Vulnerability of tropical fish communities across depth in the central Indian Ocean.

Coral reefs and their fish communities below scuba diving depth (>30 m), in mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) (∼30-150 m), in rariphotic (150-300 m), and in upper bathyal waters (300-500 m) are often underexplored, especially in the Indian Ocean. The paucity of data, including on the biodiversity, ecology, and vulnerability of these habitats and the communities they support, leads to their omission from most conservation and management decisions and practices. We investigated for the first time the structure and diversity (taxonomic and functional) of demersal fish communities from the central and southern atolls of the Maldives, spanning a wide bathymetric gradient of 2-500 m to better understand whether and how their vulnerability changes across depth.

Numerical Analysis of a SiN Digital Fourier Transform Spectrometer for a Non-Invasive Skin Cancer Biosensor.

Early detection and continuous monitoring of diseases are critical to improving patient outcomes, treatment adherence, and diagnostic accuracy. Traditional melanoma diagnosis relies primarily on visual assessment and biopsy, with reported accuracies ranging from 50% to 90% and significant inter-observer variability. Among emerging diagnostic technologies, Raman spectroscopy has demonstrated considerable promise for non-invasive disease detection, particularly in early-stage skin cancer identification.

Probiotics and Cancer: Mechanistic Insights and Organ-Specific Impact.

Probiotics have been revealed in various studies to modulate the gut microbiome and have a substantial impact on cancers, comprising oesophageal, lung, liver, and colorectal cancer. These properties are endorsed by a diverse mechanism, including the modulation of the gut microbiome; preventing the metabolism of carcinogenic substances; exertion of anti-inflammatory action, immunopotentiator properties, and antioxidant activities; prevention of tumour growth; and decreasing the adverse effects of chemotherapy. There are promising perspectives regarding the new and developing field of probiotic research in relation to cancer treatment.

Bacteria Optimize Tumble Bias to Strategically Navigate Surface Constraints.

In natural environments, solid surfaces present both opportunities and challenges for bacteria. On one hand, they serve as platforms for biofilm formation, crucial for bacterial colonization and resilience in harsh conditions. On the other hand, surfaces can entrap bacteria for extended periods and force them to swim along circular trajectories, constraining their environmental exploration compared to the freedom they experience in the bulk liquid.

Genomics Reveals Recent Rapid Speciation of Sea Snakes of the Genus (Reptilia, Squamata, Elapidae).

Understanding the mechanisms of speciation in the open ocean, where few obvious geographic barriers exist, is an important question in ecology. Marine amniotes are an ideal model for studying speciation in the ocean because monophyly is ensured in many groups with evident time points when they have begun their life in the sea. Among such marine amniotes, sea snakes of the genus exhibit an extremely high species diversity.

Hidden figures underlying quality measures: revealing hidden racial inequalities in end-of-life cancer care delivery: a cohort study.

Background: Calls for healthcare systems to reduce disparities in cancer care access and outcomes draw on comparisons of existing measures across race and ethnicity subgroups. This approach may hide inequities driven by systematic bias in the timing of care delivery. The goals of this study were to: (1) identify differences in the timing of care delivery between racial groups, and (2) determine whether these differences could be identified from quality measures.

Mitogenome data of Kloss, 1929 (Abbott's Gray Gibbon).

Complete mitochondrial genomes provide valuable insights into species identification, accompanied by their respective geographic variation, molecular taxonomy, conservation strategies, and phylogenetic relationships among primates. This data article presents the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of (Abbott's gray gibbon), a species endemic to southwest Borneo, previously classified as a subspecies of (the Bornean gibbon). The mitogenome is 16,501 base pairs in length, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a control region.

Effect of disruption of mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum calcium homeostasis on neurites in hydrogen peroxide- and ionomycin-treated cells.

Neurite degeneration is seen in the early stages of many neurodegenerative diseases, and is strongly related to oxidative damage. Possible mechanisms underlying this morphological change include dysruption of calcium homeostasis, increased membrane oxidation, and destabilization of cytoskeletal proteins. However, the detailed mechanisms leading to neuronal damage has not been elucidated.

Is nerve-directed stretching effective for improving of ankle joint flexibility and tissue stiffness in older men?

Age-related decrease in joint flexibility leads to difficulties in activities of daily living and an increased risk of falls. The current study investigated whether nerve-directed stretching, which focuses on stretching neural tissue, could acutely improve joint flexibility and tissue stiffness more than muscle-directed stretching or not. Twenty-seven older men performed muscle- and nerve-directed stretching for 400 ‍s (40 s × 10 times) on separate days.

Day-To-Day Variation in Masseteric Electromyographic Waveforms During the Diurnal Awake State.

Background: To establish diagnostic/assessment criteria for awake bruxism (AB) using electromyography of the masseter muscle during the diurnal awake state (d-EMG), it is necessary to refer to the actual state of variation of d-EMG waveforms between different days (d-variation).

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the actual state of d-variation in various indices of d-EMG waveforms.

Methods: The participants included 91 volunteers with or without awareness of diurnal tooth clenching.

Environmental, social, and governance enablers of the hydrogen supply chain: Application of community operational research using STRIDES framework.

Hydrogen supply chains in Mexico are faced with intricate challenges that require a strategic approach. These challenges are complex, involving technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory factors. To tackle them effectively, we need a thorough strategy that considers how these factors interact with each other.

Comparing the hamstring muscle activity between injured and non-injured sides during a variety of Nordic hamstring exercises.

Objectives: To compare the electromyographic activity of the Biceps femoris long head and Semitendinosus muscles during bilateral and unilateral isometric Nordic hamstring exercise performed on an inclined platform at different knee flexion angles between leg side with and without a history of hamstring strain injury.

Methods: Ten physically active male volunteers with a history of hamstring strain injury in either leg performed isometric Nordic hamstring exercise, maintaining the exercise position for 5 s under the following conditions: (1) bilateral, 150° knee angle on a 50° inclined platform (BL50); (2) bilateral, 140° knee angle on a 40° inclined platform (BL40); (3) unilateral, 150° knee angle on a 50° inclined platform (UL50); and (4) unilateral, 140° knee angle on a 40° inclined platform (UL40). External torque on the knee joint was controlled to ensure equivalence across conditions.

Efficacy of combinatorial inhibition of Hedgehog and autophagy pathways on the survival of AML cell lines.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common hematopoietic disease that results from diverse genetic abnormalities. Dysregulation of important signaling pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt and Hedgehog pathways, plays crucial roles in the development of AML. Hedgehog pathway (Hh) is a conserved signaling pathway that is crucial throughout embryogenesis.

Aging-associated changes in immunological parameters: Implications for COVID-19 immune response in the elderly.

Aging has a profound impact on the immune system, leading to a gradual decline in its function and increased systemic inflammation, collectively known as immunosenescence and inflammaging. These changes make older adults more susceptible to infections, including COVID-19, and contribute to worse clinical outcomes, such as higher morbidity and mortality rates. This review explores immunological changes associated with aging, including impaired innate immune responses, reduced T- and B-cell function, and altered cytokine profiles.

Effect of ECM nanostructures in decellularized small intestine on differentiation of intestinal epithelial model cells.

Caco-2 cells are derived from human colon cancer and have the ability to differentiate into human intestinal epithelial-like cells. The 2D in vitro intestinal model of Caco-2 cells cultured on a semi-permeable membrane is widely used in drug development and the evaluation of absorption functions. However, these intestinal models lack the structural characteristics of the small intestine in vivo, and the cell behavior is not properly controlled.

The effect of Greek mountain tea extract and wheat germ extract on peripheral blood flow and eicosanoid metabolism in mammals.

Introduction: Polyphenols are a group of compounds identified as secondary metabolites of plants, with 8,000 types identified to date. Previous research findings have indicated the potential anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenols, with studies suggesting a reduction in disease risk and therapeutic benefits observed in various diseases, including diabesity, neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Objective: The objective of this study was to comprehensively analyze the polyphenol composition of extracts of Greek mountain tea (GMT) and wheat germ (WG) and investigate their effects on microcirculation and eicosanoid metabolism.

Amplitude fluctuations of cerebrovascular oscillations and CSF movement desynchronize during NREM3 sleep.

Fluctuations in cerebral blood volume (CBV) are a dominant mechanism aiding cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) movement in the brain during wakefulness and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. However, it is unclear if the amplitudes of CBV oscillations also change in proportion to the changes in amplitude of CSF movement across specific NREM sleep states. It is also not known if the coupling strength between them varies between NREM sleep states.

Looking into New Sources of Bioactives: Seasonal Variation in Bioactive Compounds and Dietary Fiber of Agave Bagasse from Mezcal Production.

The production of mezcal from agave is one of the main beverage industries worldwide, generating large amounts of waste, such as agave bagasse. Improper management of this waste often causes environmental contamination. Some studies have begun to demonstrate that agave bagasse has the potential to be recycled as a source of functional ingredients due to its dietary fiber and bioactive compound content.

Improved Frontal Gel Filtration Chromatography to Examine the Interaction between Small Molecules and a Protein with Multiple Specific Binding Sites.

Interaction between small molecules (ligands) and a protein is the basis of protein function and drug action. Therefore, it is essential to know the number and binding constants of specific binding sites that are most relevant to protein functions. These binding parameters can be estimated by the analysis of the average number of bound ligands per protein () as a function of free ligand concentration ([L]).

Biodiversity and biogeography of zooxanthellate soft corals across the Indo-Pacific.

Documentation of biodiversity and its geographical distribution is necessary to understand the processes and drivers of evolutionary diversification as well as to guide conservation and management initiatives. Among the most emblematic patterns of biodiversity in the world's oceans is the Coral Triangle (Indo-Australian Archipelago), widely recognized to be the center of species richness for a variety of marine life forms. The distribution of biodiversity remains incompletely documented, however, for a majority of reef-associated invertebrate taxa, including the zooxanthellate soft corals (Octocorallia) that dominate hard substrate on many Indo-Pacific reefs.

Facile synthesis of RNF(HFIP) complexes from KF and their application to electrochemical fluorination.

By exploiting the difference in solubility between KF and KBr in the co-solvent HFIP/CHCl, RNF(HFIP) complexes were synthesised in excellent yields from the ion exchange reaction between KF and RNBr. The resulting BuNF(HFIP) was found to have extremely low hygroscopicity and to be effective as a supporting electrolyte and fluorinating reagent in electrochemical fluorination.

Evaluation of temperament traits and its association with visual lateralisation in oval squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana).

Many animals feature a left-right asymmetry of brain, morphological structure, and behaviour, namely, lateralisation, which exhibits individual variation within the same population and species. Such variation of lateralisation may be one of mechanisms underlying temperament traits, which is defined by consistent between-individual variation in behaviour across time and/or contexts. Coleoid cephalopods exhibits the individual variation of lateralisation and temperament traits, but it is unrevealed whether there are associations between them.

Terahertz-based identification of waste paper for improved recycling in Japan.

The identification of different types of wastepaper is important during recycling. In this study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of nondestructive diagnostic testing using terahertz waves. Seven types of paper, including contraband paper, were irradiated with terahertz waves of multiple frequencies over a wide bandwidth, and their transmission characteristics evaluated and contrasted.

Precocious maturation and semi-multivoltine lifecycle in a subtropical grass lizard, .

There are many short-lived animals, but those displaying a lifecycle with more than one generation per year (multivoltine lifecycle) are rare among terrestrial vertebrates. The multivoltine lifecycle requires rapid growth and maturation and a long active season. Thus, small lizards in humid tropical or subtropical areas are candidates for multivoltine lifecycles.

Quantitative Generation of HF from KF and Formation of Amine-3HF Complexes by Using Cation Exchange Reaction Between KF and Amberlyst 15DRY.

A safe and convenient method for the quantitative generation of hydrogen fluoride (HF) from potassium fluoride (KF) at room temperature was successfully demonstrated using the cation exchange reaction between KF and Amberlyst 15DRY in acetonitrile (MeCN). After one of the cation exchange reactions, HF was generated from KF in 69% yield. On the other hand, HF was generated quantitatively by removing the generated HF and repeating the cation exchange reaction seven times.