were finalized and most of them were published in 2019 (18.8%). The studies on chronic disease-based surveillance systems and related data sources were conducted primarily in Canada (58.3%). The findings were prioritized by prevalence rate, risk factors, data linkage, complex disease, and updated indicators in a current system. The key themes of focus were mortality, survival management, diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare systems. Conclusion: Our preliminary measurement methods need validation through follow-up projects. Chronic disease surveillance will improve public health resource allocation and monitoring in real time. Public health and healthcare systems could be enhanced through timely assessments of population health at the local and regional levels. In Korea, experts will validate the chronic disease-based surveillance system’s development.

An efficient, additive- and catalyst -free, visible-light-driven radical C-H methylation of heteroarenes (including quinoxalinones, pyra-zinones, quinolinones and coumarins) utilizing readily available methylamines as the methyl source has been developed. The trans-formation possesses the advantages of operational simplicity, mild reaction conditions and broad substrate scope. Mechanistic studies disclosed that a photoactive electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex between methylamines and heteroarenes is crucial to this trans-formation.

Scale-up of microbial bioprocesses to production scale is accompanied by significant changes in growth conditions. One aspect are rapidly changing substrate concentrations due to prolonged mixing times. The impact of substrate gradients on the physiology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied for glucose but no other industrially relevant carbohydrate. With different transport mechanism, non-glucose sugars will lead to a different intracellular response. Here we studied the response of S. cerevisiae to gradients for four different sugars: glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose. To study the impact of the carbon sources as well as the large-scale gradients, steady-state and dynamic feast/famine cultivation conditions were applied. The physiology, intracellular metabolome as well as the proteome were compared. Especially, gradients of maltose lead to a significant decrease in biomass yield. Under dynamic glucose, fructose and sucrose conditions S. cerevisiae was able to maintain the biomass yield of steady-state conditions. Although the physiology was very comparable for these sugars, the intracellular metabolome and proteome changed. The concentration of upper glycolytic enzymes decreased for glucose and maltose (up to -60% and -40% respectively), while an increase was observed for sucrose and fructose when exposed to gradients. At the same time, enzymes of lower glycolysis were increased. Interestingly, common stress-related proteins were decreased during dynamic conditions. The observed adaptations to repeating gradients highlight the importance to study physiology and metabolism under dynamic conditions to obtain results that are relevant for the envisioned large-scale process.

Maintaining a healthy status is crucial for the successful captive breeding of critically endangered Rhinopithecus brelichi, it is conducive to ex situ conservation of this species and rejuvenation of its population. However, changes in the feeding environment and food can affect the composition and function of the gut microbiota in R. brelichi, ultimately impacting its health and adaptation. Herein, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to determine the gut microbiota composition and functional variations between wild and captive R. brelichi populations. The results showed that the captive group had higher alpha diversity than the wild group, and significant differences were observed in their beta diversity. Captive and wild R. brelichi showed similar microbiota at the phylum level, which mainly comprised Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Spirochaetota, but captivity reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio. LEfSe analysis revealed that the relative abundance of microbiota related to cellulose degradation, such as Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, Christensenellaceae_R_7_group, Ruminococcus, and Fibrobacter, differed significantly between the two groups. Furthermore, the potential pathogens Acinetobacter and Treponema were significantly abundant in wild and captive groups, respectively. Functional predictions demonstrated that the most significant functional pathways at the second level between captive and wild monkeys were carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolisms. The captive monkeys exhibited higher digestive capacity and endocrine regulation as well as a higher risk of infectious diseases than wild monkeys. These findings can serve as a valuable theoretical basis for promoting the healthy breeding of R. brelichi and as a guide for future evaluation of the health of wild and captive monkeys.

The present study measured the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and caudate nucleus (CN) volumes of patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) and compared them with healthy controls with an aim to investigate its neuroanatomy of. The Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS), Beck Depression Scale (BDS), and Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) were administered to 18 healthy controls and 16 patients diagnosed with OCPD. Volumetric measurements of the right/left ACC and CNs were performed for all the participants through brain magnetic resonance imaging. There was no significant difference between patients and controls by ACC and CN volumes. BAS, BDS, and FMPS scale scores in the patient group were statistically higher compared to the control group. Volumetric changes in the ACC and CN do not play a role in the pathophysiology of OCPD. Functional imaging techniques may be useful in explaining the likely role of these regions in the etiopathogenesis of the disease.

Exersaucers, stationary activity centers designed as alternatives to mobile baby walkers, have gained widespread popularity among caregivers. However, their potential impact on various aspects of infant development and safety has been a topic of ongoing debate. This review aims to critically examine the existing literature on exersaucer use, evaluating their effects on motor development, language exposure, overall growth, and safety considerations. By synthesizing findings from multiple studies, this article provides a comprehensive understanding of exersaucers and their role in promoting healthy infant development. The review highlights the importance of striking a balance between the convenience offered by exersaucers and the need for adequate opportunities for free movement, physical activity, and caregiver interaction. Recommendations are provided to guide caregivers and healthcare professionals in making informed decisions regarding appropriate exersaucer use within the context of fostering optimal infant growth and well-being.

Bacterial laccases exhibit relatively high optimal reaction temperatures and possess a broad substrate spectrum, thereby expanding the range of potential applications for laccase enzymes. This study aims to investigate the molecular evolution of bacterial laccases using computational simulation tools such as AlphaFold2, Metal3D, AutoDockVina, and Rosetta. We isolated a bacterium with laccase activities from fecal samples from a Hermann´s tortoise ( Testudo hermanni), identified it as Klebsiella michiganensis using 16S rRNA sequencing and nanopore genome sequencing, and then identified a sequence encoding a laccase with a predicted molecular weight of approximately 27.5 kDa. Expression of the corresponding, chemically synthesized DNA fragment resulted in the isolation of an active laccase. The enzyme showed considerable thermostability, retaining 21% of its activity after boiling for 30 min. Using state-of-the-art information technology and machine learning techniques, we conducted simulations on this sequence, predicted its copper-ion binding sites, and validated these predictions through site-directed mutagenesis and expression. Subsequently, we performed computer-aided evolution studies on this sequence and found that 90% of the results from simulations exhibited improved performance. In summary, this study not only revealed a novel laccase but also demonstrated an efficient approach for advancing research on the molecular evolution of bacterial laccases using cutting-edge machine learning, next-generation sequencing, traditional bioinformatics approaches, and laboratory techniques, providing an effective strategy for discovering and design new bacterial laccases.

Objective: To systematically review the literature for articles evaluating outcomes of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) directed tongue surgery in children with prior adenotonsillectomy and persistent or recurrent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to perform a meta-analysis on the polysomnographic (PSG) data. Design: Systematic review and metanalysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement guidelines. Outcome Measures: Primary, post-operative apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest oxygen saturation (LSAT); Secondary, surgical response rate. Results: Seven studies (283 patients) met criteria and reported PSG outcome data for the systematic review. The mean ± standard deviation surgical response rate was 70.0 ± 17.0% [95% CI 67.6, 71.6]. Six of the seven studies (270 patients) reported specific pre- and post-operative PSG data included in our meta-analysis. The pre- and post-operative AHI decreased from 9.5 ± 12.1 to 4.2 ± 6.9 events/hr (p < 0.04) with a mean difference (MD) of -5.13 [95% CI -7.13, -3.13], Z-score 5.02 (P<0.00001). LSAT improved from 87.8 ± 5.7 to 90.1 ± 5.1% (p < 0.02) with a MD of 2.71 [95% CI 1.53, 3.89], Z-score 4.51 (P<0.0001). Conclusion: Existing literature demonstrates DISE-directed tongue surgery in children with persistent OSA can reduce AHI by approximately 50%, improve LSAT by nearly 3%, and have an overall positive response to surgery rate of 70%. There is collective evidence that DISE-directed tongue surgery is effective, but there is heterogeneity in reported outcomes influenced by confounding factors. Key Words: Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy; Pediatric Sleep Apnea; Tongue Surgery

Interventricular septal dissection (IVSD) is a critical condition characterized by the separation of the intraventricular septum into two layers, forming an intermediate layer with a cystic cavity that communicates with the root of the aorta or ventricle，with extremely low morbidity and high mortality. our study presented a very rare fetal case of IVSD after acute inferior myocardial infarction(MI) , exploring the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease, the key points and the clinical value of ultrasound diagnosis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant health concern in the world. The existing standard of care guidelines for CRC surveillance falls short of effectively and timely detecting recurrence or metastasis. In recent years, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a promising material for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection. In this paper, we provide an exhaustive review of the methods utilized for MRD detection via ctDNA, present evidence supporting the potential of ctDNA MRD as a valuable biomarker in clinical applications, and engage in a discussion regarding ongoing ctDNA MRD based clinical trials in CRC. Lastly, we offer insights into future prospects of ctDNA-based MRD methodological advancements and clinical research. It’s foreseeable that more sensitive, flexible, and economic MRD detection methods will emerge with the deeper research on cfDNA genomics, fragmentomics, methylomes, and nucleosome imprinting. At the same time, MRD-guided intervention study will evolve for revolutionizing the treatment paradigm of CRC.

Bacterial endophytes are a promising source of novel fibrinolytic enzymes with unique metabolic pathways and desirable characteristics that may not be present from conventionally explored sources. This study aimed to characterize fibrinolytic enzymes from selected endophytic bacteria isolated from papaya (Carica papaya L.) leaves and the genes encoding the enzymes. A strain BFP1 (InaCC-B1657) that showed the highest fibrinolytic activity was identified as Bacillus cereus based on the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence. The enzyme exhibited optimum activity at 50°C and pH 7.0, and remained stable until 80°C and pH 6 - 10 for 24 h. The assay of metal ions and inhibitors on the fibrinolytic enzyme activity found that adding Cu2+ stimulated, while Fe2+ reduced the activity. PMSF and TPCK inhibited the enzyme activity, while adding EDTA and EGTA increased the activity. These suggest that the fibrinolytic enzymes belong to the serine protease group. Of the 21 proteases/peptidases determined from the 5,257,484 base pairs (bp) genome, minor extracellular protease Vpr and S8 family peptidase genes were found related to the fibrinolytic enzyme activity. The Vpr gene has a molecular weight of 98.5 kDa. The subtilase domain (peptidase S8 family) and the catalytic triad subtilase active sites (Asp204, His237, and Ser531) were detected. A prediction of physicochemical characteristics of the Vpr gene showed that the enzyme is hydrophilic and exhibited alkali-halo tolerant and thermo tolerant over a broad range of temperatures.

High-altitude hypoxia affects respiratory, central nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. These outcomes affect the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP), the most important family of metabolic enzymes in the body involved in the metabolism of both exogenous and endogenous substances. Hypoxia influences CYP expression and activity, mediating changes in drug and endogenous substance metabolism, with endogenous substance metabolites playing a substantial role in controlling high-altitude diseases. However, the mechanisms that regulate CYP changes under hypoxic conditions and the effects of CYP changes on drug and endogenous metabolism remain unclear. We examined how CYP expression and function change during hypoxia and how they are controlled by nuclear receptors, epigenetic modifications, cytokines, and gut microbiota during hypoxia. This was done to understand how CYP affects the metabolism of drugs and endogenous substances, such as arachidonic acid, vitamins, and steroid hormones during hypoxia, and to determine how CYP and its metabolites are involved in the pathophysiology of diseases linked to high-altitude hypoxia.

Reforestation is pivotal in mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and safeguarding ecosystems. Precision reforestation implies efficiently using materials and human resources to conduct this intensive task. In this sense, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, improves the accuracy of dispensed seeds while increasing coverage and reducing labor. However, drone-based reforestation still presents technological challenges that need to be addressed. An important challenge is the presence of disturbances during flights due to environmental conditions, primarily unexpected wind, and the unavoidable loss of mass presented by the vehicle caused by the dispensing task. This paper evaluates the use of an observer-based controller to reject the particular disturbances caused by the sowing activity. Through meticulous experimentation and analysis, the study demonstrates the observer’s adeptness in mitigating external disturbances, thereby enhancing the precision and stability of UAV operations. This technological advancement holds promise for diverse practical applications and has implications for environmental conservation efforts, particularly reforestation. The obtained experimental results confirm the viability of the proposed controller and observer framework, highlighting its potential to improve the robustness of environmental monitoring, conservation, and sustainable resource management practices.

In this work, we have performed first-principle calculations to investigate the electronic properties, structural stability, and lithium migration pathway of 2D Ti 2CY 2/Graphene (Y = O, S) van der Waals (vdW) Heterostructure. The heterostructure formed by O and S functionalized MXene and graphene layers are separated by 3.04 and 3.40 Å exhibiting weak vdW interaction. It is found that the intercalation of lithium (Li) atoms in between the Ti 2CY 2/Graphene layers is thermodynamically more favorable in comparison with intercalation on the top or below the heterostructures. The Bader charge transfer analysis confirms that O atoms gain less charge -0.13 e during Li intercalation compared to S atoms with charge transfer of -0.47 e due to the larger size of the 3p orbital of S atoms. Each Li atom contributes ~0.88-0.89 e during the intercalation process. As O is more negatively charged in comparison with S atoms in the heterostructures, Li atoms are more localized on the Ti 2CO 2 layers with a tendency to form chemical bonds with Ti 2CO 2 layers while they are less localized on the Ti 2CS 2 layers creating lesser chemical bonds. The diffusion energy barrier is lower for Ti 2CS 2/graphene than Ti 2CO 2/graphene during Li intercalation. The NEB study also confirms that the activation energy barrier decreases with the increase of intercalated Li atoms for both the heterostructures indicating that Li atoms exhibit weak repulsive interaction causing weak Li binding with the heterostructures as they increase in number. Both the Ti 2CO 2/graphene and Ti 2CS 2/graphene heterostructures can be considered promising anode materials for Li-ion batteries due to their structural stability, and lower diffusion energy barrier.

In this work, we demonstrate the formation of local boron doped, p+ SiO x/ poly-Si structures using wet chemical etching by direct printing of boron-ink FlexTrail printing. This process is a mask free approach for the formation of local TOPCon structures for high efficiency tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells. Factors affecting the etch back selectivity between intrinsic and boron doped poly-Si are studied. It is found that pre-treatment by diluted HF (1 wt%) before poly-Si removal by a KOH solution is the most crucial process to ensure etch selectivity. Etching the native oxide on intrinsic and keeping the boron silicate glass (BSG) layer on p+ poly-Si is the optimum condition for removing intrinsic poly-Si while having p+ TOPCon structure. Line widths in the range of of 86-100 µm and 24-40 µm were achieved on planar and textured surfaces, respectively. FlexTrail printing allows for significantly lower (and higher) feature sizes, but its fine-line potential wasn’t fully exploited here for alignment reasons of post-processing. Test structures with a line grid of local TOPCon structures featured a maximum open circuit voltage ( iV OC) value of 720 mV and lowest saturation current density of local p+ SiO x/ poly-Si (J 0SE) ~ 90-120 fA/cm 2. The developed local p+ poly-Si will be integrated in high efficiency TOPCon solar cell where p+ poly-Si will be placed under the metal contact in the very near future.

As the world’s climate changes, species are undergoing range shifts. Range shifts are generally documented using databases such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), which largely contain data from monitoring schemes and wildlife surveys. Such databases have two major limitations: i) data may be spatially biased because traditionally surveyed areas are in rural habitats, ii) there is a time lag between data collection and assimilation into GBIF, which means rapid range shifts cannot be tracked. Alternative data sources, such as social media, could provide information on species distributions and range shifts that compensate for spatial biases in GBIF records because social media data may be collected outside traditional surveyed areas. Such data are also usually shared online immediately after a wildlife sighting. The complementarity of GBIF and social media data, however, has rarely been assessed, particularly when tracking range shifts. Despite their potential utility, social media data may be particularly prone to temporary trends or geographic variation in behaviour that are not understood. We lack tools with which to counter these biases. To address these knowledge gaps, we compare the habitat usage revealed by biological records of the Jersey tiger moth from GBIF and from multiple social media data sources (Instagram, iNaturalist, and Flickr). We develop a novel method to account for recorder bias in social media data. We find that biological records from iNaturalist and Instagram reveal greater than expected occurrence in urban environments, greatly affecting the accuracy of habitat suitability models. We also develop a method for comparing recorder effort between multiple data sources. Recorder effort differs notably between data sources, and Instagram complements GBIF by recording species in areas unaccounted for by GBIF. By incorporating recorder effort metrics, data from social media sources could be used to improve monitoring of range shifting species in urban spaces.

The elongate ilisha (Ilisha elongata) is a significant commercial species found along the Northwestern Pacific Coast. A sharp decline in the annual catch of I. elongata over recent decades implies a concerning situation regarding its fishery stocks. Nonetheless, inadequate knowledge of the genetic diversity, population structure, and historical demography of this species has hindered the establishment of sustainable fishery policies and appropriate conservation measures. In this study, the genetic structure and population demography of I. elongata stocks along the Northwestern Pacific Coast were examined using target-gene enrichment data from 144 I. elongata individuals collected from 18 locations. The findings reveal that with an average value of 0.2173, I. elongata maintains a notable level of nucleotide diversity despite facing considerable fishing pressure. Furthermore, inter-population differentiation is relatively low, with most geographical populations displaying minimal genetic distinctions or none from one another. Population clustering analysis identified four lineages of I. elongata stocks. Through historical demography simulations, it was proposed that the Yalu River Estuary population diverged initially around 19500 generations before present, while the remaining lineage split into two about 18800 generations ago. One lineage represents the southern population, while the other further separated into the northern population and the Japanese population approximately 3000 generations ago. These results underscore that the current phylogeographic patterns of I. elongata may result from directional selection due to low temperatures and geographic barriers during glacial periods, followed by recent expansions.