Research on adolescents' suicide risk has mainly focused on individual/interpersonal risk. Relational protective factors (e.g. connectives and recognition for prosocial behavior) need more attention. Guided by a socioecological framework, we hypothesized that stronger social bonds and recognition are associated with lower suicide risk, directly and indirectly through associations with lower individual/interpersonal risk. Using the 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (190,151 students), suicide risk was measured by four dichotomous variables: suicidal ideation, plan, attempt, and injury by attempt. Individual and interpersonal risk factors included substance use, depression, and bullying victimization. Relational protective factors included social bonds and recognition across family, school, and community domains. Rurality and demographic covariates were included. Generalized structural equation modeling estimated direct and indirect pathways. Most common suicide risk was suicidal ideation (16%), followed by plan (13%), attempt (5%), and injury by attempt (1%). While substance use, depression, bullying victimization, and rurality were associated with higher suicide risk, stronger social bonds and recognition were directly and indirectly associated with lower risk. Among social bonds, family attachment had the largest direct association. School commitment showed the largest indirect association through lower individual/interpersonal risk. Among social recognition, community domains had the largest direct association. Family recognition had the largest indirect association via social bonds and lower risk factors. Social bonds and recognition across family, school, and community domains are key relational protective factors for adolescent suicide risk through interconnected pathways. Prevention efforts require coordinated, multisector collaboration to build supportive relational environments, with attention to rural adolescents.
Face identity recognition is a core function of the human brain, predominantly driven by horizontally oriented facial cues. While face processing largely operates in a face-centered reference frame, it is not devoid of retinotopic sensitivity. Addressing whether face rotation influences the orientation tuning profile of identity recognition enables a direct empirical test of the reference frame of human face identification. Forty-two young adults performed identity recognition of famous faces filtered to restrict content to narrow orientation bands (i.e., from 0° to 150°, in 30°-steps), and presented either upright, rotated by ±45°, or by ±90° away from upright. If the horizontal face identity information is defined along face-centered coordinates, identity recognition performance should stay tuned to the horizontal irrespective of rotation angle. Any contribution of the retina-centered reference frame should cause the peak of orientation tuning to shift away from the horizontal, in the same direction as the stimulus rotation. While overall identity recognition performance decreased when faces were rotated by ±90° compared to upright and ±45° rotation, it kept broadly tuned to the horizontal range of the face stimulus regardless of rotation angle. However, the advantage of the horizontal over the vertical range decreased significantly for ±90° compared to upright and ±45° rotations. Through the systematic investigation of the orientation tuning parameters across stimulus rotation, the present work provides quantitative evidence that the visual information driving human face-specialized identity recognition is defined within the reference frame of the face-image.
Innate immune signaling plays a key role in host response to infection, yet the pattern recognition receptors that detect non-model gut-associated yeasts remain poorly defined. Here, we investigated macrophage sensing of Debaryomyces hansenii, a food-derived yeast that we found to be enriched within intestinal ulcers of Crohn disease (CD) patients. Using a cell surface receptor antibody screen of bone marrow-derived macrophages infected with a CD patient isolate of D. hansenii, we showed that D. hansenii-induced macrophage activation characterized by increased expression of co-stimulatory molecules, MHC-II, and pattern recognition receptors, including the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1. Antibody blockade experiments showed both Dectin-1 and complement receptor 3 subunit CD11b were required for phagocytosis of D. hansenii, while Dectin-1 was uniquely required for production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (Tnf). CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of Dectin-1 phenocopied antibody neutralization effects on phagocytosis. Furthermore, deletion of Dectin-1 or its downstream signaling adaptor molecule Card9 resulted in reduced Tnf secretion in response to D. hansenii. Dectin-1-mediated uptake of D. hansenii was observed in primary bone marrow-derived macrophage and dendritic cells, as well as across the spectrum of macrophage polarization states. Together, these findings define the role of Dectin-1-Card9 signaling axis in innate immune cell sensing of D. hansenii. These findings support the emerging relevance of innate immune recognition of a yeast in Crohn disease pathogenesis.
A variety of factors influence a person's language abilities. We investigated possible relationships between age, musicianship, and spoken word recognition. Participants heard words and nonwords in the presence of background noise and made lexical decision responses. Participants were categorized as either a musician or a nonmusician. Results indicate that both younger and older adult musicians had more efficient responses than nonmusicians. Participants were more efficient at responding to easy than hard words. Interestingly, older adults had significantly more accurate responses than younger adults. The results further our understanding of the connections between age, musicianship, and spoken word recognition.
Visual recognition is a fundamental human brain function, supported by a network of regions in the ventral occipito-temporal cortex (VOTC). This network is thought to be organized hierarchically, with definite processing stages increasing in invariance and time-course from posterior to anterior cortical regions. Here, we provide a stringent test of this view by measuring category-selective neural activity to natural images of faces across the VOTC with electrophysiological intracerebral recordings in a large human sample (N=140; >11,000 recording sites). Face-selective high frequency broadband (30-160 Hz) neural activity is distributed across the VOTC, with right-hemispheric dominance and regional peaks of activity. Crucially, while a progressive increase in degree of category-selectivity is found along the postero-anterior axis, neural activity occurs largely concurrently (~100 ms onset - ~450 ms offset) across all VOTC regions. These observations challenge the standard hierarchical view of neural organization of visual object recognition in the human association cortex, supporting alternative models of this key brain function.
Human facial emotion recognition (FER) is a vibrant research field. This research proposes a novel, biologically inspired hybrid FER framework that uniquely connects event-driven Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) with deep learning, specifically a Spike-based Support Vector Machine (S-SVM), which is designed for its event-driven processing and energy efficiency. The article proposes a novel SNN-based framework for FER that extracts robust image features using a Vision Transformer (ViT). Spikes are generated from the features using the rate-and-threshold encoding technique. The core algorithmic novelty lies in the integration of Leaky Integrate-and-Fire (LIF) and Quadratic Integrate-and-Fire (QIF) neurons, which are used in S-SVM, creating a highly optimized decision boundary in the spike domain. The goal is to determine which neuron performs best, as confirmed by the CK+ dataset. The same technique was validated on RAF-CE, a unprocessed dataset derived from real-world events and movie scenes. The approach was validated on the CK+ dataset, achieving 99.14% and 99.94% accuracy for the QIF and LIF neurons, respectively. For the compound emotions in the unprocessed dataset, which are hard to distinguish, the accuracy rates achieved with QIF and LIF neurons are 78.87% and 98.91%, respectively. In the FER system, the LIF neuron with an S-SVM classifier performs better than the LIF neuron. This hybrid design's capacity to provide cutting-edge FER accuracy while also enabling previously unheard-of energy efficiency gains of 99.52% for CK+ and 99.60% for RAF-CE when compared to traditional deep learning models is its primary significance.
Epiphyseal opening requires precise localization for bony bridge resection. Traditional surgery is challenged by unclear bony bridge boundary localization and inaccurate grinding precision, while existing robot-assisted operations predominantly focus on pre-operative localization with limited intraoperative autonomous decision-making capabilities. To address this, we propose a multi-source information fusion framework using a CNN-LSTM-Attention network for real-time bone layer differentiation, specifically identifying idling, cancellous, and cortical bone states, during robotic orthopedic grinding. First, the mapping relationship between acceleration, force and acoustic signals and bone density is analyzed, serving as the basis of bone layer recognition. Second, a three-channel parallel late-feature-fusion CNN-LSTM-Attention network is established. The dataset was constructed from multiple independent grinding trials with trial-wise splitting to prevent data leakage under representative robotic grinding conditions. Over five independent runs, the proposed method achieves a test accuracy of 95.06% ± 0.53%, significantly outperforming comparison models including CNN, CNN-Attention, CNN-LSTM, and non-deep-learning baselines (Random Forest, Extra Trees, SVM, KNN). Ablation studies isolating CNN, LSTM, and Attention contributions are provided, and the learned Squeeze-and-Excitation attention weights are visualized to confirm dynamic cross-modal feature weighting. With approximately 0.32 million parameters, the model introduces an inference latency of 2.8 ms on a desktop CPU and 1.2 ms on an NVIDIA Jetson Orin, well below the 50 ms robot control cycle, confirming real-time feasibility. Additionally, we explore single-signal, dual-signal, and triple-signal fusion settings, demonstrating that tri-modal fusion achieves the best performance.
BackgroundTransvenous embolization is the standard treatment for cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (CS DAVFs). In some patients with CS DAVFs, selective embolization is possible if the shunted pouches can be accurately identified, avoiding the risk of cranial nerve damage due to excess coil use.PurposeTo evaluate the utility of three-dimensional (3D)-printed models in enhancing the spatial understanding of shunted pouches and approach routes and facilitating selective embolization for CS DAVFs.Material and MethodsThe 3D-printed models of the CS of five patients with CS DAVFs treated between 2022 and 2024 were printed with fused deposition modeling 3D printers using 3D data from 3D digital subtraction angiography (3D-DSA). Shunted pouches were identified using high-resolution cone-beam computed tomography and four-dimensional DSA. Embolization procedures were planned based on the tactile and spatial understanding provided by 3D-DSA and 3D-printed models. Five patients treated between 2018 and 2022 without 3D-printed models were used as controls.ResultsComplete shunt obliteration was observed in all five patients whose CS was 3D-printed. Two patients were treated successfully with selective embolization of the shunted pouch alone and three patients required additional partial sinus packing. In the control group, selective embolization was possible in only one patient, and only two patients achieved complete obliteration, including one requiring retreatment due to early recanalization.ConclusionThe use of 3D-printed models for CS DAVFs treatment may improve shunt point recognition and facilitate effective selective embolization.
DBSCAN (A Density-Based Algorithm for Discovering Clusters in Spatial Databases with Noise) is a classic clustering algorithm. However, clustering distributed data with privacy protection in edge computing environments is a key challenge for DBSCAN. In this research, we combine federated clustering and DBSCAN and propose two secure federated parameter-free DBSCAN clustering methods, called FDBSCAN and FDBSCAN++. The process involves the following steps: (1) differential privacy is applied to the client data and adaptive DBSCAN is used at each client to identify core points; (2) the clients send the extracted core points to the server, where the server aggregates these to obtain the final global cluster centers (FDBSCAN and FDBSCAN++ use different methods in this step); (3) the final clusters are generated using these global centers. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed two algorithms, we use eight real datasets, including the large-scale image dataset MNIST. Compared with traditional and state-of-the-art (SOTA) improved DBSCAN and federated clustering algorithms, the proposed algorithms achieve better clustering accuracy. In addition, we also apply FDBSCAN++ to image clustering and segmentation tasks, which achieves satisfactory results.
During endotracheal intubation, equipment setup typically includes the patient monitor fixed at the head of the bed behind the back of the operator. Inability to directly visualize the patient monitor may result in delayed recognition of desaturation. Our primary aim in this study was to measure the association between patient monitor position and the time to recognition of a desaturation event during endotracheal intubation. We performed a randomized crossover trial of emergency medicine residents across two Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs. Subjects were asked to perform direct and video-assisted laryngoscopy once on a difficult airway trainer in a simulation. The sequence of laryngoscopy modality (direct vs video-assisted) and monitor position (head vs left vs right of bed) were randomized prior to each attempt. The simulated patient's peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) was programmed to begin at 100% and decrease at a rate of 1% per second 10 seconds after the start of the subject's attempt. The primary outcome measure was time to operator recognition of hypoxia defined as the observed period during which the simulated SpO2 was < 90%. Secondary outcomes were operator failure to visualize a desaturation event. We rendered Kaplan-Meier curves illustrating the time to visualization of hypoxia and performed a Cox regression adjusting for laryngoscopy modality and total number of previous intubations performed. Using multivariable linear regression, we modeled the association between time to recognition of hypoxia in seconds and patient monitor position with similar adjustments. To assess differences in the number of observed failure events between study arms, we used chi-squared or Fisher exact tests. The threshold for statistical significance was a two-sided P < 0.05. We observed 68 attempts by 34 subjects. Twenty-two (32.5%), 22 (32.5%), and 24 (35%) intubations were performed with the monitor positioned at the head, left, and right, respectively. The median times to recognition of hypoxia were 37 seconds [sec] (95% CI, 25-86 sec) for the head, 32 sec (95% CI, 18-50 sec) for the left, and 23 sec (95% CI, 19-34 sec) for the right groups, respectively. Cox regression demonstrated hazard ratios of 2.7 and 3.2 for the left and right groups when compared to the head group, and these findings were statistically significant (P = .04 and P = 0.03, respectively). We found no statistically significant associations between time to recognition of hypoxia and laryngoscopy modality or total number of previous intubations (P = .82 and .21, respectively). Failure rates across head, left, and right groups were similar, at 36%, 59%, and 50%, respectively (P = .30). Positioning of the patient monitor at the head of the bed results in delayed visualization of desaturation events during simulated direct and video-assisted laryngoscopy across different levels of experience. Ideally, the patient monitor should be positioned on the side of the bed and within the operator's direct line of sight. Further research is warranted to assess how equipment setup may impact procedural performance, operator ergonomics, and patient safety.
Plants rely on cell surface immune receptors to detect microbial patterns and initiate effective defense responses. Although the Asteraceae family is one of the largest and economically important plant groups, little information is available about its pattern-triggered immunity signaling. Cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) recognizes a 24-amino acid peptide (nlp24) from necrosis- and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like proteins (NLPs) found in bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes. Here, we perform an extensive characterization of nlp24-induced immune responses in lettuce and identify the LETTUCE nlp24 RECEPTOR (LNR) as the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase mediating its recognition. Remarkably, nlp24 recognition in lettuce and subsequent activation of defenses strongly depend on the conserved heptapeptide motif (GHRHDWE). Structural modeling-guided mutagenesis experiments suggest that residues in the nlp24 heptapeptide interact with a hydrophobic pocket in the LNR solenoid structure. Divergent ligand specificities and the absence of sequence homology between LNR and the Arabidopsis nlp24-recognizing receptor RLP23 indicate that NLP recognition in lettuce and Arabidopsis emerged independently, through convergent evolution. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that LNR is closely related to Arabidopsis MALE DISCOVERER 1-INTERACTING RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 2 (MIK2) but belongs to a distinct, Asteraceae-specific monophyletic subgroup that has undergone a significant expansion in Lactuca. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms of pattern-triggered immunity in lettuce and present an example of convergent evolution of plant pattern-recognition receptors.
Retrieval training (i.e., cued recall) is theorised to induce rapid memory consolidation, similarly to sleep. Across consolidation, related neural representations become increasingly similar; yet, representational change has never been directly compared between sleep and retrieval training to test similarities in their underlying mechanisms. In this study, 30 subjects (27F, 18-34, M = 22.17) completed 4 separate sessions in which they (1) learnt object-word pairs, followed by (2) immediate recognition testing, (3) one of four 120-min interventions (retrieval training, restudy, sleep, or wake), and (4) delayed recognition testing. We compared EEG phase similarity between similar and different objects to assess the time, frequency, and anatomical distribution of representational similarity across encoding (learning to immediate recognition), and each intervention (immediate to delayed recognition). We hypothesised that EEG phase patterns for similar objects would become more similar (i.e., representational merging) across retrieval training and sleep interventions, and predict a greater endorsement of similar-object lures. We found increased representational similarity between similar objects across encoding in the theta-band and occipital sources. Crucially, additional representational merging was only observed across the retrieval training intervention, in the alpha-band and parieto-occipital sources. Despite retrieval training leading to reduced performance in discriminating similar-objects lures, greater representational merging across retrieval training predicted greater discrimination of similar-object lures. Together, these findings suggest that sleep and retrieval training induce different memory transformations across equivalent timescales. Retrieval training may generally provoke rapid gist extraction, with greater neocortical integration supporting episodic discrimination. Conversely, sleep may selectively maintain short-term task-relevant episodic and semantic details.
This exploratory study examined whether brief high-intensity cycling exercise, performed either before or after a single online Portuguese language lesson, improved language acquisition or retention in older adolescents with ADHD, compared to a resting control condition. Participants (n = 29; mean age 19.2; no prior Portuguese knowledge) were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: control, exercise before, and exercise after. The 29-minute Portuguese lesson introduced vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Immediate learning (Day 1) and retention (Day 7) were assessed through sentence production, free recall, and recognition memory. The exercise groups completed three 30-second leg cycling sprints with active recovery. The language lesson and assessments were identical across conditions. Although no statistically significant differences were found, effect size analyses revealed that exercising before the lesson was associated with moderately better recognition memory on both Day 1 (d = 0.51) and Day 7 (d = 0.77), along with small improvements in free recall (d = 0.21 to 0.44). In contrast, exercising after the lesson was linked to worse recognition memory (d = -0.51) and fewer sentences created (d = -0.69 to -0.99) compared to control. The findings from this exploratory study show that in a sample of older adolescents with ADHD the brief, intense cycling exercise prior to an initial Portuguese lesson was associated with a pattern suggesting higher free-recall and recognition memory for Portuguese words, while the similar exercise performed after the language lesson was associated with a pattern suggesting worse memory performance on sentence production, a more complex cognitive task. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is needed to confirm the present findings and clarify optimal exercise timing during the initial and subsequent days of second language learning.
This article examines how skilled Pakistani newcomers to Canada experience and make sense of the loss of recognition associated with their prior professional identities following migration. Drawing on 43 life-history interviews in the Greater Toronto Area, I use the Urdu word lachak (flexibility) to describe how my interlocutors lower expectations, accept downward mobility, and reorient their identities in order to move forward with settlement. I argue that lachak captures how symbolic capital loss becomes embedded in everyday self-understandings, producing an embodied and often obscured sense of nonbelonging. The analysis also demonstrates that these processes are structured through gendered differences across professional and domestic domains. By foregrounding lachak, the article shows how nonbelonging persists through the normalization of diminished recognition in settlement. Cet article examine comment les nouveaux arrivants pakistanais qualifiés au Canada vivent et interprètent la perte de reconnaissance liée à leurs identités professionnelles antérieures à la suite de leur migration. En m'appuyant sur 43 entretiens biographiques menés dans la région du Grand Toronto, j'utilise le mot ourdou lachak (flexibilité) pour décrire comment mes interlocuteurs reviennent sur leurs attentes, acceptent une mobilité descendante et réorientent leurs identités afin de poursuivre leur processus d’établissement. Je soutiens que le lachak rend compte de la manière dont la perte de capital symbolique s'ancre dans la perception que l'on a de soi au quotidien, engendrant un sentiment incarné et souvent dissimulé de non‐appartenance. L'analyse démontre également que ces processus sont structurés par des différences liées au genre, tant dans la sphère professionnelle que domestique. En mettant en avant le lachak, cet article montre comment le sentiment de non‐appartenance persiste à travers la normalisation d'une reconnaissance réduite au cours de l'installation.
Proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) couple target recognition to ubiquitin-dependent degradation, but their translation requires coordinated optimisation of degradation efficiency and developability. This review frames PROTAC design as a context-dependent medicinal chemistry problem rather than modular assembly of a warhead, linker and ubiquitin ligase (E3) recruiter. Linker length, rigidity, and exit vectors, together with warhead recognition topology, determine whether binary binding can form a cooperative, ubiquitination-competent ternary complex. Warhead binding mode further affects catalytic turnover and cellular degradation. Linker-free designs and disclosed clinical PROTAC structures show that beyond Rule of Five property control remains central to exposure. Conditional linkers and E3 ligase choice add biological constraints through stimulus-responsive activation, recruiter tractability, E3 expression, localisation, pathway biology, and safety liabilities. This review integrates these principles into a framework for PROTAC design. The framework aligns productive ternary complex assembly, effective exposure and biological-context compatibility within the intended therapeutic context.
Vertebral fragility fractures (VFFs) are underdiagnosed despite increasing future fracture risk. In 307 hip fragility fracture patients, 28.0% had prior radiological VFFs-mostly severe, lumbar, and wedge-type-yet only 11.6% were diagnosed. This under-recognition underscores the importance of early VFFs detection to improve outcomes and prevent further fragility fractures. Vertebral fragility fractures (VFFs) are the most common osteoporotic fractures but are often undiagnosed. Despite the frequent absence of pain, VFFs are linked to increased morbidity and a higher risk of future fractures, including hip fractures. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, location, type, and severity of previous VFFs in patients presenting with hip fragility fractures. We conducted a retrospective study of patients aged ≥ 50 years with hip fragility fractures admitted to our FLS between 2019 and 2023. Inclusion criteria required the availability of thoracic and/or lumbar spine imaging performed within the previous five years. Clinical data, lifestyle factors, and FRAX scores were collected. Spine images were independently assessed by two blinded reviewers using Genant's semiquantitative method. Of 357 patients screened, 307 met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 80.9 ± 9.1 years, and 84.0% were women. Radiological VFFs were present in 28.0% of patients, yet only 11.6% had a prior diagnosis. The lumbar (41.9%) and thoracic spine (31.4%) were the most frequently affected regions. Wedge-type fractures were most common (72.9%), and 62.8% were classified as severe. Patients with VFFs were significantly older (p = 0.007) and had higher FRAX scores (p < 0.001). The odds of having VFFs were 2.17 and 2.07 times higher in patients with previous fractures and in those receiving antidepressant therapy, respectively. Over one-fourth of patients with hip fractures have previous VFFs, though only a small portion have been officially diagnosed. These findings underscore the high prevalence and frequent under-recognition of VFFs.
Stroke incidence and mortality are higher among adults in northern and western China, commonly referred to as the "Stroke Belt." However, few studies have compared stroke action awareness between Stroke Belt and non-Stroke Belt regions at the national level. This study aimed to evaluate stroke action awareness-including recognition of symptoms and appropriate emergency responses-among community residents in China, with comparisons between Stroke Belt and non-Stroke Belt regions. We conducted a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of community residents across China to assess knowledge of stroke symptoms and appropriate responses to suspected stroke events. A total of 6181 residents were included in the final analysis, with 2037 living in Stroke Belt regions and 4144 in non-Stroke Belt regions. Overall, 19.07% (n = 1179) were unaware of any stroke symptoms, 17.96% (n = 1110) recognized one symptom, 11.97% (n = 740) recognized two symptoms, and 50.99% (n = 3152) recognized all three. Additionally, 77.59% (n = 4796) identified calling emergency medical services (EMS) as the correct response. Multivariable logistic regression showed that residents of the Stroke Belt had significantly lower odds of recognizing all three symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.44-0.56; p < 0.001), calling EMS (aOR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.54-0.70; p < 0.001), and both recognizing all three symptoms and calling EMS (aOR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.45-0.58; p < 0.001). Stroke action awareness remains notably low among community residents in China, with the lowest levels observed in the Stroke Belt. Targeted public health interventions are urgently needed to improve symptom recognition and promote timely action for emergency stroke care, especially in high-risk regions such as the Stroke Belt.
Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is a rare but serious complication of the Fontan procedure in patients with single-ventricle physiology. It results from excessive loss of plasma proteins into the gastrointestinal tract, leading to hypoalbuminemia, edema, and ascites. We report the case of a 10-year-old girl with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who underwent staged surgical palliation including the Norwood procedure, bidirectional Glenn shunt, and extracardiac Fontan completion. She presented with progressive abdominal distension, peripheral edema, and severe hypoalbuminemia (albumin 2.3 g/dl). Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization demonstrated a patent Fontan circuit with normal pulmonary artery pressures and no significant obstruction, although the inferior vena cava pressure was mildly elevated at approximately 16 mmHg. The patient was managed with intravenous albumin replacement, diuretics, anticoagulation, sildenafil, and oral budesonide. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of PLE and emphasizes the importance of early recognition and multidisciplinary management, even in the absence of significant Fontan circuit obstruction, as elevated systemic venous pressure and lymphatic dysfunction may both contribute to disease development. Protein-losing enteropathy is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of Fontan circulation. It should be suspected in patients with a history of Fontan palliation who present with unexplained hypoalbuminemia, edema, or ascites, even when no significant Fontan circuit obstruction is identified, as elevated systemic venous pressure and lymphatic abnormalities may contribute to disease development. Early recognition and multidisciplinary management are essential to improve clinical outcomes and guide further evaluation of underlying lymphatic abnormalities.
Foliar fungal diseases are major threats to global grain production, which is integral to food security and agricultural economies. Current management relies on broadacre fungicides applied after infection, which are costly, environmentally problematic, and promote the emergence of chemically resilient phytopathogens. Prophylactic strategies remain limited, but a shared requirement of foliar disease may be a key target for intervention: the pathogen must successfully detect and recognize the surface of their host. The initial point of contact in plant-fungi interactions can hence be reframed as a biointerface problem governed by the physicochemical properties of the leaf surface. Leaf surfaces are coated in a waxy layer called the cuticle, a biocomposite comprised of a cutin matrix embedded and coated with compounds called cuticular waxes. Increasing evidence shows that these waxes can signal recognition to pathogenic fungi to promote infection. However, studying these interactions is challenging due to their complexity, with whole-leaf models masking the contributions of individual surface variables. To address this, we propose a biomimetic model system using fabricated wax films to replicate native leaf chemistries on inert substrates. These systems allow for precise tuning of surface physicochemical properties, enabling systematic investigation of fungal responses to defined surface chemistries. These systems can then be used to develop prophylactic strategies that alter leaf surface properties, disrupting host-recognition in fungal pathogens to reduce foliar fungal disease incidence in agriculture globally. By reframing fungal disease as a biointerface problem, this research offers a path toward more sustainable and targeted fungal disease management.
Reproductive labor, essential to social and biological maintenance, has historically been performed by women, often under conditions of social vulnerability and without formal recognition. This scoping review aimed to map the international scientific literature on paid and unpaid domestic work performed by adult and older women in contexts marked by devaluation and cumulative chronic stress, manifested in health disparities. The review followed PRISMA-ScR and JBI guidelines and included articles indexed in PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science, with no time restrictions. After screening 2,122 records, 41 studies were included. The findings reveal that domestic work, particularly for migrant women, serves as a critical space in which gender, class, and racial inequalities are reproduced. Most of the reviewed studies were carried out in China, Singapore, and the United States and were based mainly on qualitative or mixed-methods designs. Major themes included migration and the physical and mental health impacts of domestic work. The literature shows high prevalence of psychological distress, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and symbolic and physical violence, all worsened by informality and lack of legal protection. Workers' bodies and subjectivities emerge as terrains where structural inequalities are inscribed, making visible the "colonization of subjectivity" as an effect of precarization. Domestic work must be understood not only as an economic activity but also as a social, relational, and neurobiological phenomenon. These factors underscore the consequences of such working conditions for the health of marginalized populations. Moreover, the mapping highlights the urgent need for public policies that integrate social protection, economic recognition, and health care for these workers.