•Title:Unexpected Complication: Granulomatous Inflammation at the Tattoo Site in a 22-Year-Old Male

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a three-host hard tick native to East Asia. Its opportunistic feeding habits make it an acute agricultural and medical threat, capable of spreading various zoonotic pathogens. An affinity for livestock and companion animals has allowed parthenogenetic populations of ALT to travel to and establish in overseas locations including the United States. To better understand the population dynamics of this rapidly expanding species, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of specimens collected from native and invasive ranges and performed phylogeographic analyses. As well as illustrating the diversity of Australasian and US ALT haplotypes, these methods have allowed us to estimate the source and frequency of successful introductions to the US. We highlight four potential introductions of parthenogenetic ALT, with likely origin populations identified in the Republic of Korea and Japan. These findings provide insight into potential routes of entry for ALT and other invasive tick species.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown The expression of circadian clock genes shifts with changes in behavior. We examined the association of clock genes and those associated with behavioral plasticity in the diurnal, desert harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus and in a distantly related, tropical nocturnal species, Camponotus floridanus. A comparison of daily transcriptome in light-dark (LD) and total dark (DD) of ants in a laboratory colony of P. barbatus showed that most genes were expressed in both LD and DD at about the same level, while 460 genes were expressed only in LD, including many associated with olfaction and juvenile hormone signaling. Network analysis identified eleven modules of co-expressed genes under LD conditions; one module (C2) contained most of the clock-controlled genes that show circadian expression in both LD and DD, including Period and Clock. The clock-controlled genes in module C2, and in another neighboring module (C1) with circadian rhythms in DD only, showed significant overlap with those found in previous work to be associated in P. barbatus with plasticity in the regulation of foraging activity to manage water loss. The set of genes expressed in the ant brains with 24h rhythms were similar in P. barbatus and C. floridanus. The P. barbatus modules C2 and C1 showed a strong overlap with C. floridanus genes previously shown to differ in their periodicity of daily rhythms in nurses and foragers. The results suggest that genes associated with both circadian clock and behavioral plasticity may be broadly conserved in ants.

A Case of severe septicemia withChromobacterium violaceum in BangladeshAuthors Name: Tuhin Sadique1, Asif Reza Khan1, Dilruba Ahmed1, Fazlul Kabir1, Anup Chowdhury1, Nazrul Islam1, Farhana Halim1, Nasrin Akter1, Shoeb Bin Islam1*Author Affiliations: 1Clinical Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory, Office of Executive Director (OED), icddr,b; Mohakhali Dhaka 1212*Correspondence: Dr. Shoeb Bin Islam, Assistant Scientist, Hospitals, icddr,b, Mohakhali Dhaka 1212, E-mail: [email protected], Phone: +8801712061698Keywords: Public health, Global health, Infectious disease

Abstract Although the importance of dynamic water storage and flowpath partitioning on discharge behavior has been well recognized within the critical zone community, there is still little consensus surrounding the question, “ How do climate factors from above and land characteristics from below dictate dynamic storage, flowpath partitioning, and ultimately regulate hydrological dynamics?” Answers to this question have been hindered by limited and inconsistent spatio-temporal data and arduous-to-measure subsurface data. Here we aim to answer this question above by using a semi-distributed hydrological model (HBV model) to simulate and understand the dynamics of water storage, groundwater flowpaths, and discharge in 15 headwater catchments across the contiguous United States. Results show that topography, precipitation falling as snow, and catchment soil texture all influence catchment dynamic storage, storage-discharge sensitivity, flowpath partitioning, and discharge flashiness. Flat, rain-dominated sites (< 30% precipitation as snow) with finer soils exhibited flashier discharge regimes than catchments with coarse soils and/or significant snowfall (>30% precipitation as snow). Rain-dominated sites with clay soils (indicative of chemical weathering) showed lower dynamic storage and discharge that was more sensitive to changes in dynamic storage than rainy sites with coarse soils. Steep, snowy sites with coarse soils (more mechanical weathering) had lowest dynamic storage and deep groundwater fed discharge that was less sensitive to changes in dynamic storage than fine-soil snowy or rainy catchments. These results highlight aridity and precipitation (snow versus rain) as the dominant climate controls from above and topography and soil texture as the dominant land controls from below. The study challenges the traditional view that climate controls water balance while subsurface structure dictates subsurface flow path. Rather, it shows that climate and land characteristics jointly regulate water balance, groundwater flowpath partitioning, and discharge responses. These findings have important implication for the projection of the future of water resources, especially as climate change and human activities continue to intensify.

The effect of polymorphism of genes involved in the milk fatty acid synthesis, Stearoyl CoA Desaturase 1 (SCD1), 1-Acylglycerol-3-phosphate-O-acyltransferase-6 (AGPAT6), Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN), and Leptin (LEP) on fatty acid (FA) and chemical composition of milk in Podolian and Italian Holstein bovine breeds was investigated. Principal results in Podolian cattle breed highlighted for the VV genotype of SCD1 the highest protein and casein content. The TT genotype of LEP gene, AW/AR diplotype for FASN gene, and TT genotype for AGPAT6 gene revealed the lowest fat content. For SCD1 gene the lowest medium chain FA (MCFA), and Thrombogenic Index (TI) were found in the AA genotype. The LEP TT genotype showed lower saturated FA (SFA), n6/n3, Atherogenic Index (AI), and SCFA, and higher polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), long chain FA (LCFA), n3, n3/n6. Furthermore, the CT genotype evidenced lower PUFA, MCFA, LCFA, n3, and higher CLA. The SCFA were higher, and MCFA were lower in the AW/AR diplotype of the FASN gene, and SCFA were the lowest in the AR/AR. The AGPAT6 CT genotype showed the lowest value of PUFA, and n3, and the highest of n6/n3; CC genotype showed the highest content of PUFA, and n3. Podolian milk revealed higher content of PUFA, n3, CLA, PUFA/SFA, and lower n6/n3, TI, and SCFA than milk from Italian Holstein, evidencing a better nutritional value for human health.

The smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria Scop.) is a woody species widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and East Asia, and it has high ecological, ornamental, and economic value. Investigating changes in the suitable habitat in different historical periods and under climate change in the future can provide key insights for understanding and projecting changes in the distribution of Cotinus species. In this study, we used a MaxEnt model to simulate the current, historical and future suitable habitat for C. coggygria based on distribution records of wild C. coggygria and environmental variables. The results showed that C. coggygria had an East Asian-Tethyan disjunction, and the suitable habitat was most affected by temperature and precipitation. At the Last Glacial Maximum, C. coggygria in the Mediterranean retreated to glacial refugia in southern Europe and survived in situ in East Asia. Under future climate scenarios, the suitable habitat of C. coggygria gradually expanded northward. As emission levels increased, the suitable habitat for C. coggygria expanded northward. The overall suitable habitat in the future was larger in the Mediterranean than in East Asia; however, the highly suitable habitat was less in the Mediterranean than in East Asia. The suitable habitat in the Mediterranean was greatly affected by different scenarios, but this was not the case in East Asia. The results of this study explored the effects of climate, soil, and topographic variables on the suitable habitat for C. coggygria and changes in the suitable habitat under historical and future climatic situations. Our findings will aid the conservation and cultivation of C. coggygria, as well as studies of species with discontinuous distributions in Eurasia.

All around the world, nearshore marine ecosystems are of primary importance. They fulfil many different vital functions for fish, providing food and shelter from predators and a juvenile fish assemblage ground for numerous species. We investigated the relationship between environmental variables and the fish community (species diversity indices and fish assemblage patterns). Monthly beach seine hauls were performed between 0 and 1.5 m depth at 4 sites: Azure beach, Palme Beach and Sidi Fredj (Beach East and West). Fish diversity, spatiotemporal variations in fish assemblages, and relationships between environmental variables and ecological factors were analysed. A total of 5735 individuals, representing 31 species from 17 families, were collected during the 13 months of sampling. Species richness and abundance were highest during late spring and summer, and lowest in winter and autumn. scale. Water temperature was the most important environmental factor influencing species richness and abundance. The combination of the fish assemblages and environmental variables determined in this study contributes to a better understanding of the ecological networks of the beaches of the Algerian coast, thus providing useful data for their conservation and management.

Scrub typhus infection precipitating hemolysis in a patient with G6PD deficiency: A case reportAuthors: Ravi Shukla, Mandira Shrestha, Chaitanya Darshan Bhattarai, Kiran Lamichhane, Paras Yadav, Debendra TamattaCorresponding authorRavi Shukla, MBBSNepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu,Gokarneshwor - 08, 44600 Kathmandu, NepalEmail id: [email protected] Id: 0009-0006-6458-2160Co-authorsMandira Shrestha, MDNepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu,Gokarneshwor - 08, 44600 Kathmandu, NepalEmail id: [email protected] Darshan Bhattarai, MBBSNepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu,Gokarneshwor - 08, 44600 Kathmandu, NepalEmail id: [email protected] Lamichhane, MBBSNepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu,Gokarneshwor - 08, 44600 Kathmandu, NepalEmail id: [email protected] Yadav, MBBSNepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu,Gokarneshwor - 08, 44600 Kathmandu, NepalEmail id: [email protected] Tamatta, MBBSNepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu,Gokarneshwor - 08, 44600 Kathmandu, NepalEmail id: [email protected] words : scrub typhus; anemia, hemolytic; glucosephosphate dehydrogenase deficiency; case report.Running head : Scrub typhus precipitating hemolysisData availability statement : The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Funding statement : The authors received no specific funding for this work.Conflict of interest disclosure : The authors declare no conflict of interest in any of the procedures in this report.Ethics approval statement : Approval was provided by the department from the Department of of Pediatrics and Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of Nepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Nepal.Patient consent statement : Written informed consent for publication of this report and accompanying images was obtained from the patient’s father, in accordance with the journal’s patient consent policy. As the patient is a minor, the patient’s consent was waived.Permission to reproduce material from other sources : Not applicable for this study.Acknowledgement: We all authors express gratitude and acknowledge the cooperation of the patient’s family members.Manuscript Type : Case report

In this paper, we present a method for the manipulation of objects in maritime environments, in particular for the transportation of objects between two docked ships using a 6-DoF robotic arm. The presented method uses RGBD camera mounted on the robot arm end effector to localize the object with respect to the robot arm base. The design of a gripper, and a control method based on force and torque measurements provide a robust method for picking up object, that can compensate the influence of relative ship motion due to waves and localization error. The components of the proposed method, as well as the entire manipulation procedure have been tested both in a laboratory environment and in a real-world maritime environments scenario and have shown that the solution works reliably.

There is great interest in alternative pollination strategies for crop production in the face of climate change and perennial threats to the traditional pollination mechanisms. This review explores the potential for robotic pollination in response to these challenges to crop fertilization and global food production. Herein we describe the viability of novel robotic systems equipped with artificial intelligence and machine vision, as alternatives to traditional insect pollination. We examine the technological progress and challenges for both aerial and ground-based robotic artificial pollination systems and emphasize the need for continued research and development in this area to ensure sustainable agricultural productivity. This paper highlights the importance of robotic pollination as a practical and environmentally sustainable approach in modern agriculture, amidst burgeoning ecological threats and a dwindling agricultural workforce.

All- trans retinoic acid (atRA), bioactive component of vitamin A, plays a pivotal role in various biological processes. Essential for embryonic development, bone growth and maintenance, and immune function, atRA exerts its regulatory effects primarily through its interaction with the nuclear receptor RARα. Upon binding to RARα, atRA enters the nucleus and forms a heterodimer with RXR. This heterodimer can then interact with various transcription factors to form regulatory complexes that influence gene expression. While the role of atRA in regulating the type 2 immune response has been studied, the role atRA in Th2 cell differentiation is warranted to fully elucidate its mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications. Our study shows that atRA suppressed Th2 phenotype by down-regulating type 2 transcription factors such as Spi1 and cMaf. atRA also down-regulated IL-4 and IL-13 production in Th2 cells, potentially by up-regulating Gfi1, a transcriptional repressor. atRA increased the Gfi1 recruitment to the Il4 and Il13 promoters, along with the common enhancer Ecr. RARα, which is typically an inducer of Il4 and Il13, was observed to decrease recruitment to these loci in atRA-treated Th2 cells. Comparative gene expression analysis revealed a reduction in inflammatory responses in atRA-treated Th2 cells. Furthermore, these cells exhibited a negative correlation with epigenetic modifications, nuclear receptor activity among other biological processes. Collectively, our findings suggest that atRA can effectively suppress the Th2 phenotype in vitro, through the regulation of key type 2 transcription factors and associated biological pathways, indicating its potential therapeutic implications for limiting type 2 immune responses.

Introduction: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) in diffuse midline gliomas can lead to devastating symptoms such as severe pain, urinary incontinence, and tetraparesis, with limited treatment options. In the present study, we determined whether the detection of H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) could serve as a reliable biomarker for the detection of LMD in diffuse midline gliomas. Methods: Twenty-four CSF samples were obtained from 21 diffuse midline glioma patients. Histological confirmation of H3F3A K27M mutation was obtained in 9 (42.8%) cases. ctDNA was extracted from CSF, and H3F3A K27M-mutant and wildtype droplets were detected using digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). LMD was diagnosed by CSF cytology and/or pre- and post-contrast head and whole spine MR imaging. Results: The number of H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets (median 7 [range 0-297] vs median 0 [range 0-2]; p <.0001) and variant allele frequency (VAF) (median 50.0% [range 7.5-87.5%] vs median 0.0% [range 0.0-40.0%]; p <.0001)) were significantly higher in the LMD/early LMD group compared to no LMD group. In two cases (Case 4 and Case 11) without clinical evidence of LMD, multiple H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets were detected in the CSF ctDNA. In those cases, extensive spinal dissemination was detected 175 and 176 days after the initial liquid biopsy. One case (Case 15) with high Schlafen11 (SLFN11) expression in the tumor responded well to treatment for LMD and survived for 532 days after the diagnosis of LMD. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that detecting H3F3A K27M-mutant droplets in CSF ctDNA is diagnostic for LMD and is more sensitive than traditional methods such as CSF cytology and MR imaging.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Empirical evidence suggests engagement with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) serves to regulate emotions, though there is controversy surrounding specific mechanisms by which this occurs, partially because of limited ability to observe the behavior within a laboratory setting. Although behavioral analogues (e.g., pressure, cold) have found support for the role of pain in affect regulation, they have neglected other potential processes, including viewing one’s wound and seeing blood. In a virtual reality paradigm, participants were randomly assigned to either a “see blood” ( n = 35) or “no blood” ( n = 29) condition following a negative mood induction to simulate the experience of self-cutting. Positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) were assessed at baseline, post-induction, and post-NSSI. Analyses failed to support differential changes in both NA and PA following engagement with NSSI between conditions, though NA increased significantly post-NSSI across conditions. Results from this study provide no evidence to suggest viewing blood alone (i.e., without pain) is an integral part of emotion regulation processes associated with NSSI. Unexpected mood worsening following virtual reality NSSI simulation raises questions about the utility of this paradigm for studying the affect regulation functions of NSSI above and beyond existing methods (e.g., EMA). However, qualitative evidence and follow-up assessments suggest it is a feasible and safe way to study NSSI within a laboratory setting. Future research is needed to adjust virtual reality procedures for NSSI to make the experience more realistic (e.g., adding pressure) and to clarify whether it can capture established affect regulation functions of NSSI.

The stochastic approximation based control law has been proved to be a powerful tool to achieve the robust distributed coordinated control for multi-agent systems (MASs) with uncertain disturbances in fixed or balanced time-varying network. However, its effectiveness proof in unbalanced time-varying networks is not well solved. The main contribution of this paper is solving this problem in two typical coordinated control problems based on a time-varying quadratic Lyapunov function. Firstly, the stochastic approximation for consensus problem of discrete-time single-integrator MASs with additive noises is studied. We build the weak consensus, mean square and almost sure consensus conclusion under the assumption that the time-varying network is uniformly strongly connected (USC) by adopting the stochastic approximation based consensus protocol. The convergence rate of the weak consensus is also quantified. Secondly, the stochastic approximation for formation control problem of MASs with relative-position information in the plane as an application of the built consensus conclusion is studied. We show that the stochastic approximation based formation control law can be used to achieve the desired formation for MASs if the network is USC. We finally give numerical simulations to verify the correctness of the conclusion.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Introduction: Evidence from multiple data sources indicates that toxocariasis might play a role in the allergic asthma in children. This case-control study investigated the connection between Toxocara seropositivity and allergic asthma. It also sought to identify the conventional risk factors associated with both asthma and Toxocara infection. Methods: In this case-control study, 200 allergic asthma children, and 208 children with no history of allergic asthma were included as the healthy group. Sera samples were examined for specific anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies using a serological assay. Results: The overall prevalence of toxocariasis was 6.9% among children. The seroprevalence of toxocariasis in asthmatic children and healthy children was 8% and 5.8% respectively, with no significant difference (P-value= 0.373). In subgroup analyses based on sociodemographic, Toxocara infection seropositivity was significantly associated with two independent variables, including the father’s occupation (P-value = 0.017) and soil contact in asthmatic children (P-value = 0.033). Conclusions: Our results showed a higher prevalence of Toxocara infection in asthmatic children compared to healthy controls, but this difference was not statistically significant. To gain a clearer understanding and comparison of Toxocara infection rates between asthmatic and healthy children, additional comprehensive studies with larger sample sizes and diverse detection methods using different antigenic sources are required.

The locus coeruleus (LC) neurons send extensive projections to the somatosensory cortex and release noradrenaline (NA) at synaptic terminals, which is thought to regulate the activation of sensory-related cells by acting on three types of receptors (α1, α2 and β). Although previous studies have examined the effects of LC stimulation on single-unit sensory neurons, their impact on somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and their temporal variations, as well as the specific roles of NA receptors remain unclear. Herein, we investigated how SEPs are modulated by tonic LC stimulation at physiological frequencies (0.1, 1 and 4 Hz) and identified the receptors involved in these changes. Forepaw stimulation-induced amplitudes in SEP were enhanced in response to 1 Hz stimulation of the LC but not in response to 0.1 and 4 Hz stimulation. Interestingly, the enhancement of SEPs after LC stimulation persisted for tens of minutes following the cessation of stimulation. Optical imaging using a voltage-sensitive dye showed an increase in the depolarizing response in the somatosensory cortex after 1 Hz stimulation. Prazosin (α1 receptor antagonist) and propranolol (β receptor antagonist) inhibited SEP enhancement following 1 Hz LC stimulation, whereas yohimbine (α2 receptor antagonist) had no effect. This suggests that the observed enhancement in SEP observed is primarily mediated by the activation of cortical excitatory α1 and β receptors. These findings provide insight into the impact of the NA system on sensory information processing as well as the pathophysiology of sensory disorders related to the disruption of the NA system.

Introduction: Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a severe, persistent disorder that causes functional impairment. Besides heritability, environmental factors, such as traumatic experience, impact the development of BD. Little is known about the early developmental signs of this disorder; therefore, this study aims to look at the impact of interpersonal trauma on the early developmental signs of BD. Specifically, differences in psychopathological behaviors were investigated between (1) at-risk children to controls and (2) at-risk children who experienced an interpersonal traumatic event to those who did not. Methods: Using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) dataset, participants with a first-degree relative with BD were identified (N at-risk=625) and matched on sex and age to a control group (N control=625). The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS) was used to assess interpersonal trauma and psychopathological symptoms. The trauma (N trauma=198) and no trauma subgroups (N no trauma=428) were built from the at-risk population. Group comparison was conducted on depressive, manic, and anxiety symptoms. Results: Compared to controls, at-risk children exhibited a significantly greater number of manic symptoms at baseline, and depression and anxiety symptoms at two-year follow-up. No significant differences were found between the trauma and no-trauma groups at either baseline or follow-up. Discussion: These results confirm the presence of early symptoms in at-risk children, in line with the staging model of BD. Extended longitudinal research is needed to further investigate the potential specific role of trauma on its early behavioral patterns.