AIDA

Recent innovations in single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) provide the technology to investigate biological questions at cellular resolution. Pooling cells from multiple individuals has become a common strategy, and droplets can subsequently be assigned to a specific individual by leveraging their inherent genetic differences. An implicit challenge with scRNA-seq is the occurrence of doublets-droplets containing two or more cells. We develop Demuxafy, a framework to enhance donor assignment and doublet removal through the consensus intersection of multiple demultiplexing and doublet detecting methods...

Eukaryotic genes undergo a mechanism called alternative processing, resulting in transcriptome diversity by allowing the production of multiple distinct transcripts from a gene. More than half of human genes are affected, and the resulting transcripts are highly conserved among orthologous genes of distinct species. In this work, we present the definition of orthology and paralogy between transcripts of homologous genes, together with an algorithm to compute clusters of conserved orthologous and paralogous transcripts...

Carbons form critical components in biogas purification and energy storage systems and are used to modify polymer matrices. The environmental impact of producing carbons has driven research interest in biomass-derived carbons, although these have yield, processing, and resource competition limitations. Naturally formed fungal filaments are investigated, which are abundantly available as food- and biotechnology-industry by-products and wastes as cost-effective and sustainable templates for carbon networks. Pyrolyzed Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus eryngii filament networks are mesoporous and microscale with a size regime close to carbon fibers...

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Intestinal duplication is an uncommon congenital malformation affecting the alimentary tract. This article presents a case of enteric duplication cyst (EDC) in an adult, accompanied by a review of the available literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old woman with polymyositis underwent a routine CT scan as part of her medical assessment revealing an 8 cm mass near the caecum and terminal ileum. Diagnostic procedures confirmed a cystic spherical mass...

Estimating the habitual food and nutrient intakes of a population is based on dietary assessment methods that collect detailed information on food consumption. Establishing the list of foods to be used for collecting data in dietary surveys is central to standardizing data collection. Comparing foods across different data sources is always challenging. Nomenclatures, detail, and classification into broad food groups and sub-groups can vary considerably. The use of a common system for classifying and describing foods is an important prerequisite for analyzing data from different sources...

Sodium, although essential for life, is a key factor in changes in vascular function and cardiovascular disease when consumed in excess. Sarcocornia spp., a halophyte plant with many nutritional benefits, presents itself as a promising substitute for the consumption of purified salt. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 are widely studied due to their action in physiological processes and as biomarkers at the diagnostic level due to their increased expression in inflammatory processes. This study aimed to evaluate whether replacing salt with Sarcocornia perennis ( S...

The imagistic evaluation of non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is crucial for diagnosis, monitoring progression, and guiding management of the disease. Dry AMD, characterized primarily by the presence of drusen and retinal pigment epithelium atrophy, requires detailed visualization of the retinal structure to assess its severity and progression. Several imaging modalities are pivotal in the evaluation of non-neovascular AMD, including optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, or color fundus photography...

The preparation and implementation of interdisciplinary oncological case reviews are time-consuming and complex. The variety of clinical and radiological information must be presented in a clear and comprehensible manner. Only if all relevant patient-specific information is demonstrated in a short time frame can well-founded treatment decisions be made on this basis. Mixed reality (MR) technology as a multimodal interactive user interface could enhance understanding in multidisciplinary collaboration by visualising radiological or clinical data...

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the potential of utilizing the expression levels of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), μ-opioid receptor (MOR), MCP-1, IL-17, IFN-γ, and osteopontin as predictors for the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The overarching goal is to delineate the pathogenic mechanisms associated with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: Using quantitative Real-time PCR, we analyzed the gene expression levels of CB2 and MOR in nasopharynx specimens obtained from patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, with 46 individuals classified as having severe symptoms and 46 as non-severe...

AIMS: Drug-refractory electrical storm (ES) is a life-threatening medical emergency. We describe the use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in drug-refractory ES without a reversible trigger, for which specific guideline recommendations are still lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective observational study in four Iberian centres on the indications, treatment, complications, and outcome of drug-refractory ES not associated with acute coronary syndromes, decompensated heart failure, drug toxicity, electrolyte disturbances, endocrine emergencies, concomitant acute illness with fever, or poor compliance with anti-arrhythmic drugs, requiring VA-ECMO for circulatory support...

Biallelic TOE1 variants can cause pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 7 (PCH7), a condition characterized by pontocerebellar hypoplasia with genital abnormality. TOE1 is a 3'-exonuclese for 3'-end maturation in small nuclear RNA. TOE1 pathogenic variants have been reported at the DEDD catalytic domain and zinc finger motif. Here, we describe a PCH7 patient with novel compound heterozygous TOE1 variants and a detailed clinical course. The patient was a 3-year-old female and showed developmental delay without cerebellar ataxic behavior...

OBJECTIVE: From 1995, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) has regularly investigated the progress of the hospital pharmacy profession in Europe, and identified key barriers and drivers of this. The most recent 'Investigation of the Hospital Pharmacy Profession in Europe' was conducted from November 2022 to March 2023. METHODS: The online questionnaire was sent to all hospital pharmacies in EAHP member countries. The investigation was drafted using the same questions as the 2015 baseline survey...

The circadian clock controls behavior and metabolism in various organisms. However, the exact timing and strength of rhythmic phenotypes can vary significantly between individuals of the same species. This is highly relevant for rhythmically complex marine environments where organismal rhythmic diversity likely permits the occupation of different microenvironments. When investigating circadian locomotor behavior of Platynereis dumerilii, a model system for marine molecular chronobiology, we found strain-specific, high variability between individual worms...

The microbial community of cattle rumen (archaea) are the key players in methane emissions. Methane pollutes the atmosphere and leads to the loss of feed energy. The aim of this study was to comparatively investigate the cattle microbiota, with a particular focus on archaea, in relation to the type of housing: pasture versus stall. A 16S metabarcoding analysis of the intestinal contents of cattle was carried out. Аlpha - diversity of grazing animals showed to be higher compared to animals in the stall period (p=0...

In this article, we present the design and synthesis of amino-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromenone derivatives as possible inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) for the management of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The target compounds were evaluated against AChE and BChE in vitro, and 4k exhibited good potency against BChE (IC50  = 0.65 ± 0.13 µM) compared with donepezil used as a positive control. Kinetic studies revealed that compound 4k exhibited a competitive-type inhibition with a Ki value of 0...

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems have received much attention over the past decade. In the present study, we synthesized Methyl Urolithin A-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles decorated with the folic acid-linked chitosan layer called MuSCF-NPs and investigated their effects on cancer cells. METHODS: MuSCF-NPs were prepared using a high-pressure homogenization method and characterized using FTIR, FESEM, DLS, and zeta potential methods. Drug encapsulation was assessed by spectrophotometry and its cytotoxic effect on various cancer cells (MDA-MB231, MCF-7, PANC, AGS, and HepG2) by the MTT method...

Many large molecular machines are too elaborate to assemble spontaneously and are built through ordered pathways orchestrated by dedicated chaperones. During assembly of the core particle (CP) of the proteasome, where protein degradation occurs, its six active sites are simultaneously activated via cleavage of N-terminal propeptides. Such activation is autocatalytic and coupled to fusion of two half-CP intermediates, which protects cells by preventing activation until enclosure of the active sites within the CP interior...

Mitochondria have a crucial role in cellular function and exhibit remarkable plasticity, adjusting both their structure and activity to meet the changing energy demands of a cell. Oocytes, female germ cells that become eggs, undergo unique transformations: the extended dormancy period, followed by substantial increase in cell size and subsequent maturation involving the segregation of genetic material for the next generation, present distinct metabolic challenges necessitating varied mitochondrial adaptations...

AIM: This study aims to design chemically crosslinked thiolated cyclodextrin-based hydrogels and to evaluate their mucoadhesive properties via mucosal residence time studies on porcine small intestinal mucosa and on porcine buccal mucosa. METHODS: Free thiol groups of heptakis(6-deoxy-6-thio)-β-cyclodextrin (β-CD-SH) were S-protected with 2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid (MESNA) followed by crosslinking with citric acid. Cytotoxicity was assessed by hemolysis as well as resazurin assay...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The analysis of microbiome in association with female health is today a "hot topic" with the main focus on microbes in the female reproductive tract. Nevertheless, recent studies are providing novel information of the possible influence of the gut microbiome on gynecological health outcomes, especially as we start to understand that the gut microbiome is an extended endocrine organ influencing female hormonal levels. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the gut microbes in association with gynecological health...