The Spider Effect: Morphological and Orienting Classification of Microglia in Response to Stimuli in Vivo

The different morphological stages of microglial activation have not yet been described in detail. We transected the olfactory bulb of rats and examined the activation of the microglial system histologically. Six stages of bidirectional microglial activation (A) and deactivation (R) were observed: from stage 1A to 6A, the cell body size increased, the cell process number decreased, and the cell processes retracted and thickened, orienting toward the direction of the injury site; until stage 6A, when all processes disappeared. In contrast, in deactivation stages 6R to 1R, the microglia returned to the original site exhibiting a stepwise retransformation to the original morphology. Thin highly branched processes re-formed in stage 1R, similar to those in stage 1A. This reverse transformation mirrored the forward transformation except in stages 6R to 1R: cells showed multiple nuclei which were slowly absorbed. Our findings support a morphologically defined stepwise activation and deactivation of microglia cells

Chromosomal-level assembly of the Asian Seabass genome using long sequence reads and multi-layered scaffolding

We report here the ~670 Mb genome assembly of the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), a tropical marine teleost. We used long-read sequencing augmented by transcriptomics, optical and genetic mapping along with shared synteny from closely related fish species to derive a chromosome-level assembly with a contig N50 size over 1 Mb and scaffold N50 size over 25 Mb that span ~90% of the genome. The population structure of L. calcarifer species complex was analyzed by re-sequencing 61 individuals representing various regions across the species' native range. SNP analyses identified high levels of genetic diversity and confirmed earlier indications of a population stratification comprising three clades with signs of admixture apparent in the South-East Asian population. The quality of the Asian seabass genome assembly far exceeds that of any other fish species, and will serve as a new standard for fish genomics

Social Cognitive Role of Schizophrenia Candidate Gene GABRB2

10.1371/journal.pone.0062322PLoS ONE84

Properties and expression of Na+/K+-ATPase α-subunit isoforms in the brain of the swamp eel, Monopterus albus, which has unusually high brain ammonia tolerance

10.1371/journal.pone.0084298PLoS ONE812-POLN

Meadowdale High School Student with Disabilities Finds Job in UD Cafeteria; UD Assistant Geology Professor Plots City\u27s Glacial Deposits on High-Tech Map

Feature leads for the media: The University of Dayton and Dayton Public Schools have teamed up to place a Meadowdale High School student with multiple disabilities in a job with Kennedy Union Food Service; UD geology faculty member J. Michael Clinch is using a computer to create Dayton and Montgomery County\u27s first extensive and only automated inventory of glacial and post-glacial deposits on a U.S. Geological Survey base map

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist in myocardial infarction and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk reduction: a comprehensive meta-analysis of number needed to treat, efficacy and safety

Background Glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) use in individuals with high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk reduces major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). However, its clinical impact,in terms of numbers needed to treat (NNT), efficacy and safety profile in reducing the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and the individual ASCVD constituents remain unclear.Methods Electronic databases, Medline and Embase were reviewed for randomized trials from inception to 29 May 2025. Risk-reduction effect of GLP-1RA were pooled using pairwise meta-analysis with random-effects model. Theprimary outcome was MI, and secondary outcomes were the individual ASCVD constituents.Results 109,846 patients from 25 unique studies were included. Over a follow-up duration of 3.48 ± 1.51 (1.55 to 5.47) years, GLP-1RA reduced the risk of total MI (RR: 0.86, p &lt; 0.01), with numbers needed to benefit (NNTB) of 207 toprevent one event of MI. Higher body mass index was associated with greater MI risk reduction (β: -0.09, p = 0.03) in GLP-1RA users. GLP-1RA reduced cardiovascular mortality (RR: 0.87, p &lt; 0.01, NNTB 170), MACE (RR: 0.87, p &lt; 0.01, NNTB67) and stroke (RR: 0.88, p &lt; 0.01, NNTB 335) compared to placebo. GLP-1RA commonly resulted in gastrointestinal side-effects amongst other systems (RR: 1.55, p &lt; 0.01, NNTH 9)

Risk factors for severe hand foot mouth disease in Singapore: a case control study

BACKGROUND: Hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood infection that can potentially lead to serious complications. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors of acquiring severe HFMD in our population. METHODS: We performed a case control study using patients admitted to our hospital from August 2004 to July 2014. Cases were patients with severe HFMD disease while controls were age-matched patients obtained from the same year, in a 2:1 ratio. Data comprising demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms and signs, and lab findings were collected. Conditional univariable logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for severe disease. RESULTS: A total of 24 cases of severe HFMD were identified and matched with 48 controls. Seventeen (70.8 %) cases had central nervous system complications. Seven (29.2 %) had cardiovascular complications without evidence of myocarditis. One patient died of encephalitis. The overall mortality of severe disease is 4 %. Evidence of hypoperfusion, seizure, altered mentation, meningeal irritation, tachycardia, tachypnea, raised absolute neutrophil count and EV-A71 (Enterovirus A71) positivity were significantly associated with a severe course of HFMD. CONCLUSION: In managing children with HFMD, physicians should consider these factors to help identify patients at risk for severe disease

Association of quality of care and long-term mortality risk for individuals presenting with ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) by diabetes mellitus status: A nationwide cohort study

This study aimed to assess how diabetes influences the quality of care and longer-term outcomes in contemporary STEMI cohorts. We analysed 283,658 adults hospitalised with STEMI from the United Kingdom Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP) registry between 2005 and 2019. This was linked with Office of National Statistics data to provide out of hospital mortality outcomes. We compared longer-term outcomes depending on diabetes status and assessed the effect of quality of care using the opportunity-based quality-indicator score (OBQI). Individuals with diabetes were older (median age 68.7 vs. 65.5), underwent percutaneous coronary intervention less frequently (60% vs. 63%) and were less likely to achieve a door-to-balloon time of<60min (69% vs. 75%) or<120min (89% vs. 92%). Their adjusted all-cause mortality risk was higher during follow-up, from 30days (HR: 1.49, CI: 1.44-1.54), to up to 10years of follow up (HR: 1.54, CI: 1.52-1.57), compared to individuals without diabetes. Excellent inpatient care was associated with lower mortality rates within individuals with diabetes (Diabetes: HR 0.56, CI: 0.50-0.64, No diabetes: HR 0.62, CI: 0.58-0.67). Individuals with diabetes have a higher risk of long-term mortality after STEMI. They experience delays in angiography and receive lower quality inpatient care. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome and Malnutrition: A Meta-Analysis of Nutritional Assessment Tools

Background: There is emerging evidence that malnutrition is associated with poor prognosis among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). // Objectives: This study seeks to elucidate the prognostic impact of malnutrition in patients with ACS and provide a quantitative review of most commonly used nutritional assessment tools. // Methods: Medline and Embase were searched for studies reporting outcomes in patients with malnutrition and ACS. Nutritional screening tools of interest included the Prognostic Nutrition Index, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, and Controlling Nutritional Status. A comparative meta-analysis was used to estimate the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events based on the presence of malnutrition and stratified according to ACS type, ACS intervention, ethnicity, and income. // Results: Thirty studies comprising 37,303 patients with ACS were included, of whom 33.5% had malnutrition. In the population with malnutrition, the pooled mortality rate was 20.59% (95% CI: 14.95%-27.67%). Malnutrition was significantly associated with all-cause mortality risk after adjusting for confounders including age and left ventricular ejection fraction (adjusted HR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.78-3.96, P = 0.004). There was excess mortality in the group with malnutrition regardless of ACS type (P = 0.132), ethnicity (P = 0.245), and income status (P = 0.058). Subgroup analysis demonstrated no statistically significant difference in mortality risk between individuals with and without malnutrition (P = 0.499) when using Controlling Nutritional Status (OR: 7.80, 95% CI: 2.17-28.07, P = 0.011), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (OR: 4.30, 95% CI: 2.78-6.66, P < 0.001), and Prognostic Nutrition Index (OR: 4.67, 95% CI: 2.38-9.17, P = 0.023). // Conclusions: Malnutrition was significantly associated with all-cause mortality risk following ACS, regardless of ACS type, ethnicity, and income status, underscoring the importance of screening and interventional strategies for patients with malnutrition