The Circle Test is a drawing-based task for assessing time perspective, but conventional paper-and-pencil administration requires substantial human resources for scoring and quantification, limiting its scalability for large or remote surveys to be conducted. We developed an online web-based circle test with automated scoring and evaluated its validity and reliability. Thirty-six Japanese undergraduates completed both the Online Circle Test (OL-CT) and paper-and-pencil Circle Test (PP-CT) in a counterbalanced crossover design (Visit 1) and repeated the OL-CT after 7-9days either in the laboratory or at home (Visit 2). Continuous indices included log-transformed absolute and proportional areas, and categorical indices included temporal dominance and temporal relatedness. Analyses evaluated (a) cross-format equivalence between PP-CT and OL-CT, (b) one-week test-retest reliability of the OL-CT, and (c) contextual stability across laboratory versus home administration. Cross-format equivalence was moderate for log-transformed absolute areas (ICC = 0.73-0.77) but excellent for proportional areas (ICC = 0.89-0.90). The categorical agreement was high (88.9%), with no systematic category shift. One-week test-retest reliability was moderate-to-excellent for absolute areas (ICC = 0.69-0.89) and excellent for proportional areas (ICC = 0.93-0.95). Categorical stability was also high (temporal dominance: 91.7%, κ = 0.88; temporal relatedness: 86.0%, κ = 0.76). The OL-CT indices did not differ between the laboratory and home retesting contexts. In this Japanese undergraduate sample, the OL-CT showed promising preliminary psychometric properties as a digital adaptation of the Circle Test, particularly when proportional indices are treated as the primary continuous outcomes. The findings support its potential use as a scalable tool for assessing time perspective across formats, over a one-week interval, and across testing contexts.
Understanding human-nature-animal relationships is central to conservation and visitor management, yet these relationships are commonly studied through language-based surveys that may exclude participants across age groups and diverse cultural or educational backgrounds. This limitation highlights the need for more inclusive and experience-sensitive approaches capable of capturing relational meanings beyond verbal expression. This study adopts a visual participatory approach in which volunteer tourists were invited to draw circles representing themselves in relation to images of a giant panda, nature, and a pet. Extending the visual idea of Schultz's Inclusion of Nature in Self in the Connection to Nature Index, more than 1000 tourists at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding produced over 3000 drawings. These drawings were systematically coded along three dimensions-circle size, orientation, and spatial relationship-and analyzed using multinomial logistic regression and non-parametric tests. The results reveal consistent yet differentiated patterns of visual representation. Participants most frequently expressed relationships with nature and pets through enclosing circles, suggesting spatial inclusion, whereas relationships with the giant panda were more often represented through separate but proximal positioning, indicating a more mediated or observational mode of connection. Demographic factors, including age, residence, and visitation stage, significantly influenced drawing configurations, supporting the interpretation of connection as a context-sensitive and dynamic process rather than a fixed individual trait. Associations between drawing dimensions and self-reported pro-environmental orientation and momentary well-being were observed, although these relationships should be interpreted cautiously given the use of brief, context-specific indicators. Overall, the findings demonstrate that participatory drawing can function as both a research instrument and an engagement tool, enabling diverse visitor groups-including children-to express relational understandings of nature and wildlife. For conservation practice, such visual methods offer a scalable and low-barrier approach to visitor engagement, with potential applications in environmental education, interpretation design, and the assessment of human-animal relationships in situ.
Rapid, sensitive nucleic acid detection is crucial for clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring. We present the Sensitive Padlock Rolling-circle INtegrated Transcription with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/LwCas13a detector (SPRINT-C), a transformative one-pot isothermal platform capable of detecting single molecules within 10 min. By rationally designing padlock probes, we enable seamless coupling of three enzymatic reactions: template-mediated padlock ligation, rolling circle transcription (RCT), and CRISPR/LwCas13a cleavage. Our mechanistic studies reveal that the substantially higher transcription rate of T7 RNA polymerase (5.97 cycles/s) relative to LwCas13a cis-cleavage (<0.019 s-1) results in incomplete cis-cleavage of RCT products, generating short RNA fragments that re-initiate the amplification cascade. This creates exponential amplification, transforming linear RCT into a self-perpetuating chain reaction. SPRINT-C achieves ultrasensitivity (1-2 copies/reaction) with single-nucleotide specificity, successfully detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants in clinical samples, including 'gray-zone' specimens (Ct 37-40). Integration with lateral flow enables an equipment-free visual detection method, demonstrating versatility across pathogen detection, genetically modified organism identification, and microRNA analysis.
The structural dynamics of DNA underpin essential biological processes, yet conventional structural biology methods often obscure conformational heterogeneity through ensemble averaging. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides single-molecule topographical maps capable of capturing both local and global variation, but extracting quantitative insight from these images remains challenging. Here, we introduce an automated framework that reduces AFM data to spline representations of the DNA backbone and applies cyclic Procrustes analysis to quantify shape similarity across ensembles. Using purified topoisomers of 339 bp DNA minicircles ranging from relaxed to highly negatively supercoiled, we resolved and measured the relative abundance of conformational states across the different topoisomers, capturing gradual transitions among open circles, compact conformations, and self-crossing structures that are invisible to techniques such as gel electrophoresis or cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM). We show that beyond quantification, Procrustes distances provide supervisory signals for neural network training, enabling feature extraction tuned to conformational geometry and supporting robust conformation classification of AFM images. Extending the same spline representation to molecular dynamics simulations allows experimental and computational ensembles to be directly compared, establishing a common shape-based framework for probing conformational variability. Together, these advances transform AFM from a descriptive imaging tool into a quantitative platform for mapping conformational continua, with broad applicability to DNA and other dynamic biomolecular systems.
Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) is one of the most recent forms of surface-based refractive surgery, with epithelial ingrowth being extremely rare and infrequently reported as a complication. A 22-year-old male patient presented with a case of compound myopic astigmatism and underwent SMILE in both eyes, achieving excellent postoperative visual recovery (20/20 in both eyes). Six months later, he reported decreased vision, Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) 20/30 (+0.50 DS and -3.50 DC × 125°) alongside a whitish opacity. Upon evaluation, epithelial ingrowth was observed at the pupillary axis during slit lamp examination, and Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (ASOCT) also confirmed this, alongside excessive corneal steepening and aberrations on the topography map. With documented serial progression (BCVA: 20/30 with +0.75 DS/-5.50 DC), surgical management was undertaken using a femtosecond laser with CIRCLE software on the ZEISS VisuMax 500. The SMILE cap was converted into a lifted flap, and the epithelial ingrowth debridement was performed on the stromal bed, augmented with 0.02% Mitomycin C. A bandage contact lens was placed postoperatively, and the patient exhibited complete recovery with a BCVA of 20/20P (-1.25 DC X 125°). The patient was monitored periodically for six months postoperatively, showing no signs of recurrence. Thus, this case report highlights the use of CIRCLE software as a relatively new and advanced approach for managing this rare but potentially sight-threatening complication following SMILE surgery.
Early and accurate detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is critically important in perioperative care to prevent severe healthcare-associated infections and guide timely antimicrobial intervention. Herein, we report a novel biosensing strategy for sensitive and label-free detection of P. aeruginosa by integrating F23 aptamer-mediated target recognition, garland rolling circle amplification (RCA)-triggered self-priming extension, and SYBR Green I (SG-I)-based fluorescence readout. The capture probe, comprising the F23 aptamer and a primer strand immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles, specifically recognizes P. aeruginosa and releases the primer to initiate dumbbell probe circularization and subsequent RCA. The resulting RCA products are cleaved by a nicking endonuclease to generate fragmented DNA, which then hybridizes with a hairpin probe to prime cyclic self-extension reactions, producing abundant double-stranded DNA for SG-I intercalation and fluorescence enhancement. Under optimized conditions, the proposed method achieves a detection limit as low as 2.3 CFU/mL with a wide linear range from 10 to 106 CFU/mL. The assay exhibits excellent specificity against non-target bacteria, robust stability during storage, and satisfactory anti-interference capability in complex clinical matrices. Validation using clinical samples demonstrates excellent agreement with the gold-standard colony counting method while reducing the assay time to less than 2.5 h without requiring nucleic acid extraction or thermal cycling. With its label-free design, isothermal amplification, and operational simplicity, this strategy holds great promise for point-of-care testing in perioperative settings and can be readily adapted for detecting other pathogens by substituting the corresponding aptamer.
Early diagnosis remains pivotal for improving clinical outcomes in breast cancer. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of breast cancer pathogenesis, yet their translation into clinical practice has been hindered by the lack of highly sensitive and specific microinvasive detection strategies. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based biosensing platform for circRNA detection. The system integrated a core-shell Fe3O4@bio-DNA@SERS tag substrate with reverse transcription-rolling circle amplification (RT-RCA) and duplex-specific nuclease (DSN)-driven signal amplification, enabling attomolar-level quantification of hsa_circ_0067842 in serum. This assay achieved detection limits of 75.86 aM in buffer and 1.23 aM in serum, while maintaining exceptional selectivity against homologous linear RNAs. Clinical evaluation demonstrated that the SERS detection system (SERSDS) accurately discriminated breast cancer patients from healthy controls, yielding an AUC of 0.978, a sensitivity of 98%, and a specificity of 96%. Furthermore, dual-target analysis combining hsa_circ_0067842 with hsa_circ_0000512 significantly improved differentiation between benign and malignant breast nodules (AUC = 0.992), outperforming conventional tumor biomarkers. Collectively, this SERS-based sensor exhibited outstanding sensitivity, reproducibility, and operational stability, offering a promising avenue for early, accurate, and minimally invasive diagnosis and molecular classification of breast cancer.
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To improve the handling characteristics of suture needles, two novel needle designs, the Bi-curve and the G-curve, were developed by modifying conventional curvature designs. Ten surgeons with varying levels of experience performed standardized open and robotic suturing tasks using half-circle, Bi-curve, and G-curve needles in a simulation environment. Suturing times were evaluated under both conditions. Moreover, advanced laparoscopic suturing tasks were performed using a robotic system. Needle trajectory parameters, burst pressure resistance, and subjective assessments of manipulability were analyzed to assess technical performance and potential tissue impact. During open forward suturing, both the Bi-curve and G-curve needles reduced suturing time significantly from that required with the half-circle needle, whereas no significant differences were observed among needle types in robotic suturing tasks. In advanced laparoscopic tasks, needle-passage quality scores were significantly higher for the Bi-curve and G-curve needles. Needle trajectory metrics and burst pressure resistance were comparable for all needle designs. Subjective evaluations revealed that no surgeon rated the novel needles as inferior to the conventional needle in terms of manipulability. In this exploratory study, the Bi-curve and G-curve needles demonstrated handling performance comparable to, and in some aspects favorable to, that of the conventional half-circle needle, without causing more tissue damage.
For priority populations, such as Indigenous children, school-based screening programmes can increase equitable access to care. However, current traditional economic measures evaluating the effectiveness of many screening programmes in Australia do not capture the value perceived by those at the intersection of the benefits, including children and families, communities, health workers and teachers or the differences between Western-Anglo and Indigenous conceptualisations of health. This mixed-methods study aims to develop and validate a Community Reported Outcome Measure (CROM) of school health screening programmes based on concepts of value of health and healthcare and school screening programmes from the perspective of Indigenous peoples. The purpose of the tool is to provide a robustly developed and validated tool to assess the experiences of school health screening programmes from the perspective of Indigenous stakeholders including families, communities, health workers and teachers. This mixed-methods study will be conducted in three stages in accordance with regulatory and international consensus guidance: (1) concept elicitation to construct a conceptual framework of value in school screening; (2) item generation and mapping to the conceptual framework and (3) a psychometric evaluation of the CROM. Phase 1 concept elicitation: this involves an umbrella review (phase 1.1); yarning circles with communities in New South Wales (phase 1.2); concept integration of the umbrella review and yarning circles data (phase 1.3) and an online e-Delphi study to ensure the framework of value is nationally representative (phase 1.4). Phase 2 item generation and mapping: this involves item generation (phase 2.1) and cognitive testing of the item pool (phase 2.2). Phase 3 psychometric evaluation: this involves field testing (phase 3.1) and assessing the structural validity of the CROM via Rasch analysis (phase 3.2). This study was reviewed and approved by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (Ref: REC-0397) and State Education Research and Partnerships (Ref: SERAP 6500). The results of this study will be presented at relevant academic and non-scientific conferences and meetings and published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
The Bromeliaceae family contains many horticulturally and economically important species, including Aechmea fasciata and pineapple (Ananas comosus). Compared to their well-studied chloroplast and nuclear genomes, the mitogenomes of bromeliads remain largely unexplored, hindering a full understanding of their organellar evolution and phylogenetic relationships. This study provides the first complete mitogenome assemblies and a comparative analysis for these two high-value bromeliads, revealing their phylogenetic affinities. Our findings suggested that the mitogenomes of Ae. fasciata and An. comosus both exhibit a simple master circle structure. They were 0.93-1.16 Mb in length, containing similar protein-coding genes (PCGs) (42-44), 39 tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes. Notably, the synonymous codons usage analysis revealed a preference for A/U endings, and a total of 542-548 RNA editing sites were detected. Most PCGs were under purifying selection, indicating a strong evolutionary constraint to preserve functional integrity. Additionally, the ATP synthase gene exhibited high nucleotide diversity, suggesting that such genes may need further investigation in the context of future CMS-related studies. Phylogenetically, analyses based on shared PCGs provided robust support for the clustering relationships within Bromeliaceae, confirming that An. comosus and Ae. fasciata form a distinct clade and are separate from Puya raimondii. This study establishes a crucial comparative genomic framework for Bromeliaceae, providing valuable genetic resources for future evolutionary studies and potential marker-assisted breeding applications.
The Osborne-Cotterill lesion (OCL) is an osseoligamentous injury of the posterolateral capitellum associated with elbow instability. Its contribution to instability remains unclear, and evidence guiding management is limited. This study aimed to quantify the incidence and anatomy of OCLs and to correlate these findings with patterns of elbow instability, treatment, and outcome. A database of acute elbow instability cases was reviewed. After application of exclusion criteria, 181 elbow CT scans were available for analysis. A standardised method was developed to reconstruct scans in the plane of the distal humerus. Data were collected on injury pattern, surgical intervention, and complications. A circle-of-best-fit technique was applied to sagittal cross-sections to template normal capitellar anatomy. Measurements were oriented to the anterior humeral line to describe the OCL. Variables recorded included area of bone loss, angle of involvement, anterior and posterior exit points, and lesion width. An OCL was identified in 120 elbows (66%), while 61 elbows (34%) demonstrated no bone loss consistent with an OCL. By instability pattern, OCLs were present in 61/85 posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) cases (72%), 25/35 posteromedial rotatory instability (PMRI) cases (71%), 25/39 axial instability cases (64%), and 9/22 valgus instability cases (41%). The incidence was significantly lower in valgus injuries (p = 0.046). OCLs were most commonly located in the posterolateral capitellum. Relative to the anterior humeral line, three anatomical patterns were identified: anterior (1.7%), intermediate (11.7%), and posterior (86.6%). Two pathological subtypes were defined by morphology: impaction (93.3%) and avulsion (6.7%). Overall, 114 cases were treated surgically, of which 9 OCLs (7 avulsion, 2 impaction) underwent operative treatment directed at the lesion itself. There were 17 complications, including recurrent instability in 7 patients. No complications were directly attributable to an untreated OCL. This is the first study to quantify the incidence and morphological characteristics of OCLs in a large cohort. Based on these findings, three anatomical patterns (anterior, intermediate, and posterior) and two pathological subtypes (avulsion and impaction) are proposed. Most OCLs were posterior impaction lesions treated non-operatively. Avulsion lesions, and OCLs located anteriorly or intermediately, were less common but appeared more strongly associated with instability and may warrant consideration for surgical treatment.
To develop the skills of undergraduate nursing students for health education with adolescent mothers. Qualitative study, action research, public federal university hospital, with undergraduate nursing students in their neonatal internship, and with adolescent mothers. The interventions were established through the creation of a practical guide for safe discharge, awareness workshops for graduating students and educational sessions with mothers, conversation circles, and realistic simulations in an appropriate space, with feedback from the students and mothers. Data were analyzed using informational clusters, thematic analysis, and categorization. The graduating students recognized the importance of educational initiatives for teenage mothers, and the benefit to their development. Active methodologies can strengthen reflective practice and training in undergraduate nursing programs, promoting playful strategies for self-efficacy in caregiving among adolescent mothers. The intervention promoted the empowerment of teenage mothers through the listening to their needs and fostered their autonomy. Innovative and interactive education can promote meaningful learning, improve professional qualifications, and align teaching with social demands, with a focus on health education for adolescent mothers. Desenvolver habilidades de graduandos de Enfermagem para educação em saúde com mães adolescentes. Estudo qualitativo, pesquisa-ação, hospital universitário, público, federal, com graduandas de Enfermagem, no estágio Neonatal, e com mães adolescentes. As intervenções estabeleceram-se pela construção do guia prático para alta segura, oficinas de sensibilização das graduandas e educativa com as mães, roda de conversa e simulação realística, em espaço apropriado, com feedbacks das graduandas e das mães. Os dados foram analisados em núcleos informativos, análise de temática e categorizados. As graduandas reconheceram a importância de ações educativas para as mães adolescentes, e o benefício em sua formação. Metodologias ativas podem fortalecer a prática reflexiva e a formação na graduação de Enfermagem, promover estratégias lúdicas para a autoeficácia no cuidado, em mães adolescentes. A intervenção promoveu a valorização das mães adolescentes por meio da escuta das demandas e favoreceu a autonomia. A educação inovadora e interativa pode promover aprendizagem significativa, melhorar a qualificação profissional e alinhar o ensino às demandas sociais, com atenção à educação em saúde de mães adolescentes. Desarrollar las habilidades de los estudiantes de enfermería de pregrado para la educación sanitaria dirigida a madres adolescentes. Estudio cualitativo, investigación-acción, hospital universitario público federal, con estudiantes de enfermería de pregrado en su rotación neonatal y con madres adolescentes. Las intervenciones se establecieron mediante la creación de una guía práctica para el alta segura, talleres de sensibilización para los estudiantes que se graduaban y sesiones educativas con las madres, grupos de debate y simulaciones realistas en un espacio adecuado, con la retroalimentación de los estudiantes que se graduaban y las madres. Los datos se analizaron mediante agrupaciones informativas, análisis temático y categorización. Las estudiantes reconocieron la importancia de las iniciativas educativas para las madres adolescentes y el beneficio que estas aportan a su desarrollo. Las metodologías activas pueden fortalecer la práctica reflexiva y la formación en los programas de enfermería de pregrado, promoviendo estrategias lúdicas para la autoeficacia en el cuidado de madres adolescentes. La intervención promovió el empoderamiento de las madres adolescentes escuchando sus necesidades y fomentando su autonomía. Una educación innovadora e interactiva puede promover un aprendizaje significativo, mejorar las cualificaciones profesionales y alinear la enseñanza con las demandas sociales, con especial atención a la educación para la salud dirigida a madres adolescentes.
There were controversies in academic circles regarding who was the founder of Scalp Acupuncture (SA), while Dr. Yunpeng Fang or Dr. Shunfa Jiao claimed themselves as the earliest founder and some believe that SA was founded by Dr. Xuelong Huang (Huang) in the 1950s. To investigate Huang and his acupuncture practice and research, to uncover the history of Huang's contribution to SA therapy. Huang and his SA therapy are introduced and discussed in five aspects, including the transformation from a local traditional scholar in the late Qing Dynasty to an expert in acupuncture-moxibustion, the formation of scalp acupoints and acu-zones, clinical indications, multiple stimulation modalities, and clinical experience. The fact is that in the 1950s, Huang was the first to develop SA therapy. Its theoretical basis is that the 14 Channels and the brain are a sole system: when divided, they are demonstrated as 14 Channels, and when combined, the Channels are all unified in the brain. The longitudinal stimulating line (acu-zones) is located on the scalp above the sagittal suture, centered at the Baihui (DU20) acupoint, and with the other scalp acupoints on the Governor Vessel (Du Mai). The horizontal stimulating line (acu-zones) is formed with the acupoints Naohu (DU17), Yuzhen (BL9), and Naokong (GB19). Both lines form a shape of "". The stimulating modalities include single-point needling, one needle piercing through two or multiple acupoints, moxibustion, and plum-blossom dermal needling (extensive shallow acupuncture). When acupoints on the head are selected, the local scalp zones of the "cerebral cortex" directly underneath are often introduced first, and then based on the indications recorded in traditional classics such as A-B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Huang's SA accumulated extensive experiences. His stimulation does not have to be limited to single-acupoint and more focus on acu-zones, and there are many stimulating modalities adopted; therefore, Huang's method can be called "scalp acu-zone therapy." In the 1970s, "SA therapy" rose again under the first advocacy of Dr. Yunpeng Fang, and many SA "schools" formed, such as Fang, Jiao, Tang, Lin, Zhu, and many more. The promulgation of international standards for SA in the 1980s marked the formal acceptance of SA by international acupuncture societies, it has been incorporated into the Channels and acupoint system of traditional Chinese medicine. Starting by Huang, the main operating method of all schools of SA is using needles to penetrate acupoints on the scalp instead of stimulating every single acupoint, and the stimulating methods are becoming more and more diverse, it is suggested to change the term "scalp acupuncture" to "scalp acu-zones therapy" for reflecting the real clinical practice.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), primarily mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS), has long been characterized as a neoplasm of mature memory T cells, based on monoclonal T-cell receptor (TCR) rearrangements and tissue-resident memory (TRM)/central memory (TCM) T-cell phenotypes. This review synthesizes converging population-genetic, multi-omic, and single-cell evidence to argue that this characterization is incomplete and that a progenitor-based model better accounts for the full spectrum of disease biology. We present evidence that initiating mutations arise in hematopoietic stem or early lymphoid progenitor survive thymic selection, and diversify after TCR assembly, resulting in branched evolution across both blood and skin. In SS, paired analyses reveal > 200 shared variants between CD34+ progenitors and Sézary cells, as well as signal-joint T-cell receptor excision circle (sjTREC) positivity, providing direct progenitor-level evidence. In MF, convergent signals, multiple malignant clonotypes per lesion, greater blood-skin than skin-skin clonotype overlap, and compartment-specific CNV subclones, implicate hematogenous seeding and reseeding. Population-scale lymphoid clonal hematopoiesis and lymphoid-pattern mosaic chromosomal alterations define a compatible antecedent state. Spatial single-cell atlases and trajectory analyses map site-conditioned programs in skin, including Th2-skewed cytokines, microbial responses, and UV signatures, that select and expand subclones and explain inter- and intra-patient heterogeneity. This framework reconciles mature immunophenotypes with upstream initiation and clarifies why compartment-focused therapies often reshape rather than eradicate disease. It yields testable predictions and actionable implications: trials should pair multicompartment cytoreduction with strategies that attenuate progenitor-derived reservoirs, restore immune balance, and repair skin barrier dysfunction. A progenitor-initiated, niche-adapted model provides a coherent scaffold for more durable control in CTCL.
The IMAP-Hi Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) Imager on NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission (McComas et al. 2018a, 2025) is designed to measure ENAs from the global interaction between the heliosphere and the local interstellar medium (LISM). These ENAs are initially plasma ions of solar wind origin that are neutralized by charge exchange with the cold neutral atoms of LISM that freely flow through the heliosphere-LISM interaction region. IMAP-Hi consists of two identical single-pixel sensors, each covering the ENA spectral range from 0.44 keV to 15.6 keV over nine contiguous energy passbands and having an approximately conical field-of-view (FOV) of 4.1o full width at half maximum (FWHM). The Hi-45 sensor points 45o relative to the spacecraft spin axis from the antisunward direction; each spacecraft spin, it measures ENA intensity over a circular swath with half-cone angle 45o centered on the ecliptic plane. The Hi-90 sensor points 90o relative to the spin axis; each spacecraft spin, it measures ENA intensity over a great circle in the sky, sampling both the north and south ecliptic poles. As the IMAP spin vector is re-pointed daily toward the Sun, the ecliptic longitude of the swaths moves daily by ∼1o such that a full sky map is acquired by Hi-90 every six months and a complete low latitude (-45o to +45o) map is acquired by Hi-45 annually. The IMAP-Hi sensor design has direct heritage from the IBEX-Hi imager on the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, with substantial improvements in energy range, energy resolution, angular resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and, for ecliptic latitudes within ±45o, temporal resolution and exposure time. The global ENA maps acquired by IMAP-Hi partially overlap in energy and viewing with the ENA maps acquired by the IMAP-Lo and IMAP-Ultra ENA imagers, which we combine to answer fundamental questions about the structure and dynamics of the interaction of the heliosphere and the LISM.
In view of the geological disasters caused by the deterioration of rock mass in the fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir area, the marl of the Wuxia section was selected as the object, and laboratory acid corrosion and wet-dry cyclic tests were conducted to reveal the damage and deterioration mechanism of marl in the fluctuation zone with acidic environment. The results show that: (1) When the pH was 3, 5 and 7, the mass loss rate was 0.019%~0.066%, 0.010%~0.029% and 0.006%~0.017% with 5 ~ 15 circles, respectively. (2) When the pH values were 3, 5 and 7, after 15-time acidic erosion and dry-wet cycles, the average porosity increment of the samples was 0.104%, 0.093% and 0.092%, respectively, and the initial porositywas found to influence the rate of porosity increase during the early stage of the experiment. (3) At the microscopic level, the pore volume and crack length were increased, and the number of pores and cracks increased under the scanning election microscope analysis, which revealed the damage and deterioration mechanism of samples. (4) The uniaxial compressive test of the sample was inversely proportional to the number of acidic erosion and dry-wet cycles. At pH values of 3, 5, and 7, the reduction rate of rock uniaxial compressive strength ranged from 5.65% to 28.25% after 5, 10, and 15 cycles of acid corrosion-drying-wetting, respectively. (5) The variation range of the mass loss rate, pore growth rate and the uniaxial compressive strength reduction rate of rock samples were all initially slow, later fast and then slow, and finally tended to be stable. (6) The error between the result of calculation with uniaxial compressive strength fitting formula and the test is less than 10%, which could prove the fit is reasonable, universally. The research could provide theoretical support for unstable rocks mass of geological disasters in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.
Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a progressive cerebrovascular disorder characterized by progressive narrowing of large intracranial arteries around the circle of Willis and the secondary development of collateral "moyamoya vessels." It typically presents with ischemic or hemorrhagic events, whereas movement disorders, particularly dystonia, are exceedingly rare initial manifestations. We report two adult cases of MMD initially presenting with hemidystonia. The first case involved a 27-year-old man with recurrent involuntary movements of the left limbs. Imaging revealed bilateral middle cerebral artery narrowing with collateral vessels and hypoperfusion of the right basal ganglia, without infarction or hemorrhage. The second case was a 25-year-old woman with a 2-year history of episodic left-sided dystonia, later complicated by contralateral spasms. Angiography demonstrated bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion with extensive collateralization, and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging showed reduced cerebral blood flow in the frontal and temporoparietal regions. She underwent encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis, resulting in resolution of dystonia but subsequent ischemic stroke. A literature review identified additional reports of dystonia as an uncommon manifestation of MMD, predominantly in pediatric populations. Our cases highlight that adult-onset MMD can present with dystonia in the absence of overt infarction, with chronic hypoperfusion of basal ganglia and cortical regions likely playing a key role. Medical therapy is generally ineffective, while revascularization may relieve symptoms, particularly when dystonia is perfusion-dependent; treatment strategies in adult MMD must be individualized, with careful consideration of bilateral disease severity and hemodynamic reserve. Recognition of dystonia as a rare presentation of MMD is important for timely diagnosis and individualized management.
Accurate quantification of islet mass is critical for the preclinical evaluation and therapeutic application of stem cell-derived pancreatic islet organoids. Traditional methods, including Ricordi's islet equivalent (IEQ) approach and its equivalent circle diameter adaptations, often overestimate islet volume due to reliance on maximal diameters and discrete size bins. To address these limitations, we developed an automated image segmentation and three-dimensional modeling framework to quantify individual islet clusters from brightfield images. Clusters were fitted with ellipses and modeled as ellipsoids using rotation about either the minor or major axis, allowing IEQs to be calculated continuously relative to a reference 150 μm spherical islet. Major-axis (prolate) rotation provided the most conservative and physically plausible volume estimates, whereas minor-axis (oblate) rotation and diameter-based approaches systematically overestimated IEQs. Functional assessment with glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assays across multiple size categories demonstrated consistent insulin output for clusters below 250 μm, supporting the reproducibility of our 3D differentiation system. In vivo, streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice transplanted with islet doses based on major-axis modeling exhibited faster and more stable restoration of glycemia compared with groups receiving doses derived from overestimated approaches. These findings establish that major-axis ellipsoid modeling offers a mathematically consistent, conservative, and biologically relevant method for estimating IEQs, providing a practical framework to guide dosing in preclinical studies and supporting the translational development of stem cell-derived islet therapies.
We performed a protein-docking study for eight DNA aptamers (SEQ1-SEQ8) against chicken Cluster of Differentiation 40 (chCD40), which were experimentally identified via SELEX in our previous study. In silico and molecular docking analyses were performed to predict and obtain the secondary and tertiary structures of the aptamers. Aptamers SEQ3 and SEQ4, which showed the best inhibitory effects, were selected and utilized to produce a DNA-based vaccine adjuvant using rolling circle amplification (RCA). These aptamers had been previously characterized via mass spectroscopy to determine their molecular weight and regions that could potentially interact with chCD40. In the present study, these results were corroborated and expanded. A series of free software methods, including Mfold v.1.0, 3dADN v.2.0, ClusPro v.2.0, Hdock v.1.0, and PLIP v.1.0, were used to determine the aptamers' secondary and tertiary structures and docking interactions, as well as the specific residues involved in the interactions and their distances. The structures were used to explain and thus understand their effect on the binding, selectivity, and stability of the aptamers. The main objective of the study was to determine whether these aptamers could be used as vaccine adjuvants against viral and bacterial pathogens, specifically chicken avian influenza. The docking results were in good agreement with the experimental and biological results. The procedure employed in this study could be an easy and effective tool for exploring the potential of the new technology of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) in the preparation of aptamers to control viral and bacterial infections as well as diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer's.