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Neonatal morphine and HIV synergy induce persistent neuroimmune and anxiety-related transcriptional states
No full textBackgroundEarly-life opioid exposure can disrupt neurodevelopment and heighten vulnerability to anxiety and affective disorders, particularly in individuals with HIV.MethodsUsing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we profiled adolescent brains from wild-type and HIV-1 transgenic (Tg26) female mice exposed to morphine during postnatal days 6–7.ResultsMorphine exposure in Tg26 mice resulted in a highly dysregulated microglial phenotype, characterized by the ectopic upregulation of genes encoding neuronpeptides (Avp, Hcrt, and Pmch), while simultaneously showing a reduction in both inflammatory and homeostatic markers (Map3k6, Lgals3, Ccl3). Microglia also showed enhanced expression of dynorphin (Pdyn) and κ-opioid receptor (Oprk1) signaling modules implicated in dysphoria and stress-induced negative effects. Furthermore, transcriptomic mapping revealed cell-type-specific neuronal adaptations: cholinergic neurons upregulated genes linked to anxiety and arousal (Avp, Oxt), GABAergic neurons upregulated genes linked to condition and aversive behavior, whereas glutamatergic neurons enriched for transcripts associated with thigmotaxis and fear behaviors.ConclusionsTogether, these findings demonstrate that brief neonatal morphine exposure in an HIV-inflamed milieu induces persistent, cell-type-specific neuroimmune and neurotransmitter reprogramming that engages the dynorphin-KOR pathway and predisposes to anxiety- and aversion-related behaviors
Climate models exaggerate greenhouse gas impact on recent interhemispheric temperature patterns and tropical climate
No full textThe interhemispheric thermal contrast, defined as the mean sea surface temperature difference between the northern and southern hemispheres, crucially influences tropical climate. Climate models show a positive interhemispheric thermal contrast trend since 1950, with more warming in the northern hemisphere compared to the southern hemisphere, contradicting the observed negative trend. Here we show this discrepancy stems from models overestimating greenhouse gas responses via wind-evaporation-sea surface temperature feedback, while anthropogenic and natural aerosols combine to produce the negative trend in observations. Consequently, models with high equilibrium climate sensitivity exhibit larger discrepancies with observations. Despite model failure to reproduce the trend, the modeled multidecadal interhemispheric thermal contrast variability aligns with observations, enabling a constrained estimate of effective radiative forcing due to aerosol-cloud interactions of
, with a "likely" range 57% narrower than the latest IPCC report. Our study further suggests that future northward shifts of the tropical rain belt are likely to be less pronounced than predicted by climate models with high equilibrium climate sensitivity
The PrEParados Model: A Community-Based Approach to Engaging Preexposure Prophylaxis‒Eligible Men Into HIV Prevention Programs, South Florida, 2022‒2023
No full textSouth Florida is the domestic epicenter of the HIV epidemic. However, awareness of and access to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remain low. This report outlines lessons learned from the development and implementation of the PrEParados model-a spatially explicit, social network-based approach designed to engage adults in PrEP. Informed by social contagion theory, the PrEParados model integrates social network and geospatial methodologies to examine participant characteristics and gather information on their friendship, sexual, and substance use networks. (
. 2026;116(S1):S16-S21. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308333)
In Memoriam: Professor Enio Buffolo (1941 - 2025)
No full textProfessor Enio Buffolo, born on Dezember 9th, 1941, was a pioneer in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in Brazil. His career spanned over six decades, during which he made groundbreaking contributions to world cardiac surgery, including the development of off-pump coronary artery bypass, endovascular treatment of aortic aneurysms, and the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in Brazil. He held numerous leadership roles, mentored generations of surgeons, and published extensively. His legacy is defined by visionary leadership, academic excellence, and deep humanistic values that continue to shape cardiovascular medicine in Brazil and beyond. If unanimous opinions are rare, just as rare are those that serve as examples, in their most diverse conducts, for family, friends, and coworkers. Dr. Enio Buffolo has a special place among this category of citizenship and humanism
Rapid and Single-Step Synthesis of Carbon-Silicon Composites Using a Continuous Aerosol Approach
No full textThere is a growing demand for advanced functional materials, such as carbon composites, and their scalable synthesis requires environmentally sustainable and economically viable approaches. Carbon-silicon (C-Si) composites are particularly promising anode materials for high-capacity Li-ion batteries. However, their conventional synthesis approaches often involve two-step solvothermal batch processes that require several hours (similar to 10 h) and rely on chemical additives to facilitate encapsulation. A single-step and continuous aerosol approach for synthesizing C-Si composites is demonstrated in this work. The aerosol approach significantly reduces synthesis time to as low as similar to 4 s, utilizes lignin (a waste byproduct of the pulping industry) as a carbon precursor, and enables additive-free encapsulation of silicon nanoparticles (NPs) in carbon. The role of processing temperatures (23-1050 degrees C) inside the aerosol reactor on the composite properties, including morphology, molecular structure, porosity, electrical conductivity, and elastic modulus, is systematically investigated, providing mechanistic insights into silicon NPs encapsulation. Furthermore, the suitability of as-synthesized C-Si composites for Li-ion battery anodes is evaluated. The composites exhibited significantly improved cyclic stability compared to bare silicon NPs, and their performance is correlated to physicochemical properties. Overall, the rapid and additive-free encapsulation of silicon NPs and the use of lignin as a sustainable carbon precursor highlight the potential of the aerosol route for the scalable production of carbon composites.</p
Long‐Term Graft Survival and Visual Outcomes in Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK): A Narrative Review
No full textDeep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) selectively replaces the scarred or diseased corneal stroma, while preserving healthy endothelium, thus providing an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty (PK) for patients with stromal disorders. Despite its recognized advantages, DALK has not become as widely adopted as anticipated over the past decades. The satisfactory visual outcomes of PK, the lack of standardized DALK techniques, as well as the limited long‐term data on visual and refractive outcomes for both DALK and PK are commonly cited as barriers to its broader implementation. Evidence from long‐term studies indicates that DALK offers superior graft survival and provides a safer intraoperative profile with fewer complications and lower endothelial cell loss, making it the preferred option for stromal diseases with healthy endothelium
A PI3Kδ-Foxo1-FasL signaling amplification loop rewires CD4+ T cell signaling and differentiation
No full textWhile inputs regulating CD4+ T helper (Th) cell differentiation are well defined, the integration of downstream signaling with transcriptional and epigenetic programs that define Th lineage identity remains incompletely resolved. PI3K signaling is a critical regulator of T cell function; activating mutations affecting PI3Kδ result in an immunodeficiency with multiple T cell defects. Using mice expressing activated PI3Kδ, we found aberrant expression of proinflammatory Th1 signature genes under Th2-inducing conditions, both in vivo and in vitro. This dysregulation was driven by a PI3Kδ-IL-2-Foxo1 signaling amplification loop, fueling Foxo1 inactivation, loss of Th2 lineage restriction, and extensive epigenetic reprogramming. Surprisingly, ablation of Fasl, a Foxo1-repressed gene, normalized both Th2 differentiation and TCR signaling. BioID and imaging revealed Fas interactions with TCR signaling components, which were supported by Fas-mediated potentiation of TCR signaling that could occur in the absence of FADD. Our results highlight Fas-FasL signaling as a critical intermediate in phenotypes driven by activated PI3Kδ, thereby linking two key pathways of immune dysregulation
Building Public Health Data Dashboards: A Tutorial Playbook
No full textPublic health data dashboards have substantial potential to improve transparency, understanding, and decision-making at multiple levels, from individuals to public health practitioners and policy makers. However, creating effective dashboards presents many challenges. In this case-based tutorial on public health dashboard development, we share lessons learned from our experience developing data dashboards for the HEALing Communities Study (HCS), an NIH-funded, community-engaged intervention to deploy evidence-based practices to reduce opioid overdose deaths in 67 communities across four states. We present key decision points dashboard teams must address, along with the major considerations and trade-offs that shaped our approach. First, we describe core considerations of the who, what, why, where, when, and how of data dashboard development. Next, we outline steps in data curation, including the identification of key metrics and potential data sources, and developing processes to acquire the data. Third, we discuss practical aspects of developing data visualizations that can effectively communicate key messages to the end-users of interest. Fourth, we describe the infrastructure considerations to host and publish data dashboards. And finally, we discuss maintenance and sustainability of the dashboard. While the material can be read sequentially as a step-by-step guide, we refer to this resource as a "playbook" because readers may engage with specific domains in a random-access fashion-that is, based on their specific needs and/or starting point rather than a fixed sequence. The information, supplemental materials, and links will assist individuals and organizations seeking to build data dashboards by fostering context-sensitive evaluation of design and implementation choices to realize the promise of data-driven decision making
