IntroductionSpontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma (SSEH) is a relatively rare and severe surgical emergency with an annual incidence rate of approximately 1/1000000 individuals. The disease is characterized by a sudden onset and rapid progression, often leading to acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Furthermore, if left untreated, the disease could lead to severe symptoms such as paralysis, with difficulties in achieving full recovery and a poor prognosis [1]. Therefore, making an early and accurate diagnosis and implementing effective treatment strategies for this condition is critical. However, due to its low incidence and sudden onset, as well as the lack of relevant systematic epidemiological research findings, most clinicians, especially young doctors, are unaware of this condition. This lack of awareness could result in a missed optimal treatment window and lifelong neurological dysfunction for patients [2]. A patient with atypical Spontaneous Cervical Epidural Hematoma (SCEH) was admitted to our hospital, and the case report is detailed in the subsequent sections.

A 56-year-old man with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with three prior ablations targeting two different MMVTs presented with recurrent VT. Therefore, he underwent epicardial mapping with adjuvant CT imaging which demonstrated midmyocardial scar. Fractionated potentials noted during mapping in this region, and entrainment suggested inner loop. Interestingly, pacing showed two different QRS morphologies identical to his previously ablated VTs with a long stim-QRS at this region. Epicardial ablation carried on during the VT successfully terminated it, but the VT remained inducible and required endocardial ablation to make it noninducible. The patient has been VT-free for 12 months following this ablation off antiarrhythmic drugs.

This study aimed to identify the total proteome of Hydra vulgaris, a freshwater polyp representative of the phylum Cnidaria. This organism, known for its organized nerve net, has been a favoured model due to its unique regeneration capabilities, simple bilayer architecture separated by a mesoglea, and limited cell types. While vertebrate models offer insights into molecular signaling, invertebrate like Hydra have been instrumental in uncovering the evolutionary roles of various molecules. Despite advances in genomic analyses of Hydra, a comprehensive proteomic analysis has been lacking. Here, we explored the proteome of Hydra vulgaris using a combination of gel electrophoresis and nanoflow liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, identifying over 5,200 proteins across all cellular components. This proteomic analysis helps gain insight into the evolutionary origins and ancestral functions of proteins involved in contemporary diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or inherited retinal dystrophies. This analysis led to the identification of proteins corresponding to transporter proteins, or to endoplasmic reticulum. Such are ATPase, calcium-binding or retinal proteins with 4 linked to photoreceptors and 6 implicated in Alzheimer disease. The data set provided in this article describes the proteins identified in the body of Hydra and the processes and functions associated with a selection of them.

In comparison to quaternions, split quaternions exhibit a more intricate algebraic structure, characterized by the presence of nontrivial zero factors. Furthermore, in various fields such as geometry and electromagnetism, split quaternions serve as more convenient research tools than quaternions. This paper aims to establish the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of (anti-) η-Hermitian solutions to a novel system of matrix equations formulated over split quaternions. We also provide the general expression of such solutions when the system is solvable, along with the least squares (anti-) η-Hermitian solution in the case of inconsistency. To illustrate the key findings of this paper, numerical examples are presented.

Expanded-Access Use of Elamipretide in a Patient with Membrane Protein-Associated NeurodegenerationShort Running Title: Elamipretide Treatment in MPAN PatientJorge Patino1, Anna Haertling Clearman2, Lindsey Miller2, Mary Kay Koenig21. University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Department of Neurology, Houston, TX2. University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child & Adolescent Neurology, Center for the Treatment of Pediatric Neurodegenerative Disease, Houston, TXCorresponding Author: Jorge Patino, [email protected]

Several room disinfection robots using Ultraviolet C (UV-C) light have emerged recently, especially with the COVID-19 outbreak. This systematic review aims to identify the current development status of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) disinfection robots, their limitations, and the technologies they use. An automated search was performed on the Scopus, ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, and SpringerLink platforms for papers up to July 2023, followed by a snowballing search. Were found 96 studies, of which the majority were not concerned with the dose of UVGI applied or did not implement any technique to deliver the appropriate dose; the positioning of the lamps was carried out subjectively; and most of the works did not implement any technique to prevent accidents with UVGI. From the analysis of these studies, it was possible to propose a novel classification for the different types of robots based on their technological and readiness levels. The data shows that despite recent advances, the development of disinfection robots is still early, with many advances to be made.

A document by Rauno Harvima. Click on the document to view its contents.

Background Several clinical trials have shown that nirsevimab, an antibody targeting the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), reduces RSV-bronchiolitis requiring admission. In 2023-2024, Catalonia and Andorra adopted immunization strategies for children < 6 months and those born during the epidemic season. This study evaluates the effectiveness of nirsevimab in preventing hospitalizations from RSV bronchiolitis. Methods In the epidemic season of 2023-2024, a test-negative case-control study was conducted in three hospitals from Catalonia and Andorra. Patients <12 months old admitted with bronchiolitis and tested for RSV using molecular microbiology tests were included. The effectiveness in preventing RSV-bronchiolitis hospitalization and severe disease was estimated using multivariate models. Comparisons between immunized, non-immunized and non-eligible patients were made in prospectively collected epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological variables. Results 234 patients were included. RSV was detected in 141/234(60.2%), being less common in the immunized group (37% vs 75%, p<0.001). The rate of immunized patients among those eligible was 59.7%. The estimated effectiveness for RSV-associated lower respiratory tract infection was 81.0% (95% confidence interval: 60.9-90.7), and for preventing severe disease (the need for NIV/CMV), 85.6% (41.7-96.4%). No significant differences by immunization status were observed in patients with RSV concerning viral co-infections, the need for NIV/CMV or length of hospital stay. Conclusions This study provides real-world evidence of the effectiveness of nirsevimab in preventing RSV-LRTI hospitalization and severe disease in infants during their first RSV season following a systematic immunization program. Immunized patients did not exhibit a higher rate of viral co-infections nor differences in clinical severity once admitted.

The re-emergence of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) three years after the start of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic further emphasizes the need to develop broad spectrum antivirals (BSAs) that might control the spread of poorly understood pathogens. The induction of innate immune responses to a viral infection triggers rapid expression of type-I-interferon (IFN-I), which subsequently results in the differential expression of more than 300 genes that foster an antiviral state. Whereas the expression of a majority of these “interferon-stimulated genes” (ISGs) are enhanced, , other ISGs’ expression are suppressed, including some involved in lipid metabolism which is hijacked to promote viral growth. Herein, we report that the expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN), an enzyme involved in de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids, was significantly reduced upon MPXV infection. Moreover, MPXV infection was impaired in FASN knockout cells, and biological inhibitors of FASN significantly inhibited MPXV. Interestingly, the ISG chosterol-25-hydroxylase was induced in MPXV-infected cells, and its enzymatic product, 25-hydroxychlosterol (25HC), blocked MPXV infection. Overall, this study indicates that 25HC and FASN inhibitors are highly potent BSAs and may have therapeutic applications in combating understudied infectious diseases in early outbreak settings when targeted therapies have not yet been developed.

Elevation of the tumour marker CA19-9 in a pancreatic cancer survivor with benign prostatic hyperplasia: A clinical case report

Globally, hammerhead sharks have experienced severe declines owing to continued overexploitation and anthropogenic change. The smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena remains comparatively understudied compared to other members of the family Sphyrnidae, and despite its Vulnerable status, a comprehensive understanding of its genetic landscape remains lacking. The present study aimed to conduct a fine-scale genomic assessment of Sphyrna zygaena within the highly dynamic marine environment of South Africa’s coastline, using thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (3RAD). A combination of differentiation-based outlier detection methods (OUTFlank and pcadapt) and Genotype-Environment Association (GEA) (Redundancy Analysis) analysis in Sphyrna zygaena were employed. Subsequent assessments of putatively adaptive loci revealed a distinctive south to east genetic cline. Amongst these, notable correlations between adaptive variation and sea-surface dissolved oxygen and salinity, in addition to spatial factors were evident. Conversely, analysis of 110, 965 neutral SNP markers revealed a lack of regional population differentiation, a finding that remained consistent across various analytical approaches, including an assessment of isolation-by-distance (IBD) and isolation-by-environment (IBE), genetic clustering analyses (LEA, fastSTRUCTURE, and find.clusters), and a discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC). These results provide evidence for the presence of differential selection pressures within a limited spatial range, despite high gene flow implied by the selectively neutral dataset. This study offers notable insights regarding the potential impacts of genomic variation in response to fluctuating environmental conditions in the circumglobally distributed Sphyrna zygaena.

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to describe how Coordinated Specialty Care program clinicians and decision-makers experience fidelity monitoring and what components of the fidelity model are most relevant to them. Methods: Using an instrumental case study design informed by the Exploration Preparation Implementation Sustainment framework, data were collected using semi-structured interviews. A constant comparison approach with both inductive and deductive coding was used. Results: Fourteen participants representing 3 regions of the United States were interviewed. The analysis resulted in 22 codes and 5 themes, (1) the fidelity review process, (2) facilitators and barriers to fidelity monitoring, (3) the impact of monitoring fidelity, (4) pros and cons of fidelity monitoring, and (5) shared decision making and flexibility. Across participants, flexible implementation of the model components and shared decision-making were considered central to implementation. Fidelity monitoring conflicted with these goals in some experiences. Clinicians and program decision-makers varied in the experience of facilitators and barriers to fidelity, yet lack of training and education was an important barrier. Conclusion: Although participants shared prioritization of flexibility and shared decision-making as core needs, the role of fidelity in achieving the goals of coordinated specialty care was unclear and potentially conflicting. Better alignment of fidelity monitoring with coordinated specialty care central tenants could improve the experience of both implementers and clients.

Aiming to address issues such as low security, inefficient encryption and decryption, weak robustness, image tampering, and the misuse of existing image encryption algorithms in blockchain-based applications for image sharing and transmission, this paper proposes a traceable image privacy protection scheme based on blockchain and homomorphic algorithm. Firstly, Paillier algorithm and image block technology were used to preprocess and encrypt the image. Feature images are extracted from encrypted images using lifting wavelet transform (LWT) and singular value decomposition (SVD). By means of dynamic S-box, binary watermark information is subjected to confusion, diffusion and XOR operations to generate zero-watermarking images for lossless embedding of traceability information. Then, the zero-watermarking image and its corresponding key are securely stored on the International File System (IPFS) through a smart contract mechanism to regulate image transactions and enable traceability of the image. Finally, the smart contract is utilized to detect any inaccuracies and errors in the zero-watermarking image, enabling tamper detection of said image. In experimental tests, the proposed scheme was shown to enable data distribution and computation with private data in ciphertext state, exhibiting high efficiency in encryption and decryption. Additionally, the zero-watermarking algorithm exhibits strong anti-attack capabilities and robustness. By considering image privacy protection and secure storage, tamper detection and traceability of encrypted images are effectively addressed.

In connection with the cultivation of microalgae, the type of photobioreactors is one of the major parameters that should be considered as it directly affects the economy and efficiency of the process. In this study, a new design and fabrication of a microalgae culture photobioreactor using a plastic bag were performed. The performance of the photobioreactor was enhanced, and technically evaluated through tests such as stability, physical strength, light penetration rate, mass transfer rate, temperature control and mixing. The experimental results on plastic photobioreactors indicated that the main issues were related to the aeration and mixing in the system. To address this problem, an airlift pump was designed and installed at the end of the photobioreactor. The performance of the photobioreactor in the production of microalgae biomass was tested using the municipal effluent of Malek Ashtar University as a culture medium and inoculation of Chlorella vulgaris species. To optimize the culture conditions of microalgae, three factors: urea, phosphate, and baking soda concentrations were considered. The results showed the relationship between carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sources in increasing the cellular content of microalgae, which in the minimum amount of organic carbon source, with increasing the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus, cell biomass production increases significantly. Accordingly, the production of more than 14 g/l of biomass in the amount of 0.9 g/l of baking soda, 0.25 g/l of urea, and 0.5 g/l of phosphate was obtained..

Lianas are important components of tropical forest diversity and dynamics, yet little is known about the drivers of their community structure and composition. Combining extensive field and LiDAR data, we investigated the influence of local topography, forest structure and tree composition on liana community structure and composition in a moist forest in northern Republic of Congo. We inventoried all lianas ≥ 1 cm in diameter in 144 20×20 m quadrats located in four 9-ha permanent plots, where trees and giant herbs were inventoried. We characterized the functional strategies of selected representatives of the main liana taxa using a set of resource-use leaf and wood traits. Finally, we used complementary statistical tests, including multivariate and randomization schemes, to test whether forest structure, topography and tree composition influence the structure, floristic, and functional composition of liana communities. The structure of liana communities was strongly shaped by local forest structure, with higher abundances and total basal areas in relatively open-canopy forests, where lianas competed with giant herbs. Liana floristic composition exhibited a weak spatial structure over the study site, but was marginally influenced by local forest structure and topography. Only forest structure had a weak but significant effect on liana functional composition with more conservative strategies—higher stem tissue density and lower PO4 leaf concentration and SLA values—in tall and dense forests. Finally, we found evidence of host specificity with significant attraction/repulsion for 19% of the tested liana and tree species associations, suggesting that the unexplained floristic variation may be partly attributed to these host species-specific associations, although the underlying mechanisms behind remain elusive. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the structure of liana communities can be much better predicted than their composition, calling for a better understanding of the implication of the large functional diversity observed in liana communities.

Background Viral interference is the concept that different viruses have an effect on the incidence of other viruses– either positive or negative. While this has been demonstrated in vitro and in animal models, it is not well described in large observational studies. Methods We analysed all patients tested for positive respiratory viruses between January 2016– December 2019 just prior to the pandemic in the National University Hospital laboratory, Singapore. Nasal, throat, and/ or nasopharyngeal swabs were collected by treating clinicians and tested by either multiplex PCR or immunofluorescence. Survival plots were created to study the time for a second viral infection following the initial respiratory viral detection. Results RSV (HR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.43–0.92; p<0.01) and influenza (HR: 0.41, 95%CI: 0.27-0.61; p<0.001) -positive cases showed a greater delay in subsequent respiratory infections compared to other pathogens, suggesting relative protection, while enterovirus/ rhinovirus (HR: 2.05, 95%CI: 1.52-2.77; p<0.001) and Parainfluenza (HR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.18-2.63; p<0.001) showed heightened susceptibility. No significant associations were found for Adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses, and other pathogens. Conclusion We found that it is possible that prior infections with Influenza virus or RSV conferred significant cross-protection against subsequent circulating respiratory viral infections for the next 4 years. Larger studies are needed to explore mechanisms behind this possible broad-spectrum antiviral response in human hosts as this may have implications for vaccination strategies.

Genes involved in reproduction often evolve rapidly due to postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) driven by male-male competition and male-female sexual conflict, but the impact of PCSS on gene expression has been under-explored. Further, though multiple tissues contribute to male reproductive success, most studies have focused on the testes. To explore the influence of mating system variation on gene expression in the Peromyscus male reproductive tract, we generated RNAseq libraries and quantified gene expression in the testis, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and liver of wild-caught monogamous P. californicus and polygynandrous P. boylii and P. maniculatus males and tested for positive and relaxed selection on Peromyscus-expressed genes using published rodent genomes. We identified 3,627 mating-system associated differentially expressed genes (MS-DEGs), where expression shifted in the same direction in P. maniculatus and P. boylii relative to P. californicus. Gene expression variation was most strongly associated with mating behavior in the seminal vesicles, where 89% of differentially expressed genes were MS-DEGs, including two key seminal fluid proteins, Svs2 and Pate4. Though but most genes showing evidence of positive selection or differential expression did not overlap, 203 MS-DEGs showed evidence of positive selection. Additionally, fourteen reproductive genes were under tree-wide positive selection but showed evidence of convergent relaxed selection in P. californicus and Microtus ochrogaster, a distantly related monogamous species. Changes in transcript abundance and gene sequence evolution in association with mating behavior suggest that male mice may respond to variation in sexual selection by altering aspects of sperm motility, sperm-egg binding, and copulatory plug formation.

ABSTRACT.Patients with vesical ureteral reflux (VUR) present with a wide range of severity. With an incidence of approximately 1%, Vesicoureteric reflux is a relatively common urological abnormality in children.Postnatal diagnosis of VUR is typically made following a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection (UTI) and less frequently following family screening. Voiding cystourethrograms remain the gold standard for diagnosing VUR. To preserve the kidney and prevent the need for potential renal replacement therapy, infants with a single kidney require significantly more assessment and prompt urine diversion decisions. Surgical correction is advised for patients with VUR grades IV and V, while VUR grades I, II, and III are managed conservatively.