The core metabolic reactions of life drive electrons through a class of redox protein enzymes, the oxidoreductases. The energetics of electron flow is determined by the redox potentials of organic and inorganic cofactors as tuned by the protein environment. Understanding how protein structure affects oxidation-reduction energetics is crucial for studying metabolism, creating bioelectronic systems, and tracing the history of biological energy utilization on Earth. We constructed ProtReDox ([https://protein-redox-potential.web.app](https://protein-redox-potential.web.app)), a manually curated database of experimentally determined redox potentials. With over 500 measurements, we can begin to identify how proteins modulate oxidation-reduction energetics across the tree of life. By mapping redox potentials onto networks of oxidoreductase fold evolution, we can infer the evolution of electron transfer energetics over deep-time. ProtReDox is designed to include user-contributed submissions with the intention of making it a valuable resource for researchers in this field.

This study aims to revealing the relationship between retained austenite (RA) morphology, deformation-induced transformation (DIPT) behavior and surface wear behavior. The hardening and fatigue behavior during wear of continuous film-like RA (CFRA), blocky RA (BRA), discontinuous film-like RA (DFRA) and point or flocculent RA (PRA) achieved through different tempering process was investigated using quasi-in-situ fatigue test and impact abrasive wear test. RA morphology exhibited a significant influence on hardening and fatigue behavior during wear. CFRA exhibited the best wear properties, owing to its excellent fatigue performance and hardening capacity. The BRA displayed relative high wear performance, with adequate hardening capacity but weak fatigue performance. DFRA demonstrated comparable wear resistance to BRA due to better fatigue performance. PRA exhibited deficient wear performance due to insufficient fatigue properties and low work hardening ability.

Homework assignments in psychoanalysis are contentious; some believe they contradict psychoanalytic principles, while others argue they enhance coping skills. We propose that homework can be a legitimate aspect of relational psychoanalysis when used in a way that is attuned to the patient’s experience and that homework may be an important component of treating personality disorders. We present the case of a man diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder to illustrate this: the patient, wrestling with social relations and control dynamics within therapy, was assigned homework aimed at curbing his compulsive caregiving and exploring its underlying motives. This exercise led him to understand his actions stemmed from avoidance of exposing his vulnerabilities. Subsequently, he was able to engage with relationships from diverse perspectives and discover new meanings. We advocate that homework tasks can be successfully incorporated into the relational psychoanalytic approach, fostering self-reflection and facilitating transformative change in patients with personality disorders.

Epigenetic processes have taken center stage for the investigation of many biological processes and epigenetic modifications have shown to influence phenotype, morphology and behavioral traits such as stress resistance by affecting gene regulation and expression without altering the underlying genomic sequence. The multiple molecular layers of epigenetics synergistically construct the cell type-specific gene regulatory networks. DNA methylation occurring on the 5’ carbon of cytosines in different genomic sequence contexts is the most studied epigenetic modification. DNA methylation has been shown to provide a molecular record of a large variety of environmental factors, which might be persistent through the entire lifetime of an organisms and even be passed onto the offspring. Animals might display altered phenotypes mediated by epigenetic modifications depending on the developmental stage or the environmental conditions as well as during evolution. Therefore, the analysis of DNA methylation patterns might allow deciphering previous exposures, explaining ecologically relevant phenotypic diversity and predicting evolutionary trajectories enabling accelerated adaption to changing environmental conditions. Despite the explanatory potential of DNA methylation. studies of DNA methylation are still scarce in the field of ecology. This might be at least partly due to the complexity of DNA methylation analysis and the interpretation of the acquired data. In the current issue of Molecular Ecology Resources, Laine and colleagues (2023) provide a detailed summary of guidelines and valuable recommendations for researchers in the field of ecology to avoid common pitfalls and perform interpretable genome-wide DNA methylation analyses.

The group 2 σ factor for RNA polymerase SigE plays important role in regulating central carbon metabolism in cyanobacteria. However, the regulation of SigE for these pathways at a proteome level remains unknown. Using a sigE-deficient strain (ΔsigE) of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and quantitative proteomics, we found that SigE depletion induces differential protein expression for sugar catabolic pathways including glycolysis, oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway, and glycogen catabolism. Two glycogen debranching enzyme homologues Slr1857 and Slr0237 are found differentially expressed in ΔsigE. Glycogen determination indicated that Δslr0237 accumulated glycogen under photomixotrophic conditions but was unable to utilize these reserves in the dark, whereas Δslr1857 accumulates and utilize glycogen in a similar way as the WT strain does in the same conditions. These results suggest that Slr0237 plays the major role as the glycogen debranching enzyme in Synechocystis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the functional difference of two glycogen debranching enzyme in Synechocystis and the research highlights the intricate regulation of glycogen breakdown.

Illumination of species diversity and their distribution is key to evolution, genetics and conservation. The genus of Sibynophis is a group of rare snakes with less attentions. Based on more extensive sampling, we use both mitochondrial fragments and nuclear gene to explore the species diversity of the species of Sibynophis occurring in China. The results showed that S. c. miyiensis is a synonym of S. c. grahami, and S. c. grahami should be gave a specific rank as S. graham. Sibynophis triangularis was uncovered to be new to China and Myanmar. On basis of our specimens and molecular phylogeny results, the species distribution boundaries of each Chinese species were redefined.

Short-term surges in stream temperature in response to storm events have frequently been observed in urban areas , highlighting the need for improved understanding of the factors influencing urban stream temperature. Urban land cover complexity and infrastructure designed for rapid water routing to the sewer system create a direct link between storm events and water release processes, influencing urban stream temperature responses. This study aims to identify predictors of diverse stream temperature response patterns to summer storms. We analyzed 403 storm events from six urban and semi-urban catchments along the US East Coast using dynamic time warping to identify archetype patterns of stream temperature responses. We further disentangled observed stream temperature increase patterns to reveal the drivers associated with “heat pulses”, which are characterized by a rapid but high-magnitude temperature increase followed by a sharp temperature drop at the start of the hydrograph. Our results show that stream temperature patterns were event-specific and linked to pre-event conditions and rainfall-runoff characteristics, with the shape of the hydrograph and rainfall-runoff response identified as the most important determinators of the observed temperature response patterns. Ponded surface waters and storm drains, as well as cooler water from the shallow subsurface, were identified as likely sources contributing to temperature patterns. These findings have important implications for understanding urban hydrology and the contributions of different source zones in urban catchments. Specifically, our results suggest that streamwater temperature can serve as a cost-effective tracer of information about urban water sources and pathways, aiding in the understanding of complex urban hydrology.

C-aryl glycosides are an important kind of carbohydrate derivatives for drug discovery, due to their distinctive attributes of resistance to hydrolysis from enzymes. Herein, C-aryl glycosylation was established for the synthesis of 2-sulfur C-aryl glycals and 1,2-dihydrobenzofuran-fused C-aryl glycosides via interrupted Pummerer process, featured with sulfonium-tethered [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement between sulfoxide glycals and phenols. This protocol offers a broad substrate scope with diverse glycosyl and phe-nols. Dapagliflozin, Empagliflozin, and Ipragliflozin analogs were straightforward achieved, respectively.

Objectives: This rapid review aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC) and stage distribution at diagnosis. Design: Rapid Review and Meta-analysis Participants: comparative data for new HNC patients between a pre-pandemic cohort (before March 2020) and a pandemic cohort (after March 2020 during the lockdown period). Main Outcomes Measured: data on tumour stage, incidence, referral pathway (number of new patient referrals) or workload levels (number of HNC treatments). Data on stage were summarised as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), data related to changes in numbers of diagnoses, referrals and workload levels were summarised as a narrative synthesis. Results: 31 reports were included in this review. Individually 16 out of 23 studies did not show a significant impact on stage relative to the pre-pandemic period. However, the meta-analysis revealed that patients diagnosed with HNC during the pandemic were 16% more likely to have nodal involvement (OR=1.16; 95% CI 1.00–1.35), 17% more likely to have a late overall stage (OR=1.17; 95% CI 1.01–1.36), and 32% more likely to present with advanced tumour extent (T3 and T4 stage) (OR=1.32; 95% CI 1.08–1.62). Data on incidence was extremely limited and not currently sufficient to assess trends in burden of disease. Conclusions: This review indicates that during the COVID-19 pandemic there was upstaging of HNC at diagnosis, suggesting the provision of care to HNC patients was significantly affected.

We show that the Reynolds averaged equations for compressible fluids (neglecting third order correlations) are well-posed in H s when the pressure vanishes in dimensions d=2 and 3. In order to do this, we show that the system is Friedrichs-symmetrizable. This model belongs to the class of non-conservative hyperbolic systems. Hence the usual symmetrisation method for conservation laws can not be used here.

There is growing interest in the design and fabrication of next-generation plant-based (NG-PB) foods that have physicochemical and functional properties that simulate those of traditional animal-based foods, like meat, seafood, egg, and dairy products. Many of these products can be considered as colloidal materials containing particles or polymers that determine their properties, which means that these properties can be understood using soft matter physics concepts. The rheological properties of NG-PB foods may vary widely, including low viscosity fluids (like milk), high viscosity fluids (creams), soft solids (like yogurt), and hard solids (like some cheeses). For manufacturers of NG-PB foods to mimic this broad range of products it is important to have theoretical models to identify, predict, and control the key parameters impacting their textural attributes. In this article, the theoretical models developed to describe the properties of fluid, semi-solid, and solid colloidal dispersions are described, and their potential for improving the design and fabrication of NG-PB foods is highlighted. In the future, it will be important to establish the most appropriate models for different categories of NG-PB foods and to determine their range of applications.

Meningitis and Endocarditis as a Sequela of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Mastoiditis: A Case Report Running Title: Meningitis, Endocarditis, Mastoiditis  as a Variant of Austrian SyndromeDr. Mitchell Peebles, DO, PGY-1 Internal Medicine Resident at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, Fort Worth, TexasEmail Address: [email protected]. Mehnaz Roshani, MD, Internal Medicine Core Faculty at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, Fort Worth, TexasEmail Address: [email protected] Srivastava, MS3 at Anne Marion Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, Fort Worth, TexasEmail Address: [email protected] Author: Kumaraman SrivastavaEthical Statement: The authors of this study had the required consent from the patient involved in this case report.Data Availability Statement: All data can be found in the article and no other data or materials were used.Acknowledgements: N/AConflicts of Interest: Authors state no conflicts of interest.Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is responsible for more than 50% of all bacterial meningitis and has a case fatality rate of 22% in adults1. In addition, Streptococcus pneumoniae is also one of the most common causes of acute otitis media, a known cause of mastoiditis. However, in conjunction with bacteremia and endocarditis, limited evidence is able to be identified2. This sequence of infections also closely relates to Austrian syndrome. Otherwise known as Osler’s triad, Austrian syndrome is a rare phenomenon of meningitis, endocarditis, and pneumonia secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteriemia that was first delineated by Robert Austrian in 19563. The incidence of Austrian syndrome is reported to be less than <0.0001% per year and has decreased significantly since the initial usage of penicillin in 19414. Despite this, the mortality rate of Austrian syndrome is still around 32%5. Despite an extensive literature review, we were unable to find any reported cases of variants of Austrian syndrome that include mastoiditis as the primary insult. As such, we present a unique presentation of Austrian syndrome with mastoiditis, endocarditis, and meningitis with complex medical management that led to resolution for the patient.Objective: To discuss the presentation, progression, and complex medical management of a rare triad of mastoiditis, meningitis, and endocarditis occurring in a patient.Key Clinical Message: Austrian Syndrome classically consists of meningitis, endocarditis, and pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia. A literature review, however, does not show variants of this triad. Our case highlights a unique variant of Austrian Syndrome with mastoiditis, meningitis, and endocarditis which requires immediate recognition and treatment to prevent devastating patient outcomes.Case report: A 78-year-old man with past medical history of resected prostate cancer, pheochromocytoma, and obstructive sleep apnea presented to the emergency department due to altered mental status, right-sided whole-body weakness, and expressive aphasia. The patient’s wife reported that the patient was shivering and lethargic and his last known normal was determined to be 14 hours prior to presentation. The patient’s recent medical history was remarkable for planned procedure to undergo bilateral eustachian tube placement. The patient developed a fever up to 103 F in the emergency department and initial labs revealed a leukocytosis of 12 with lactic acid of 1.67. Further imaging included CT scan of the head as well as CTA head and neck which did not reveal any acute abnormalities other than a right-sided tympanomastoid effusion FIGURE 1. The physical exam on admission was significant for altered mental status, agitation, and subjective nuchal rigidity. Moreover, the patient was incoherent, a significant decline from his baseline independence according to his wife. The patient received a fluid bolus and Cefepime in the ED prior to hospital admission. An attempt to obtain a lumbar puncture in the ED was also unsuccessful due to the patient’s increased agitation. Upon admittance to the hospital, Vancomycin and Ceftriaxone at central nervous system dosing were administered to the patient for empiric coverage of meningitis. Furthermore, blood cultures were positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae . On hospital day 2, another attempt at lumbar puncture under fluoroscopy was attempted but was unsuccessful due to repeated patient agitation. Lumbar puncture was finally obtained on hospital day 3 under sedation with the following CSF findings consistent with bacterial meningitis: FIGURE 2CSF cultures showed no growth and ENT was consulted for further evaluation of right tympanomastoid effusion secondary to mastoiditis. Patient underwent right mastoidectomy with bilateral myringotomy with ear tube insertion on hospital day 3. The mastoid bone was noted to be sclerotic and the mastoid air cells were filled with inflammatory tissue. Vancomycin was also discontinued on hospital day 4 after cultures revealed sensitivity to Ceftriaxone.Further workup included a transthoracic echocardiogram which revealed an immobile mitral valve echo-density measuring 0.7 cm in diameter associated with chordal structures of the anterior mitral leaflet without evidence of mitral regurgitation or mitral stenosis FIGURE 3. This strongly suggested endocarditis and infectious diseases and cardiology were consulted and determined transesophageal echocardiogram was not required to confirm the diagnosis. As such, the decision was made to extend the patient’s ceftriaxone for 6 weeks for treatment of endocarditis. However, the patient developed significant surgical site bleeding on hospital day 6 which was presumed to be due to ceftriaxone-induced thrombocytopenia, so ceftriaxone was stopped, and Vancomycin was restarted. The patient also had elevated fibrinogen suggesting possible disseminated intravascular coagulation so a dose of cryoprecipitate was given, and the patient’s platelet and fibrinogen levels stabilized after hospital day 9. The patient had deconditioned significantly from his baseline status so physical therapy was initiated and the patient responded very well. On hospital day 10, a peripherally inserted central catheter line was placed so that the patient could continue to receive IV antibiotics at home. The patient was stable for home discharge on hospital day 11.Discussion/Conclusion:Austrian’s syndrome has been typically described as meningitis, endocarditis, and pneumonia with multiple case reports and case series describing the difficulties of managing this complex disease. There is, however, no published cases that demonstrate a variant of Austrian syndrome with the triad of mastoiditis, endocarditis, and meningitis. In this patient’s case, the tympanomastoid effusion may have been the initial insult that led to mastoiditis. Moreover, meningitis has been described in several cases as a rather uncommon complication of mastoiditis6,7. Furthermore, the etiology of the patient’s endocarditis was likely due to meningitis8, but there are some case reports that suggest that mastoiditis may also directly cause endocarditis9. Our patient initially presented with altered mental status with multiple failed attempts at a lumbar puncture due to agitation, so we initiated empiric coverage of meningitis with vancomycin and ceftriaxone10. Notably, we did not add ampicillin because our clinical suspicion ofListeria monocytogenes was extremely low. Initial CT scans revealed a right tympanomastoid effusion which we believed was the nidus of infection. Prompt ENT intervention surgically removed the right mastoid bone to alleviate the probable bacterial source, but our patient unfortunately developed post-operative DIC which is a known complication of both meningitis and head/neck surgery11,12. Ceftriaxone was stopped due to incidences of ceftriaxone-induced thrombocytopenia and cryoprecipitate was given with resolution of the patient’s uncontrolled bleeding. Our patient endured several complications due to his complex interaction of diseases, but we were able to treat him effectively. As such, this case report presents an exceptionally distinct variant of a rare phenomenon in Austrian syndrome with complex medical management that resulted in complete recovery of the patient.

Rabies is an ancient neuroinvasive viral (genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae) disease affecting approximately 59,000 people worldwide. The central nervous system (CNS) is targeted, and rabies has a case fatality rate of almost 100% in humans and animals. Rabies is entirely preventable through proper vaccination, and thus, the highest incidence is typically observed in developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. However, there are still cases in European countries and the US. Recently, demographic, increasing income levels, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have caused a massive raising in the animal population, enhancing the need for preventive measures (e.g., vaccination, surveillance, animal control programs), post-exposure prophylaxis, and a better understanding of rabies pathophysiology to identify therapeutic targets, since there is no effective treatment after the onset of clinical manifestations. Here we review the neuroimmune biology and mechanisms of rabies. Its pathogenesis involves a complex and poorly understood modulation of immune and brain functions associated with metabolic, synaptic, and neuronal impairments, resulting in fatal outcomes without significant histopathological lesions in the CNS. In this context, the neuroimmunological and neurochemical aspects of excitatory/inhibitory signaling (e.g., GABA/glutamate crosstalk) are likely related to the clinical manifestations of rabies infection. Uncovering new links between immunopathological mechanisms and neurochemical imbalance will be essential to identify novel potential therapeutic targets to reduce rabies morbidity and mortality.

A 2-month-old boy presented to the former emergency department with a fever of 38 ° C and hypoxemia and respiratory failure. He was transferred to our hospital on suspicion of myocarditis because he had an enlarged chest X-ray, a 30% EF, a decrease in left heart function, and an increase in myocardial deviation enzyme(CK-MB 149.8 IU/L, TnT-1（＋）). Echocardiography revealed dilation and poor contraction of left ventricle and no abnormalities in the origin of the coronary arteries (Figure1A, B), and treatment with cardiac stimulants, antibiotics, and IVIG was started for myocarditis. After that, his cardiac function did not improve, and contrast-enhanced CT was taken on day 12. He was diagnosed with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA). The LCA diverged from the right PA instead of the main PA (Figure1C). Coronary transplantation was performed on day 13. The postoperative course was uneventful, and he was transferred to our hospital on the 21st day after the operation.ALCAPA mostly originates from the left posterior sinus at the root of the PA, which can lead to coronary steal syndrome and myocardial ischemia, and the incidence of the disease is approximately 1/3,00,000, accounting for 0.25% to 0.5% of congenital heart disease(1, 2). In this case, the LCA diverged from the right PA instead of the main PA, which is extremely rare and has never been reported before. This difference in bifurcation might make the diagnosis of ALCAPA on echocardiography more difficult.ALCAPA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of myocarditis, and contrast-enhanced CT or catheterization should be considered even if coronary artery abnormalities are not detected on echocardiography.

The identification of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems is an important part of designing complex control systems. This paper studies an auxiliary model least squares iterative (AM-LSI) algorithm for MIMO systems. With the expansion of the system scale and limitations of the computer resources, there is an urgent need for an identification algorithm that provides higher computational efficiency. To address this issue, this paper further derives a hierarchical identification model and proposes a new auxiliary model hierarchical least squares iterative (AM-HLSI) algorithm for MIMO systems by applying the hierarchical identification principle. Through the analysis of the computational efficiency, the AM-HLSI algorithm has higher computational efficiency than the AM-LSI algorithm. Additionally, the feasibility of the AM-LSI and AM-HLSI algorithms is validated by a simulation example.

Chagas disease is caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite and is transmitted by infected triatomine bugs. This infection affects approximately 8 million people in the Americas, and due to globalization and displacement, it is becoming increasingly common to find infected patients worldwide. Diagnosis of the disease in its acute form is relatively simple, as the parasite can be detected in peripheral blood smears, and symptoms are visible. However, in its chronic condition, the parasite is almost undetectable, and indirect tests are necessary to determine the presence of antibodies in infected patients. It is important to note that a single test is not enough to confirm the disease, as a second serological test should confirm the diagnosis. If the results are contradictory, a third test should be performed to solve the problem. Unfortunately, laboratories may not have access to all necessary tests in many rural areas where the disease is more frequent. Rapid tests to diagnose this disease present problems, such as significant variations in sensitivity and specificity in different countries. Therefore, searching for new biomarkers that allow for optimal correlation is essential. In this work, we have searched scientific literature from the last years for mentions of novel biomarkers for diagnosis, treatment follow-up, and prediction of cardiac complications in Chagas disease in its chronic phase.

Introduction and objectives：Traditional transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) via the femoral vein carries risk of radiation damage. Transcutaneous closure of ASD under echocardiography guidance avoids radiation exposure and can be gradually applied. An alternative is to transcutaneous closure of ASD trans-jugular with an adjustable curved sheath under echocardiography guidance. Methods: We retrospectively studied all cases of trans-jugular transcutaneous closure of ASD with an adjustable curved sheath under echocardiography guidance in the Heart Center of Henan Province People’s Hospital between 2016 and December 2022. Results: 156 patients were included, 74 males and 82 females. Mean age was 6.9 ± 7.4 years and weight 23.7 ± 14.6 kg. Mean sizes of the ASD and occluder were (9.7 ± 4.7) mm and (14.1 ± 5.7) mm. The mean operation time was (49.6 ± 29.2) min. No complications such as atrioventricular block, reoperation, or pericardial effusion occurred. There are 3 patients had a residual shunt. All patients were followed-up for (38.7 ± 11.0)months. The 3 patients with residual shunt had self-closed at the 3-6-12months follow-up. There was no complication at follow-up. Conclusion: Trans-jugular transcutaneous closure of ASD with adjustable curved sheath under echocardiography guidance is safe, effective and minimally invasive.

Interdisciplinary teams are on the rise as scientists attempt to address complex environmental issues. While the benefits of Team Science approaches are clear, researchers often struggle with its implementation, particularly for new team members. The challenges of large projects often weigh on the most vulnerable members of a team: trainees, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers. Trainees on big projects have to navigate their role on the team, with learning project policies, procedures, and goals, all while also training in key scientific tasks such as co-authoring papers. To address these challenges, we created and participated in a project-specific, graduate-level Team Science course. The purposes of this course were to: (1) introduce students to the goals of the project, (2) build trainees’ understanding of how big projects operate, and (3) allow trainees to explore how their research interests dovetailed with the overall project. Additionally, trainees received training regarding: (1) diversity, equity & inclusion, (2) giving and receiving feedback, and (3) effective communication. Onboarding through the Team Science course cultivated psychological safety and a collaborative student community across disciplines and institutions. Thus, we recommend a Team Science course for onboarding students to big projects to help students establish the skills necessary for collaborative research. Project-based Team Science classes can benefit student advancement, enhance the productivity of the project, and accelerate the discovery of solutions to ecological issues.