Search Results (77)

Pteridium aquilinum (bracken fern) poses a global threat to biodiversity and to the health of both animals and humans due to its toxic metabolites and aggressive ecological expansion. In northern Spain, particularly in regions of intensive livestock farming, these risks may be exacerbated, calling for urgent assessment and monitoring strategies. In this study, we implemented a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate the toxicological and ecological relevance of P. aquilinum through four key actions: (a) quantification of pterosins A and B in young fronds (croziers) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS); (b) analysis of in vivo genotoxicity of aqueous extracts using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism; (c) a large-scale survey of local livestock farmers to assess awareness and perceived impact of bracken; and (d) the development and field application of a drone-based mapping tool to assess the spatial distribution of the species at the regional level. Our results confirm the consistent presence of pterosins A and B in croziers, with concentrations ranging from 0.17 to 2.20 mg/g dry weight for PtrB and 13.39 to 257 µg/g for PtrA. Both metabolite concentrations and genotoxicity levels were found to correlate with latitude and, importantly, with each other. All tested samples exhibited genotoxic activity, with notable differences among them. The farmer survey (n = 212) revealed that only 50% of respondents were aware of the toxic risks posed by bracken, indicating a need for targeted outreach. The drone-assisted mapping approach proved to be a promising tool for identifying bracken-dominated areas and provides a scalable foundation for future ecological monitoring and land management strategies. Altogether, our findings emphasize that P. aquilinum is not merely a local concern but a globally relevant toxic species whose monitoring and control demand coordinated scientific and policy-based efforts. Full article

The objective of this study was to examine whether fine motor skills (FMS) and executive function (EF) are unique predictors of school readiness (SR). The sample was 108 preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBP; Mean ± SD = 60.37 ± 3.94 months pre-intervention, 68% male) enrolled in a comprehensive 7-week school readiness summer program open trial. FMS were measured with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic Third Edition (LAP-D); EF was measured with the Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders (HTKS), and SR was measured with the Bracken School Readiness Assessment Third Edition (BSRA-3). All assessments were given pre- and post-intervention. All models controlled for participant age and socio-economic status (SES). Examining data pre-intervention, FMS but not EF uniquely predicted SR, explaining 46% of the variance. At post-intervention, both FMS and EF predicted SR, explaining 33% of the variance. These findings underscore the importance of screening both FMS and EF in preschoolers with EBP as they prepare to transition to kindergarten, as these domains both contribute to characterizing SR. Full article

Shrubland vegetation plays a crucial role in ecological processes, but its conservation is facing threats due to climate change, wildfires, and human activities. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or ‘drones’, have become valuable tools for detailed vegetation mapping, providing high-resolution imagery and 3D models despite challenges such as legal restrictions and limited coverage. We developed a methodology for estimating vegetation height, map vegetation classes, and fuel models by using multitemporal UAV data (imagery and point clouds from the imagery) and other ancillary data to provide insights into habitat condition and fuel characteristics. Two different random forest classification methods (an object- and a pixel-based approach) for discriminating between vegetation classes and fuel models were developed and compared. The method showed promise for characterizing vegetation structure (shrub height), with an RMSE of less than 0.3 m and slight overestimation of taller heights. For discriminating between vegetation classes and fuel models, the best results were obtained with the object-based random forest approach, with overall accuracies of 0.96 and 0.93, respectively. Although some difficulties were encountered in distinguishing low shrubs and brackens and in distinguishing low-height fuel models due to the spatial mixture, accurate results were obtained for most classes. Future improvements include refining terrain models by including data acquired with UAV aerial scanners and exploring different phenological stages and machine learning approaches for classification. Full article

Objectives: This article compares metabolic, pancreatic, and gut-derived hormone responses to isomaltulose ingestion, before versus during submaximal sustained exercise, in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using automated insulin delivery systems. Methods: In a randomized, cross-over trial, eight participants with T1D being treated with automated insulin pumps (five females, age: 47 ± 16 years, BMI: 27.5 ± 3.8 kg·m², diabetes duration: 23 ± 11 years, HbA1c: 8.3 ± 0.9 [67.5 ± 9.5]% [mmol/mol]) attended the laboratory on two separate occasions and consumed an isocaloric amount of isomaltulose as either (1) a single serving (0.75g CHO·kg⁻¹ BM) with a 25% reduction in bolus insulin 90 min before 45 min of cycling (PEC) or (2) three separate isocaloric servings (0.25g CHO·kg⁻¹ BM each) without bolus insulin during exercise (DEC). Plasma glucose (PG), gut incretins (GLP-1 and GIP), pancreatic glucagon, exogenous insulin, and whole-body fuel oxidation rates were determined. Data were treated via a two-way repeated measures ANOVA, with p ≤ 0.05 accepted as significant. Results: PG concentrations throughout exercise were higher and less variable with DEC compared to PEC. The exercise-induced change in PG was directionally divergent between trials (PEC: ∆ − 3.2 ± 1.2 mmol/L vs. DEC: ∆ + 1.7 ± 1.5 mmol/L, p < 0.001), changing at a rate of −0.07 ± 0.03 mmol/L/min with PEC and +0.04 ± 0.03 mmol/L/min with DEC (p < 0.001 between conditions). Throughout the exercise period, GLP-1, GIP, glucagon, and total insulin concentrations were lower with DEC (all p ≤ 0.02). The oxidation rates of carbohydrates were lower (p = 0.009) and of lipids were greater (p = 0.014) with DEC compared to PEC. Conclusions: The consumption of smaller servings of isomaltulose during, rather than as a single isocaloric serving before, submaximal sustained exercise provided (i) a better glycemic protective effect, (ii) a lesser push on pancreatic and gut-mediated glucoregulatory hormones, and (iii) a lower reliance on whole-body carbohydrate oxidation. Such information serves to remind us of the potential importance of nutrition for modulating the metabolic fate of an acute bout of exercise and may help inform best practice guidelines for exercise management in the T1D-sphere. Full article

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC), and sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) are rare malignancies arising from the sinonasal tract with limited therapeutic options. The expression of the somatostatin receptor 2 gene (SSTR2), which is expressed in other neuroendocrine neoplasms and is therapeutically actionable, has been reported in these tumors. Here, we analyzed SSTR2 gene expression and its associations with genomic features, established biomarkers predicting of immune response, and the tumor immune microenvironment in a cohort of ONB, SNUC, and SNEC tumor samples (26, 13, and 8 samples, respectively) from a real-world database. SSTR2 gene expression was high in neural-type ONB and low in basal-type ONB and in most of the SNUC and SNEC cases; there was no difference in expression between primary and metastatic tumors. The T cell-inflamed (TCI) score analysis classified 38.5% of SNUC cases as T cell-inflamed compared to only 3.9% of ONB and 0% of SNEC cases; 26.9% of ONB cases were classified as intermediate TCI; and SNEC had the lowest relative immune cell infiltration by deconvolution. In high SSTR2-expressing ONB, there was a higher proportion of infiltrating of Natural Killer cells and dendritic cells by deconvolution. Additionally, high SSTR2-expressing ONB was enriched for proliferation pathways, including E2F and Myc targets and G2M checkpoints. In conclusion, our findings delineate significant differences between these three types of sinonasal malignancies that were examined. In ONB, relative to SNUC and SNEC, the SSTR2 expression profile, combined with its immune profiles, indicates potential novel therapeutic strategies and combinations for this unmet clinical need. Conversely, the inflammatory microenvironment of SNUC may be targetable using immuno-oncologic therapies. Full article

Immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) has a relatively high relapse rate compared to other immune-mediated diseases. Leflunomide is frequently used to treat dogs with IMPA in conjunction with prednisolone. This retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of leflunomide as an adjunctive therapy to prednisolone in reducing relapse and mortality rates in dogs diagnosed with IMPA in Australia. The medical records of client-owned dogs diagnosed with IMPA at a specialist referral hospital in Southeast Queensland from 2017 to 2024 were reviewed. A total of 93 dogs were included in this study, divided into two groups based on the treatment received: Group PRED, consisting of 53 dogs treated with prednisolone as the sole immunosuppressive agent, and Group L+PRED, consisting of 40 dogs that received leflunomide as adjunctive therapy alongside prednisolone. Data collected included breed, age, weight, sex, serum C-reactive protein concentration, results of synovial fluid analysis and microbial culture, treatment protocol, relapse rates and time to relapse, and mortality rates. There was no difference in relapse or mortality rates, time to relapse, nor time to discontinue prednisolone between the PRED and L+PRED groups. The L+PRED group had higher body weights and lower prednisolone dose rate at discharge compared to those in the PRED group. This study demonstrated that the use of leflunomide as an adjunctive therapy to prednisolone for the treatment of dogs with IMPA had no improved outcomes, reduced relapse rates, or shortening in the duration of prednisolone therapy when compared to dogs receiving prednisolone monotherapy. Full article

Background: This study’s purpose was to evaluate the relationship between dance training volume, body composition, and habitual diet in female collegiate dancers. Methods: Thirty-three female collegiate dancers from three dance programs (20.4 ± 1.05 yrs.; 165.4 ± 11.3 cm, BMI 21.3 ± 3.4 kg/m²) participated in “The Intercollegiate Artistic Athlete Research Assessment (TIAARA)” study. We assessed dance training volume, body composition, and habitual diet. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means ± SD). Two-sample t-tests were conducted to compare reported intake values versus sports nutrition recommendations. Two-tailed Pearson correlations (r) were computed for body composition and dietary intake (p < 0.05). Results: Collegiate dancers were enrolled in 16 ± 2.09 semester credits, with 7.7 ± 3.8 credits as dance movement courses and an additional 3.0 ± 1.5 h/week of rehearsal time. Body composition assessments included fat mass (24.4 ± 6.8%), lean mass (LM) (42.4 ± 10.1 kg), and total body water (32.6 ± 4.6 L). Habitual diets reflected a low-calorie diet (1399 ± 648 kcal/d), with ~20% of dancers consuming a very low-calorie diet (≤1000 kcal/d). Dancers reported under-consuming dietary protein (54.3 ± 26.2 g) and carbohydrate (171.8 ± 77.8 g). LM was positively correlated with daily total energy (r = 0.333), fat (r = 0.37), protein (r = 0.349), and leucine intake (r = 0.352). Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the positive effect of adequate nutritional quantity and quality on body composition in female collegiate dancers. Full article

For most, the way to process thought has been through mathematician-turned-philosopher Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947). However, his contemporary, Swedish–American philosopher John Elof Boodin (1869–1950), offers another path. While both clearly exposit a process-based philosophy/theology, there are important differences. The main purpose of this essay is to delineate those differences and highlight Boodin’s concept of cosmic immanence (CI) as a key feature separating him from Whitehead’s metaphysic. It is argued that CI can provide the heavy lifting for developing a coherent and satisfying process theology without the baggage attached to Whitehead’s difficult intricate interconnections and enigmatic neologisms. In other words, Boodin’s criticisms of Whitehead (of which there were several) do not amount to an abandonment of process-based thinking or even Whitehead’s larger project of developing a coherent process theology. However, the addition of a new synthesis—merging Boodin’s CI with Joseph A. Bracken’s trinitarian God/world thesis and Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s general systems theory (GST)—is necessary for completion. This new CI synthesis suggests that the same process-based destination can be arrived at by an easier and clearer route. Full article

Neurodevelopmental outcomes for preschool-age children in the United States with in utero Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure have not yet been reported. We performed a case-control study to assess whether children exposed in utero to ZIKV have abnormal neurodevelopment at age 4–5 years compared to unexposed controls. Thirteen ZIKV-exposed cases that did not have microcephaly or other specific features of congenital Zika syndrome and 12 controls were evaluated between ages 4–5 years. Child neurodevelopment was assessed using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA), and Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). Caregivers answered questions on the child’s medical history and family demographics. Cases and controls were evaluated at mean (SD) ages 4.9 (0.3) and 4.8 (0.4) years, respectively. Caregivers reported more behavior and mood problems in cases than controls. MABC scores showed more gross and fine motor coordination difficulties among cases than controls. Controls trended towards higher performance on concepts underlying school readiness on BSRA. Three cases had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or global developmental delay. Continued follow-up through school age for children with prenatal ZIKV exposure is needed to understand the impact of in utero ZIKV exposure on motor coordination, cognition, executive function, and academic achievement. Full article

The presence of an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is a major contributor to poor responses. Novel treatment strategies are required to supplement current regimens and improve patient survival. This study examined the immunomodulatory effects that radiation therapy and chemokine receptor antagonism impose on T cell phenotypes in OAC with a primary goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets to combine with radiation to improve anti-tumour responses. Compared with healthy controls, anti-tumour T cell function was impaired in OAC patients, demonstrated by lower IFN-γ production by CD4⁺ T helper cells and lower CD8⁺ T cell cytotoxic potential. Such diminished T cell effector functions were enhanced following treatment with clinically relevant doses of irradiation. Interestingly, CCR5⁺ T cells were significantly more abundant in OAC patient blood compared with healthy controls, and CCR5 surface expression by T cells was further enhanced by clinically relevant doses of irradiation. Moreover, irradiation enhanced T cell migration towards OAC patient-derived tumour-conditioned media (TCM). In vitro treatment with the CCR5 antagonist Maraviroc enhanced IFN-γ production by CD4⁺ T cells and increased the migration of irradiated CD8⁺ T cells towards irradiated TCM, suggesting its synergistic therapeutic potential in combination with irradiation. Overall, this study highlights the immunostimulatory properties of radiation in promoting anti-tumour T cell responses in OAC and increasing T cell migration towards chemotactic cues in the tumour. Importantly, the CCR5 antagonist Maraviroc holds promise to be repurposed in combination with radiotherapy to promote anti-tumour T cell responses in OAC. Full article

Wild birds are a natural reservoir for zoonotic viruses. To clarify the role of migratory birds in viruses spread in Poyang Lake, we investigated the microbiome of 250 wild bird samples from 19 species in seven orders. The bacterial and viral content abundance and diversity were preliminarily evaluated by Kraken2 and Bracken. After de novo assembly by Megahit and Vamb, viral contigs were identified by CheckV. The reads remapped to viral contigs were quantified using Bowtie2. The bacterial microbiome composition of the samples covers 1526 genera belonging to 175 bacterial orders, while the composition of viruses covers 214 species belonging to 22 viral families. Several taxonomic biomarkers associated with avian carnivory, oral sampling, and raptor migration were identified. Additionally, 17 complete viral genomes belonging to Astroviridae, Caliciviridae, Dicistroviridae, Picornaviridae, and Tombusviridae were characterized, and their phylogenetic relationships were analyzed. This pioneering metagenomic study of migratory birds in Poyang Lake, China illuminates the diverse microbial landscape within these birds. It identifies potential pathogens, and uncovers taxonomic biomarkers relevant to varied bird habitats, feeding habits, ecological classifications, and sample types, underscoring the public health risks associated with wintering migratory birds. Full article

The long-term neurodevelopmental effects of antenatal Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure in children without congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) remain unclear, as few children have been examined to the age of school entry level. A total of 51 Colombian children with antenatal ZIKV exposure without CZS and 70 unexposed controls were evaluated at 4–5 years of age using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI-CAT), the Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA), and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). The mean ages at evaluation were 5.3 and 5.2 years for cases and controls, respectively. Elevated BRIEF scores in Shift and Emotional Control may suggest lower emotional regulation in cases. A greater number of cases were reported by parents to have behavior and mood problems. BSRA and PEDI-CAT activity scores were unexpectedly higher in cases, most likely related to the COVID-19 pandemic and a delayed school entry among the controls. Although PEDI-CAT mobility scores were lower in cases, there were no differences in motor scores on the MABC. Of 40 cases with neonatal neuroimaging, neurodevelopment in 17 with mild non-specific findings was no different from 23 cases with normal neuroimaging. Normocephalic children with ZIKV exposure have positive developmental trajectories at 4–5 years of age but differ from controls in measures of emotional regulation and adaptive mobility, necessitating continued follow-up. Full article

Traditional approaches to marking short-answer questions face limitations in timeliness, scalability, inter-rater reliability, and faculty time costs. Harnessing generative artificial intelligence (AI) to address some of these shortcomings is attractive. This study aims to validate the use of ChatGPT for evaluating short-answer assessments in an undergraduate medical program. Ten questions from the pre-clerkship medical curriculum were randomly chosen, and for each, six previously marked student answers were collected. These sixty answers were evaluated by ChatGPT in July 2023 under four conditions: with both a rubric and standard, with only a standard, with only a rubric, and with neither. ChatGPT displayed good Spearman correlations with a single human assessor (r = 0.6–0.7, p < 0.001) across all conditions, with the absence of a standard or rubric yielding the best correlation. Scoring differences were common (65–80%), but score adjustments of more than one point were less frequent (20–38%). Notably, the absence of a rubric resulted in systematically higher scores (p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.33). Our findings demonstrate that ChatGPT is a viable, though imperfect, assistant to human assessment, performing comparably to a single expert assessor. This study serves as a foundation for future research on AI-based assessment techniques with potential for further optimization and increased reliability. Full article

By reducing carbohydrate intake, people with type 1 diabetes may reduce fluctuations in blood glucose, but the evidence in this area is sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate glucose metrics during a one-week low-carbohydrate-high-fat (HF) and a low-carbohydrate-high-protein (HP) diet compared with an isocaloric high-carbohydrate (HC) diet. In a randomized, three-period cross-over study, twelve adults with insulin-pump-treated type 1 diabetes followed an HC (energy provided by carbohydrate: 48%, fat: 33%, protein: 19%), HF (19%, 62%, 19%), and an HP (19%, 57%, 24%) diet for one week. Glucose values were obtained during intervention periods using a Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring system. Participant characteristics were: 33% females, median (range) age 50 (22–70) years, diabetes duration 25 (11–52) years, HbA1c 7.3 (5.5–8.3)% (57 (37–67) mmol/mol), and BMI 27.3 (21.3–35.9) kg/m². Glycemic variability was lower with HF (30.5 ± 6.2%) and HP (30.0 ± 5.5%) compared with HC (34.5 ± 4.1%) (P_HF-HC = 0.009, P_HP-HC = 0.003). There was no difference between groups in mean glucose (HF: 8.7 ± 1.1, HP: 8.2 ± 1.0, HC: 8.7 ± 1.0 mmol/L, P_Overall = 0.08). Time > 10.0 mmol/L was lower with HP (22.3 ± 11.8%) compared with HF (29.4 ± 12.1%) and HC (29.5 ± 13.4%) (P_HF-HP = 0.037, P_HC-HP = 0.037). In conclusion, a one-week HF and, specifically, an HP diet improved glucose metrics compared with an isocaloric HC diet. Full article