Maternal pancreatic beta-cells undergo functional and structural changes to adapt to increased metabolic demands during pregnancy. Lactogen signaling via the prolactin receptor (PRLR) contributes to these adaptations by increasing beta-cell mass, insulin transcription and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion[1-4]. In other lactogen-responsive tissues such as the mammary glands and specific hypothalamic nuclei, gestation induces epigenetic changes, some […]
Association of Otolithic Integrity With Subjective and Functional Outcomes in Vestibular Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study
Variable recovery in vestibular rehabilitation underscores the need for objective biomarkers to identify patients at risk of poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to establish proof of concept for a multidimensional prognostic framework using structural cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) and functional modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) markers to predict […]
Beyond the mean: genetic control of gene expression fidelity and dispersion
For decades, molecular biologists have interpreted gene regulation through measurements of mean gene expression, because they could not resolve regulatory variation among individual cells. The advent of single-cell genomics has now made that variation measurable, revealing pervasive differences in gene expression among apparently similar cells. Whether this variation mainly reflects stochastic noise or an informative […]
Antimicrobial resistance in WHO priority bacteria from a One Health perspective in Cameroon: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of humanity’s ten global public health threats. This review aimed to estimate the prevalence, temporal trends and regional distribution of AMR in WHO priority bacteria across human, animal and environmental sources in Cameroon. This review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, with […]
Pseudomonas aeruginosa balances cytotoxicity and motility to counter phagocytosis by macrophages
During chronic lung infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa diversifies under selection from antibiotics, metabolic constraints, and host defenses. Macrophages are key sentinels of the innate immune system and play a central role in clearing airway pathogens. Yet, how they process heterogeneous bacterial populations remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate how P. aeruginosa evades phagocytosis under conditions that […]
Cross-Tabulating Epidemiological Covariates with AUDIT-C Data in Large-Scale Biobanks
Introduction: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) is a widely utilized screening tool in large-scale electronic health record (EHR) biobanks. However, its categorical, range-based survey responses present a significant challenge for epidemiological research, especially where continuous quantitative variables may be preferred. Standard workarounds, such as assigning categorical midpoints or utilizing aggregate ordinal scores for […]
Alignment-Free Microhaplotype Genotyping for GT-seq (Genotyping-in-Thousands by Sequencing) Using a Diploid Abundance Model
GT-seq (Genotyping-in-Thousands by Sequencing) is widely used for high-throughput amplicon genotyping, but most analytical pipelines focus on single SNPs or rely on alignment-based variant calling. Here we present an alignment-free approach for microhaplotype genotyping that leverages the high read depth and low error rates typical of paired-end Illumina and Element sequencing. The pipeline first identifies […]
CorSeg-CineSAX: An Open-Source Deep Learning Framework for Fully Automatic Segmentation of Short-Axis Cine Cardiac MRI Across Multiple Cardiac Diseases
Background: Segmentation of the left ventricular myocardium, left ventricular cavity, and right ventricular cavity on short-axis cine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images is essential for quantifying cardiac structure and function. However, existing automated segmentation tools are limited by small training datasets, narrow disease coverage, restrictive input format requirements, and the absence of anatomical plausibility constraints, […]
Identification of Human Transferrin Receptor as an Entry Co-receptor for Parvovirus B19 Infection of Human Erythroid Progenitor Cells
Parvovirus B19 (B19V), a member of the genus Erythroparvovirus within the Parvoviridae family, infects human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) of bone marrow and fetal liver, and causes various hematological disorders. The minor capsid protein VP1 of B19V contains a unique N-terminal region (VP1u) that facilitates virus binding and internalization into EPCs via its receptor-binding domain […]
Cardiovascular Adverse Events After Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Lung Cancer in an Appalachian Population: Incidence and Machine Learning Based Prediction
Background Cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for lung cancer are major concerns in Appalachia due to high rates of smoking and pre-existing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The objectives of this study were to characterize the incidence of CVAEs in this population and evaluate machine learning (ML) models for CVAEs risk stratification and mortality prediction. […]
Carryover effects modulate spring phenological responses to temperature in a herbivorous insect
1. Phenological shifts are a major ecological consequence of climate change, yet studies often focus on single life stages meaning that the potential for carryover effects between life stages remains poorly understood. Failing to account for these effects may lead to inaccurate estimates of phenological shifts, with consequences for predicted synchrony among interacting species. This […]
UPDATE trial Stage 2: a pre-post exploratory analysis of a behavioural support intervention to reduce ultra-processed food intake, increase minimally processed food intake, and increase physical activity in adults living with overweight or obesity
Introduction High consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is associated with adverse health outcomes and weight gain. Despite increasing calls for behavioural strategies to reduce UPF intake, no theory-informed intervention targeting UPF reduction has been evaluated in UK adults in alignment with national dietary guidance. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary behavioural and clinical outcomes […]