Biofortification of tomatoes with beta-carotene through targeted gene editing.

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most severe micronutrient-related health issues worldwide. Tomatoes, a widely cultivated crop for their adaptability, nutritional value, and lycopene content (a beta-carotene precursor), are ideal candidates for biofortification. In this study, CRISPR-mediated knockout mutants (cr-SlLCYe and cr-SlBCH) were generated to enhance the precursor supply to the β-carotene biosynthetic pathway and reduce its degradation.

Single-cell transcriptomic atlas of human retina from Chinese donors reveals population-specific cellular diversity.

The human retina exhibits complex cellular heterogeneity which is critical for visual function, yet comprehensive ethnic-specific references are scarce in ophthalmic transcriptomics. The lack of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from Asian populations particularly Chinese donors imposes significant limitations in understanding population-specific retinal biology. We constructed the first comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the human retina from Chinese donors, generated through high-throughput scRNA-seq of ∼290,000 viable cells obtained from 18 fresh retinal specimens (living donor and post-mortem specimens).

The evidence for biomechanical and physiological parameters as biomarkers to discriminate between individuals with and without non-specific neck pain using sensor devices: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Neck pain is among the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions worldwide. The underlying cause mostly remains unidentified, classified as non-specific neck pain. Pain can alter movement patterns and physiological responses, suggesting that certain biomechanical and physiological changes may serve as objective biomarkers for non-specific neck pain.

Exploring touch-colour associations in achromatopsia: A case study.

Crossmodal correspondences - systematic mappings between stimulus attributes in different modalities - are ubiquitous in the general population. For example, high-pitched (vs low-pitched) sounds are commonly associated with elevated (vs low) positions in space, and rounded (vs angular) shapes tend to be linked to the term 'Bouba' (vs 'Kiki'). There is still some debate about the role of immediate sensory experience versus conceptual colour understanding in crossmodal correspondences.

Impulsivity and neuroticism share distinct functional connectivity signatures with alcohol-use risk in youth.

Increases in impulsivity and negative affect (e.g., neuroticism) are common during adolescence and are both associated with risk for alcohol-use initiation and other risk behaviors.

Feasibility and Acceptability of Complete Vocal Technique-Voice Therapy as a Treatment for Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Feasibility Trial.

Aims And Objectives: Primary muscle tension dysphonia (pMTD) is a common cause of voice disorders and is treated by speech and language pathologists (SLPs). Some singing teachers specializing in the habilitation of the performance voice also have rehabilitation skills helping singers recover from illness. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using a structured and well-characterized habilitation and rehabilitation pedagogic technique for singers, The Complete Vocal Technique (CVT), in the treatment of patients with speaking voice problems due to pMTD.

Chitin nanocrystal/carboxymethyl cellulose bilayer emulsion with rigid inner layer and flexible outer shell for ultra-stable encapsulation of fish oil.

The polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil are prone to oxidation and have poor dispersibility, which limits their use in the food sector. In this work, oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by chitin nanocrystals (ChNC) were prepared via high-speed homogenization. Anionic carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was assembled onto cationic ChNC-stabilized emulsion droplet surfaces via layer-by-layer self-assembly technology to construct ChNC/CMC (Ch-C) bilayer emulsions with rigid inner layer and flexible outer shell structures.

'For the love of God, just refer me': a co-produced qualitative study of the experiences of people with Tourette Syndrome and tic disorders accessing healthcare services in the UK.

Objectives: Chronic tic disorders (CTDs)-such as Tourette Syndrome (TS)-are neurodevelopmental disorders affecting at least 1% of the population, causing repetitive involuntary movements and vocalisations known as tics. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of accessing healthcare for people with CTD or TS and their families in the United Kingdom (UK), as part of a larger programme of work to inform change to healthcare services for this population.

Design: Informed and designed with extensive patient and public involvement, the design utilised qualitative research using focus groups.

The gut-liver axis in progressive steatotic liver disease: A focus on bile acid dysregulation.

Introduction: The gut-liver axis regulates metabolic homeostasis, with bile acids (BAs) serving as key signalling molecules. BA dysregulation is implicated in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction- and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD), yet consistent identification of BA markers and their mechanistic roles across different stages of these diseases remain elusive.

Methods: We integrated three complementary studies to examine BA dysregulation: a population-based cohort (1522 females from TwinsUK with serum BA and liver biomarker data), a clinical cohort (30 patients with steatotic liver disease, fibrosis stages F0-F4, and 4 controls), and rodent models (20 rats with MASLD/MetALD vs.

Working across religions, cultures, settings, and development: Protocol for wave 2 data collection with children and parents by the developing belief network.

The Developing Belief Network is a global research collaborative studying religious development in diverse social-cultural settings, with a focus on the intersection of cognitive mechanisms and cultural beliefs and practices in early and middle childhood. The current manuscript describes the study protocol for the network's second wave of data collection, which aims to further explore the development and diversity of religious cognition and behavior using a multi-time point approach. This protocol is designed to investigate three key research questions-how children represent and reason about religious and supernatural agents, how children represent and reason about religion as an aspect of social identity, and how religious and supernatural beliefs are transmitted within and between generations-via a set of eight tasks for children between the ages of 5 and 13 years and a survey completed by their parents/caregivers.

trials in ocular drug development: a new frontier in ophthalmology.

Introduction: In silico trials represent an unprecedented opportunity for ocular drug development. These trials not only promise significant reductions in costs and development timelines but also meaningful improvements in both patient safety and compliance.

Areas Covered: This critical perspective gives discussion to the value of in silico trials for novel ocular drug discovery and development.

Influence of aerobic fitness status on the power output decrement during repeated sprint running in females.

Background: This study examined the influence of two aerobic fitness indices (VO2max and [%4mM] i.e. the relative intensity [%VO2max] corresponding to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol·L) on the recovery of power output during repeated sprinting.

Cholangiocarcinoma in Denmark: time-trends in mortality following resection.

Background: Cholangiocarcinomas have a poor prognosis, and resection is the only curative-intent treatment. We examined time-trends in mortality risk after resection in a nationwide Danish cohort.

Methods: We identified all Danish citizens diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in 2004-2022 who subsequently underwent liver resection, biliary tract resection, or a combination of the two.

The complex pangenome is small and shaped by sub-lineage-specific regions of difference.

The complex (MTBC) is a group of bacteria causing tuberculosis (TB) in humans and animals. Understanding MTBC genetic diversity is crucial for insights into its adaptation and traits related to survival, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. While it is known that within-MTBC diversity is characterised by large deletions found only in certain lineages (regions of difference [RDs]), a comprehensive pangenomic analysis incorporating both coding and non-coding regions remains unexplored.

N-Doped Graphene for Biomedical Applications: A Comparative Biocompatibility Assessment of Green and Chemical Exfoliation.

Graphene-based nanomaterials have transformed biomedical applications due to their exceptional physicochemical properties, and nitrogen (N)-doping further enhances the electrocatalytic activity of graphene. Driven by the demand for safer and more sustainable nanomaterials, in this work, we compared eco-friendly produced - doped graphene (bD) with conventionally synthesized - doped graphene (cD) in three different cell lines. Across all cell types and assays, cD was more toxic than bD.

Genetic and Cellular Architecture of Breast Cancer Risk in Multi-Ancestry Studies of 159,297 Cases and 212,102 Controls.

Breast cancer genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified over 200 independent genome-wide significant susceptibility markers. However, most studies have focused on one or two ancestral groups. We examined breast cancer genetic architecture using GWAS summary statistics from African (AFR), East Asian (EAS), European (EUR) and Hispanic/Latina (H/L) samples, totaling 159,297 cases and 212,102 controls, comprising the largest multi-ancestry study of breast cancer to date.

A multi-frequency whole-brain neural mass model with homeostatic feedback inhibition.

Whole-brain models are valuable tools for understanding brain dynamics in health and disease by enabling the testing of causal mechanisms and identification of therapeutic targets through dynamic simulations. Among these models, biophysically inspired neural mass models have been widely used to simulate electrophysiological recordings, such as MEG and EEG. However, traditional models face limitations, including susceptibility to hyperexcitation, which constrains their ability to capture the full richness of neural dynamics.

Pharyngeal electrical stimulation to treat dysphagia in acute stroke: learnings from cases in the PhEED clinical trial.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of pharyngeal electrical stimulation in improving dysphagia post-stroke.

Design: A randomized, sham-controlled, blinded multicentre clinical trial.

Subjects/patients: Seventeen patients with acute ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke experiencing dysphagia, indicated by a penetration aspiration scale score of 4-8 on videofluoroscopy.

Density-dependent network structuring within and across wild animal systems.

Theory predicts that high population density leads to more strongly connected spatial and social networks, but how local density drives individuals' positions within their networks is unclear. This gap reduces our ability to understand and predict density-dependent processes. Here we show that density drives greater network connectedness at the scale of individuals within wild animal populations.

SNAP-3: characteristics of specific subgroups of older patients undergoing surgery in the UK.

Background: The SNAP-3 study reported one in five older surgical patients in the UK were living with frailty and two in three with multimorbidity. We now report characteristics and outcomes of specific subgroups of patients including individuals aged ≥85 yr, undergoing day or inpatient surgery and elective or emergency surgery, and undergoing common specialty procedures including orthopaedics, urology, colorectal surgery, and hip arthroplasty.

Methods: This prospective observational cohort study recruited patients aged ≥60 yr undergoing surgery during five days in March 2022 across 214 UK hospitals.