Local RANTES/CCL5 Delivery and Peripheral Blood Mobilization of Endogenous Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Mitigate Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Study DesignTranslational rodent study.ObjectivesTo investigate (1) chemokine-mediated mesenchymal stem cell mobilization and homing to the intervertebral disc and (2) using this technique to mitigate intervertebral disc degeneration in a rat model.Methods(1) Recruitment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to intervertebral discs (IVD) was investigated using intradiscal chemokines.

Agreeing Language in Veterinary Endocrinology (ALIVE): Cushing's Syndrome and Hypoadrenocorticism-A Modified Delphi-Method-Based System to Create Consensus Definitions.

Progress in clinical practice, research, and teaching needs a common language. Agreement among veterinary endocrinologists on definitions of concepts related to Cushing's syndrome (CS) and hypoadrenocorticism is lacking. After a successful inaugural cycle on diabetes mellitus terminology, project Agreeing Language in Veterinary Endocrinology (ALIVE) held a second cycle, with simplified methodology, and brought together 10 experts of the European Society of Veterinary Endocrinology (ESVE) and the Society of Comparative Endocrinology (SCE).

Protective Role of GABA in Aromatic Rice Under Lead and Cadmium Toxicity: Physiological and Biochemical Insights.

Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) severely impair rice growth, yield, and grain quality. This study assessed the role of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mitigating Pb and Cd toxicity in aromatic rice 'Guixiangzhan'. Treatments included the control (no Pb, Cd, or GABA), GABA (1 mM), Pb (800 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Cd (75 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Pb+Cd+GABA, Pb, Cd, and Pb+Cd without GABA.

In Vitro Propagation of Variegated Hooker.

Variegated is a highly valued ornamental plant sought after in local and international markets. The commercial production of variegated through traditional propagation methods faces significant challenges, such as low propagation rates and prolonged growth periods. This study aims to develop effective in vitro propagation techniques for variegated through asymbiotic seed germination to enhance production efficiency and meet market demand.

Influence of Two Root Media and Three Vermicompost Amendments on Bacterial Communities in a Greenhouse Container Garden Model System.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of two root media and three vermicompost amendments on the root zone bacterial communities and harvest mass of lettuce grown in a greenhouse container garden model system. Lettuce seeds were planted in seven root media/amendment conditions. Lettuce was later harvested, and root media DNA was extracted for 16S rRNA sequencing to determine the composition of, as well as the alpha and beta diversity of, the bacterial communities.

Electrons in Quantum Dots on Helium: From Charge Qubits to Synthetic Color Centers.

Electrons trapped above the surface of helium provide a means to study many-body physics free from the randomness that comes from defects in other condensed-matter systems. Localizing an electron in an electrostatic quantum dot makes its energy spectrum discrete, with controlled level spacing. The lowest two states can act as charge qubit states.

Resettlement Workforce Perspectives on Mental Health Care of Refugees.

Background: To identify the mental health care needs of resettled refugees, researchers have studied the perspectives of mental health service providers but have paid limited attention to the perspectives of individuals who work directly in resettlement agencies or in agencies that exclusively provide services to promote refugees' self-sufficiency and integration-the refugee resettlement workforce-who routinely provide support, make referrals, and coordinate mental health care. To better inform programming and service delivery, this qualitative case study focuses on the perspectives of the resettlement workforce.

Methods: Focus group interviews conducted with 48 refugee resettlement workforce members were analyzed for their perspectives on refugee mental health needs and care.

Primary Jejunal Impactions Resolved via Exploratory Celiotomy in Six Horses: 2017-2023.

Impactions of the jejunum are rarely described in the literature. The current case series describes six cases of adult horses with jejunal impactions with feed material diagnosed by exploratory celiotomy. Horses underwent exploratory celiotomy based off of their degree of pain despite medical management and concerns for a primary strangulating small intestinal lesion.

A Personal Scientific Journey-Looking Back at My Journey in Science: How DNA Damage and Repair Led to the Role of Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication, Mechanisms of Tumor Promotion, Human Adult Stem Cells, "Cancer Stem Cells", Two Types of "Cancer Stem Cells" and the Modulation of Human Diseases by Epigenetic Toxins/Toxicants, Nutrition and Diets.

After delivering my Keynote address to the young scientists at the International Gap Junction meeting, "International Colloquium on Gap Junctions and Cancer: Discussing how cellular communication modifies carcinogenesis and cancer treatment outcomes" (San Paulo, Brazil, 10-14 July 2023), I was asked to condense the talk into a manuscript covering the 50+ years of my scientific journey of basic biomedical research. While this journey had to omit so many important experiences, people and external events, I have tried to illustrate how my initial motivation, personal perspective of my abilities, and naïve goal as a young scientist did not prepare me for the non-linear path to where I ended. That path had many twists, turns, barriers, disappointments, surprises and wrong directions, as well as associations with co-workers, students and collaborators who afforded me with great wisdom, support and technical advice.

Addressing Challenges in Developing Treatments for Inherited Retinal Diseases: Recommendations From the Third Monaciano Symposium.

Over the past decade, efforts focused on developing genetic therapies for inherited retinal diseases have advanced steadily to clinical trials and the development of a treatment, fueling optimism for the potential of precision medicines to provide safe and effective therapies for these rare conditions. Although several ongoing programs remain poised for success, numerous challenges have negatively impacted the ability to obtain regulatory approvals. The present position paper briefly summarizes recent advances and challenges in developing therapeutics for inherited retinal diseases, and presents a set of recommendations for moving the field forward.

Soil biochemical quality indices can capture transitional changes of tillage and residue regime in lateritic soils.

Aiming to evaluate the sustainability and ecological viability of the rice-wheat system, field experiment was conducted at experimental farms of IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal, India in 2022-24 to assess how Conservation Agriculture (CA) based practices influence soil biochemical changes throughout the growth stages of rice and wheat. Under this experiment, the impact of varying tillage treatments (conventional tillage vs. zero tillage) and residue management practices (incorporated vs.

Proportion Explained Component Variance in Second-Order Scales: A Note on a Latent Variable Modeling Approach.

A procedure for evaluation of the proportion explained component variance by the underlying trait in behavioral scales with second-order structure is outlined. The resulting index of accounted for variance over all scale components is a useful and informative complement to the conventional omega-hierarchical coefficient as well as the proportion of explained component correlation. A point and interval estimation method is described for the discussed index, which utilizes a confirmatory factor analysis approach within the latent variable modeling methodology.

Detection of viral contamination in cell lines using ViralCellDetector.

Background And Aims: Cell lines are widely used in biomedical research to investigate various biological processes, including gene expression, cancer progression, and drug responses. However, cross-contamination with bacteria, mycoplasma, and viruses remains a persistent challenge. While the detection of bacterial and mycoplasma contamination is relatively straightforward, identifying viral contamination is more difficult.

Then And Now: Umbrella Variables Mask Temporal Mechanisms Of Structural Racism In US Urban Environments.

Introduction: Racist urban development policies and capitalist municipal management have continued the cycle of poverty experienced by many in the US. Modeling this disadvantage often relies on composite, or "umbrella", socioeconomic variables. We argue that this approach obfuscates the temporal nature of social determinants.

Photosynthetic capacity is reduced by warming but unaffected by elevated CO2 in seedlings of five boreal tree species.

Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations fuel global warming, with boreal regions warming at a faster rate than many other areas. Boreal forests are an important component of the global carbon cycle, yet we have little data on photosynthetic responses of boreal trees to elevated CO2 (EC) and warming. We grew seedlings of five widespread North American boreal tree species (from Betula, Larix, Picea, and Pinus) under current (410 ppm) or elevated (750 ppm) CO2 and either ambient (+0 °C) or increased (+4 °C or +8 °C) temperature, then measured photosynthetic traits over a range of leaf temperatures.

Successful Use of Targeted HIF-2α Inhibition in EPAS1-Mutated Congenital Erythrocytosis.

We describe the case of an 11-year-old female with significant polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension with resultant ischemic stroke. She was identified to have a likely pathogenic germline endothelial PAS-domain containing protein-1 (EPAS1) variant, which encodes hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha (HIF-2α). Following variant identification, she started novel therapy with belzutifan, a small molecule inhibitor of HIF-2α, to target her underlying disease pathophysiology.

Addressing Weight-Related Bullying in Schools: Youth Perspectives on School Policies and Interventions.

Background: Weight-related bullying is linked to negative mental health outcomes. However, anti-bullying policies targeting weight-based bullying remain limited. This study aimed to gather youth perspectives on weight-related bullying and potential school interventions.

Association of C-reactive protein with cause, duration and severity of lower respiratory infections in primary care: a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The association of C-reactive protein (CRP) with cough duration and severity has not been evaluated in a contemporary US population of patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).

Methods: We identified outpatients with less than 2 weeks of cough plus at least one lower respiratory or systemic symptom. The duration of illness, demographics, signs, symptoms, CRP and PCR for 46 pathogens were assessed.

Emergence of lignin-carbohydrate interactions during plant stem maturation visualized by solid-state NMR.

Lignification waterproofs and strengthens secondary plant cell walls but increases the energy cost of sugar release for biofuels. The physical association between lignin and the carbohydrate scaffold that accommodates lignin polymerization, along with the distinct roles of lignin units and carbohydrate partners during lignification, remain unclear. Here, we map lignin-carbohydrate spatial proximity by solid-state NMR in C-labeled Arabidopsis inflorescence stems during secondary cell wall formation.

Mechanisms and Genetic Drivers of Resistance of Insect Pests to Insecticides and Approaches to Its Control.

The escalating challenge of resistance to insecticides among agricultural and public health pests poses a significant threat to global food security and vector-borne disease control. This review synthesizes current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning resistance, including well-characterized pathways such as target-site mutations affecting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, and metabolic detoxification mediated by cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs), esterases, and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Emerging resistance mechanisms are also explored, including protein sequestration by odorant-binding proteins and post-transcriptional regulation via non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs).

Curcumin ZnO and MgO Nanoparticles Confer Protective Effects Against Ketamine-Induced Bipolar Disorder in Mice: Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD), or bipolar disease, is a prevalent psychiatric condition. Current treatment options are often ineffective, with numerous side effects. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be a potential biomarker for BD.

Hydrogel-based drug delivery system designed for chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is a common side effect of many chemotherapeutic anticancer treatments. The only CIA treatment used clinically is a hypothermic cap over the scalp which works through cutaneous vasoconstriction. However, these caps are expensive, often extremely painful, logistically challenging and bulky, and may produce heterogeneous results.

Depression Remission and Response Rates and Anxiety Response as a Predictor of Depression Response in a Community Electroconvulsive Therapy Clinic.

To assess depression response and remission rates with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in a community clinic and to identify factors predicting success in treatment. Thirty-five patients were identified by a retrospective chart review with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder or depressive disorder not otherwise specified (according to the ) who were treated with an acute series of ECT at a community ECT clinic from March 1, 2014, to March 9, 2015. Logistic regression examined associations between clinical variables and depression response (defined as ≥50% reduction in score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) and remission (final PHQ-9 score <5) rates and anxiety response rates (based on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 item).