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REM genes controlling phyllotaxis and yield: bridging findings from Arabidopsis thaliana to Brassica napus
No full textOne of the main challenges in agriculture is the increasing demand to enhance plant yield per hectare. This is crucial not only for boosting food production to support a growing global population but also for minimizing land use for agricultural purposes. Seed yield is of particular importance since seeds are the primary source of carbohydrates and oil. The number of seeds that develop per plant is influenced by various factors, among which inflorescence architecture is a key trait. The geometrical organization of the inflorescence, known as phyllotaxis, plays an important role during reproductive development across many species. Despite its significance, the molecular mechanisms underlying phyllotactic patterning are still not fully understood. Recently, we demonstrated that the REM genes AtREM34 and AtREM35 are important in establishing phyllotactic patterns in Arabidopsis inflorescences. In this study, we investigated the genetic relationship between these two REM transcription factor genes and a closely related member, AtREM36. Interestingly, we show that double mutants of these genes display an increased number of siliques produced on the main stem. To explore the translational potential of this finding in the economically important seed crop Brassica napus (rapeseed), we identified and functionally analyzed, through complementation tests, a set of homologous BnaREM genes. This application-driven study uncovers novel genes associated with phyllotaxis and yield in the Brassicaceae family, contributing to our understanding of plant architecture and offering insights into sustainable strategies for crop improvement
Sedation Protocols for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Using Pentaspline Pulsed-Field Ablation: Patient and Operator-Reported Outcomes from a Large Nationwide Study
No full textLow, non-psychedelic doses of psilocybin as a novel treatment for MASLD, obesity and type 2 diabetes via 5-HT2B receptor-dependent mechanisms
No full textThe therapeutic potential of low, non-psychedelic doses of psilocybin, a fungal tryptamine alkaloid, was
investigated in metabolic disorders including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and liver steatosis. Mice
fed a high-fat/high-fructose diet received chronic treatment with psilocybin (0.05 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. Body
weight, liver histology, insulin sensitivity, and skeletal muscle function were assessed, and hepatic and muscle
tissues underwent transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses. The role of three serotonin receptors (5-HT2A, 5-HT2B,
and 5-HT2C) in psilocybin-induced metabolic effects was examined in human cell lines using pharmacological
and CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic approaches. Low-dose psilocybin reduced body-weight gain, liver steatosis,
hyperglycaemia, and insulin resistance without eliciting central nervous system effects. Multi-omics analyses
revealed near-complete normalization of disrupted hepatic lipid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. Psi-
locybin also improved muscle strength and function, potentially through restoration of leptin sensitivity.
Mechanistic studies demonstrated that these metabolic benefits were independent of the canonical psychedelic
target 5-HT2A and instead resulted from antagonism of the serotonin 5-HT2B receptor in the liver. Overall, chronic low-dose psilocybin exerts broad metabolic benefits via a hepatic 5-HT2B-dependent mechanism,
distinct from its psychedelic effects, supporting its potential as a novel therapeutic strategy for liver steatosis,
obesity, T2DM, and sarcopenia
Sex differences in the outcomes after carotid revascularization in real-world experience
No full textObjective: To analyze the impact of sex on the occurrence of death, stroke and myocardial infarction at 30 days and at 1 year after either carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) for the treatment of significant carotid stenosis on the real-world dataset coming from TriNetX. Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study was built within the TriNetX platform (TriNetX LLC, Cambridge, MA) to investigate cohorts of patients aged 18 years or older diagnosed with carotid artery occlusion or stenosis receiving either CEA or CAS from 1 January 2010 to 19 June 2025. Patients were also classified as symptomatic, thus delineating four cohorts: symptomatic CAS, symptomatic CEA, asymptomatic CAS and asymptomatic CEA. The primary outcome was identified as the occurrence of death from all causes, stroke and myocardial infarction, within each of the four cohorts of patients, comparing male versus female patients. These outcomes were evaluated both individually and as a composite outcome within 1 month and 1 year after the intervention. Results: Results of 59340 procedures of carotid revascularization (5599 CAS and 53741 CEA) from 2010 ongoing were analyzed, being 22574 on female patients (38.0%). At 30 days, the propensity-matched score analysis adjusted for age did not show any significant difference for the risk of all the outcomes between males and females both in the cohort of patients who underwent CEA as well as in that of patients who underwent CAS, neither in symptomatic nor in asymptomatic patients. At one year, no significant differences were recorded between men and women for the all the outcomes in both the cohorts, except for a lower survival of symptomatic female patients who underwent CAS (86.7% vs. 93.8%, p=0.013). Conclusions: At 30 days and at long-term follow-up no differences were recorded between male and female patients undergoing CAS or CEA, except for a lower 1-year survival of symptomatic female patients who underwent CAS
Insights From the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor Registries: Advancing the Understanding and Management of Primary Spine Tumors Through International Multicentric Collaboration. A Narrative Review
No full textStudy DesignNarrative Review.ObjectivesTo summarize the scientific contributions generated from the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor (AOSKFT) databases, focusing on primary spine tumors, and highlight key findings, research trends, and future directions.MethodsData from the Primary Tumor Retrospective (PT-Retro) and Primary Tumor Research Outcome Network (PTRON) registries were analyzed. The nineteen studies included were peer-reviewed manuscripts focused on primary spine tumors, excluding abstracts, book chapters, systematic reviews, and metastatic studies.ResultsThe PT-Retro registry compiled data from 1495 patients across 18 primary tumor histologies, offering insights into recurrence, survival, and treatment paradigms. Key findings emphasize the importance of Enneking-appropriate (EA) resection in improving survival and reducing recurrence in tumors such as chordoma, chondrosarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Genetic markers, including hTERT promoter mutations and rs2305089 SNP, were linked to prognosis in specific histologies. Benign tumors, such as giant cell tumors and aneurysmal bone cysts, demonstrated variable outcomes with different surgical approaches and selective arterial embolization.ConclusionsThe AOSKFT registries have significantly advanced knowledge in primary spine tumor management, emphasizing preoperative staging, surgical margins, and multidisciplinary approaches. International, multicentric registries are essential for studying rare diseases like primary spine tumors, enabling robust data collection, improved statistical power, and broader applicability of findings across diverse clinical settings. Ongoing prospective data collection through PTRON will further refine evidence-based care for these rare and challenging conditions
Hair cortisol concentrations as marker of chronic stress in wild roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
No full textThe stress response to different stimuli involves the release of mediators, with cortisol being the principal, aimed to induce physiological, metabolic, and behavioral changes for restoring allostatic balance. However, prolonged or excessive cortisol secretion may impair welfare by altering immunity, growth, and reproduction. Cortisol concentrations or its metabolites can be measured in several biological matrices, and may accumulate in the hair shaft over periods ranging from weeks to months, making hair a valid matrix for assessing chronic stress. Nevertheless, a validation of this method in roe deer is currently lacking. The objective of this study is to validate an ELISA test for the measurement of cortisol concentration in roe deer hair. Additionally, the effects of age, sex, environmental conditions, and seasonal variations on hair cortisol concentrations are evaluated. Materials and Methods. Hair samples were collected from 45 European roe deer housed in a wildlife rescue center. Cortisol was extracted from hair using methanol, and concentrations were quantified using a commercially available competitive ELISA kit originally developed for salivary cortisol. Results. Hair cortisol concentrations in roe deer ranged from 0.7 pg/mg to 27.25 pg/mg, exhibiting a distinctive bimodal distribution. Factors influencing hair cortisol levels included the age class and the season of collection, with particular emphasis on the rutting season in adults. No significant differences were observed with regard to the type of environment or the cause of rescue. Conclusion. The ELISA method provides a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable approach for assessing long- term alterations in glucocorticoid concentrations in roe deer, yielding results comparable to other more sensitive techniques
Il mercato delle meme coin tra crypto-frodi e riciclaggio
No full textLa frenesia delle meme coin (“meme coin frenzy”) è stato il fenomeno più interessante e dibattuto dell’universo della blockchain nel corso del 2025, rappresentando un punto di intersezione tra comunicazione digitale, speculazione finanziaria e rischio di frode. Dopo una ricognizione sulla loro natura giuridica e sull’assenza di un quadro normativo uniforme tra Europa e Stati Uniti, il contributo approfondisce la dimensione operativa delle crypto-scam, esaminandone dinamiche ricorrenti, schemi consolidati e tendenze
emergenti. Attraverso casi paradigmatici e l’analisi di indicatori tecnici (tokenomics,
smart contract, white paper), il saggio propone un approccio forense multidimensionale
utile all’individuazione dei comportamenti manipolativi e dei rischi di impiego criminale,
anche alla luce delle nuove sfide poste dall’Intelligenza Artificiale generativ
Outcomes in participants switching from FVIII replacement therapy to efanesoctocog alfa prophylaxis in XTEND-1: a post hoc analysis
No full textBackground: Efanesoctocog alfa is a first-in-class high-sustained factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy. In the phase III XTEND-1 (NCT04161495) study, once-weekly efanesoctocog alfa prophylaxis (50 IU/kg) was well-tolerated and achieved high-sustained factor levels in the normal to near-normal range (>40%) for most of the week. Objective: To report outcomes in previously treated participants with severe haemophilia A aged ⩾12 years from an observational study who switched to efanesoctocog alfa prophylaxis during XTEND-1. Design: Paired assessment of participants from an observational study who enrolled in the phase III XTEND-1 study. Methods: Seventy-eight participants switched from marketed standard half-life (SHL) or extended half-life (EHL) FVIII prophylaxis to once-weekly efanesoctocog alfa prophylaxis (50 IU/kg). Endpoints included annualized bleed rates (ABRs), treatment of bleeding episodes, injection frequency and FVIII consumption. Results: Pre-study, 44 (56%) and 34 (44%) participants received SHL FVIII or EHL FVIII prophylaxis, respectively. In the overall population, a significant reduction in ABR from 2.96 to 0.69 (p < 0.0001) was observed following the switch to efanesoctocog alfa prophylaxis as well as reductions in spontaneous, traumatic, joint and spontaneous joint ABRs (p < 0.0001). Significant reductions in mean weekly injection frequency were observed, from 2.8 to 1.0 in the SHL FVIII cohort (p < 0.0001) and from 1.8 to 1.0 in the EHL FVIII cohort (p < 0.0001). Mean annualized factor consumption reduced by 47% in the SHL FVIII cohort and 30% in the EHL FVIII cohort. Conclusion: Collectively, the results of this post hoc analysis demonstrate the benefits of once-weekly efanesoctocog alfa prophylaxis over SHL or EHL FVIII prophylaxis on bleed rates, injection frequency and consumption. Trial registration: Observational study: 242HA201/OBS16221; XTEND-1: NCT04161495 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04161495)
Platelet function abnormalities in acquired hemophilia A
No full textBackground: The bleeding pattern in acquired hemophilia A (AHA) differs from that of inherited hemophilia, being characterized by soft tissue and muscle hematomas, mucocutaneous bleeding, but seldom joint bleeding. Platelet function disorders are inherited or acquired. The acquired forms may appear in association with medications, medical conditions, and autoimmune disorders. Objectives: We chose to investigate platelet function in a series of patients with AHA due to autoantibodies inactivating coagulation factor (F)VIII. Methods: Platelet function disorders were assessed at AHA diagnosis in platelet-rich plasma according to the Scientific Subcommittee of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis recommendations. In addition, the δ- and α-granule platelet content—that is, adenine nucleotides (ADP and ATP), serotonin and β-thromboglobulin—were measured. CD40L and soluble P-selectin were also measured in plasma to investigate in vivo platelet activation. Results: In 11 cases with AHA and a median age of 67 years, FVIII coagulant activity was unmeasurable, the inhibitor titer was <20 Bethesda Units in 5 cases (45%) and higher than 20 Bethesda Units in 6 cases (55%). All patients showed reduced platelet aggregation and secretion. Furthermore, 4 cases with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance had worse aggregation responses and an abnormal δ-granule platelet content, supporting a diagnosis of δ storage pool disease. Following remission the intraplatelet levels of ADP and serotonin improved. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that acquired platelet function abnormalities may be present in patients with AHA and perhaps contribute to the severity of their bleeding tendency