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Etiology of longitudinal associations between subjective effects and substance use disorders in a clinical sample
No full textBackground: Subjective effects (SEs) are positively associated with substance use disorders in clinical samples. However, the etiology of these associations remains unclear. The present study utilized a clinical sample selected for elevated polysubstance use disorder (SUD) criteria to address the following questions: Are positive and negative polysubstance SEs and SUD criteria associated? Are cross-sectional and longitudinal results consistent? Is there evidence for common genetic influences between SEs and SUDs? Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses using the Defries Fulker regression method were conducted in clinical probands (n = 476) and their full (n = 557) and half siblings (n = 65). SEs were assessed in adolescence and SUD criteria were assessed once in adolescence and twice in adulthood. Results: SEs were correlated with SUD criteria from adolescence to adulthood in clinical probands (r = 0.12–0.40) and during adolescence (r = 0.36–0.39) in full siblings of clinical probands. Results were inconsistent with common genetic influences between elevated SUDs and SEs. Conclusions: Elevated SUDs and SEs were mostly explained by familial influences independent of genetics. There was little support for common genetic influences on elevated SUDs and SEs, possibly due to low power. Future research should focus on individual factors driving associations between these constructs
Collaboration under pressure: sustaining One Health research teams in a post-COVID environment
No full textThe sustainability of contemporary One Health research increasingly relies on the capacity of universities, research institutes and partner organisations to support collaborative teams. Such teams are indispensable because they integrate diverse expertise, address complex problems and respond rapidly to health crises such as COVID-19. One Health provides a compelling exemplar of collaborative research, uniting human, animal and environmental health to tackle global challenges and emerging infectious diseases. Yet the resilience of such teams is being tested by neoliberal reforms that have reshaped higher education into a competitive marketplace and by managerial practices that prioritise measurable outputs over collegiality, autonomy and disciplinary breadth. The pandemic exposed the fragility of this model: laboratories closed, workloads intensified and financial pressures triggered redundancies, even as collaboration proved essential to global health responses. This Opinion article examines how systemic pressures and interpersonal dynamics intersect to influence the functioning of research teams in a post-COVID environment. It highlights funding precarity, employment insecurity, inequities and political instability as persistent challenges, and explores how performance pressures and competition can affect collaboration. Sustaining research teams requires institutional reforms, inclusive leadership, recognition of diverse contributions and alignment with global frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so that One Health research and other multidisciplinary endeavours addressing emerging and neglected diseases remain resilient, impactful and socially relevant
Contemporary 0.55 T MRI to visualize interstitial lung disease – An exploratory study
No full textPurpose: To evaluate the feasibility of contemporary 0.55 T MRI for visualizing interstitial lung disease (ILD) compared to high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in an exploratory first-experience study. Materials and methods: Thirty participants (mean age 60 ± 13 years; 13 females) with rheumatologic ILD underwent HRCT and 0.55 T MRI within 31 days. MRI protocols included proton-density-weighted turbo-spin-echo sequences (transverse) and T2-weighted short-tau inversion recovery sequences (coronal). Three blinded radiologists independently assessed overall disease extent, ground-glass opacity (GGO), reticulation, and emphysema using a semi-quantitative scoring system. Differences between modalities were tested using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and Bland-Altman analysis evaluated systematic bias. Results: Overall disease extent showed no statistically significant difference between low-field MRI and HRCT (median 22.5 % vs. 24.5 %), with excellent interobserver agreement (MRI ICC = 0.94; HRCT ICC = 0.97). MRI significantly overestimated GGO (13.1 % vs. 9.7 %) and underestimated reticulation (8.1 % vs. 11.4 %) compared to HRCT. Bland-Altman analysis confirmed no systematic bias for overall disease extent but consistent overestimation of GGO and underestimation of reticulation on MRI. Conclusions: Contemporary 0.55 T MRI showed no statistically significant difference in overall ILD extent compared to HRCT but tended to overestimate GGO and underestimate reticulation. Despite these limitations, 0.55 T MRI represents a promising candidate for future development as a radiation-free alternative for gross disease burden assessment in ILD, warranting further technical refinement before routine clinical use
Exceptional ambient- and elevated-temperature mechanical performance of a cast multi-phase (Ti,Sc,Zr)66(Nb,V)34 lightweight compositionally complex alloy
No full textThe pursuit of lightweight structural materials with exceptional mechanical performance across a broad temperature spectrum remains a significant challenge for advanced engineering applications. This study addresses this challenge by introducing a cast (Ti,Sc,Zr)66(Nb,V)34 lightweight refractory compositionally complex alloy (LRCCA) with a theoretical density of 5.4064 g cm−3. The resulting multi-phase microstructure is characterized by phase-separated BCC dendrites, along with hypoperitectic interdendritic regions composed of equiaxed BCC grains and lamellar BCC/HCP duplex structures. This microstructural design utilizes the synergistic effects of its constituents to achieve an exceptional balance between strength and ductility under both ambient and elevated temperature conditions. At ambient temperature, the as-cast LRCCA demonstrates an ultimate tensile strength exceeding 1 GPa, a total elongation surpassing 10 %, and an impressive specific strength of ∼185.0 MPa cm3 g−1, primarily driven by the synergistic effects of dislocations, deformation twins, and additional HCP→FCC martensitic transformation. At 873 K, a pronounced ultimate tensile strength of approximately 649.5 MPa and an exceptional total elongation of ∼84.1 % are achieved, which arises from the synergistic interplay of limited dynamic recrystallization, dislocation motion, deformation twinning, and dual martensitic transformations (i.e., HCP→FCC and β→α″). This study indicates the critical role of microstructural engineering in optimizing the mechanical properties of CCAs, providing valuable insights for the development of next-generation lightweight materials
Laparoscopic treatment of ureteroduodenal fistula: Case report, technique, and review
No full textUreteroduodenal fistula is extremely rare, with fewer than 20 reported cases. We describe a 50-year-old woman with recurrent flank pain and hematuria whose imaging showed proximal ureteral hydronephrosis, a 2-cm stone, and a migrated metallic foreign body. During laparoscopic ureterolithotomy, dense adhesions revealed a fistula caused by transduodenal needle penetration with associated stone formation. Laparoscopic removal of the stone and foreign body, duodenal repair, and ureteral suturing with stent placement were successfully performed. The patient recovered uneventfully and remained asymptomatic at 6 months. This represents the first laparoscopic management of ureteroduodenal fistula, highlighting a safe, kidney-sparing alternative to open surgery
Magnetic functional undiversion in a patient with enteroatmospheric fistula and hostile abdomen: a case report
No full textIntroduction: Enteroatmospheric fistula in the setting of a hostile abdomen represents a major surgical challenge. Conventional anastomotic techniques are often unfeasible due to friable tissue, extensive adhesions, and high operative risk. Magnetic compression anastomosis has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative for restoring intestinal continuity in complex surgical scenarios. Case presentation: We report the case of a 14-year-old male with total colonic aganglionosis diagnosed in early childhood and initially managed with a diverting colostomy. Definitive reconstruction was delayed due to loss of follow-up after relocation to a remote region with limited access to specialized pediatric surgical care. At 14 years of age, the patient underwent intestinal reconstruction, which was complicated by an anastomotic leak, multiple laparotomies, and the development of a single enteroatmospheric fistula in the setting of a persistent hostile abdomen.Given the high surgical risk, the patient was not considered a candidate for conventional reoperation. A custom-made magnetic compression device was therefore designed to adapt to the patient's altered intestinal anatomy and the absence of commercially available magnetic systems for pediatric functional undiversion in the region. The device consisted of two annular neodymium magnets coated with methyl methacrylate, one housed within a convex 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane cover, and was placed endoluminally under endoscopic guidance. Also radiographic flow up was made.The magnets achieved proper alignment and were spontaneously expelled on postoperative day 7. By postoperative day 14, intestinal transit was restored and enteral feeding was resumed without evidence of leak or infection, achieving functional closure of the fistula. Due to severe loss of abdominal wall domain, abdominal wall closure was managed by secondary intention. Conclusion: Magnetic compression anastomosis seems to be a safe and effective alternative for the management of single enteroatmospheric fistulas
Detection of Hexametra angusticaecoides (Nematoda: Ascarididae) in Italian bats: a squamate-associated nematode in mammals
No full textHexametra angusticaecoides (Nematoda: Ascarididae) is a nematode typically associated with squamate reptiles, particularly lizards (Family Chamaeleonidae, Agamidae, Diplodactylidae). In reptilian hosts, it localizes primarily in the respiratory tract or coelomic cavity and may induce granulomatous lesions, especially under captive conditions. Its life cycle is presumed to be indirect, involving arthropods as paratenic hosts, yet it remains scarcely understood. Despite its broad reptile host range, natural infections in mammals have not been documented to date. Here, we describe the infection by H. angusticaecoides in mammalian hosts. Overall, ten filiform nematodes were recovered from the subcutaneous connective tissue and abdominal cavity of one Kuhl's pipistrelle Pipistrellus kuhlii and one Savi's pipistrelle Hypsugo savii from urban areas in Italy. Molecular analysis of the mitochondrial cox1 gene revealed 100 % identity with H. angusticaecoides sequence from panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis). This unprecedented finding suggests a potential case of parasite cross-class, dead-end infection event, likely resulting from the ingestion of infected arthropods in ecotones shared by reptiles and bats. It highlights the exposure beyond traditional host boundaries without indicating a breakdown of host specificity in ascaridoid nematodes and emphasizes the need for further investigations into the biology, transmission routes, and ecological interfaces that may facilitate cross-class events
Chimeric brain models to study human glial-neuronal and macroglial-microglial interactions
No full textSummary: Chimeric brain models generated by transplanting human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived neural cells are valuable for studying the development and function of human neural cells in vivo. To explore glial-neuronal and glial-glial interactions, we co-engraft hPSC-derived primitive neural progenitor cells and primitive macrophage progenitors into neonatal mouse brains, generating chimeric brains containing human microglia, macroglia, and neurons. Using super-resolution imaging and 3D reconstruction, we observe human microglia pruning synapses and engulfing neurons. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals human glial progenitor populations and dynamic stages of astroglial development resembling those in the human brain. Cell-cell communication analysis identifies strong human neural interactions, including NRXN-NLGN3 signaling between neurons and astrocytes and SPP1- and PTN-MK-mediated communication between microglia and astroglia. This co-transplantation model provides a powerful approach to study complex human glial-neuronal interactions and mechanisms underlying neurological diseases
Poly(A) variants supporting robust transmission stability in bacteria and high protein expression in animals for mRNA in vitro transcription
No full textPoly(A) tail is crucial in regulating mRNA stability and protein translation. Thus, it is an essential element of mRNAs transcribed in vitro for mRNA medicines. However, the repetitive nature of the poly(A) tail can lead to significant poly(A) length variation and compromise the quality of the mRNA drug substance. Previous studies improved poly(A) transmission stability by inserting a non-adenosine spacer. Here, we designed new segmented poly(A) variants and evaluated their transmission stability in bacteria transformation and their ability in supporting protein expression in animals. We identified specific variants with multiple non-adenosine insertions that can maintain high transmission stability with robustness in Escherichia coli and facilitate high protein expression in animals. Among the newly designed poly(A) variants, RG2 showed high and consistent transmission stability comparable to the A30-70 variant that is the industry gold standard but higher protein expression in animals than A30-70. We also isolate new factors that can influence the stable transmission of poly(A), such as poly(A) surrounding sequences and bacteria culture temperature. Thus, our work offers new tools valuable for rapidly developing mRNA vaccines and therapeutics
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