UC Davis

Uterine luminal fluid influences embryonic development and the subsequent phenotype of offspring, yet its detailed metabolomic composition remains poorly characterized. Here, minimally invasive transcervical techniques were employed to collect neat uterine fluid from postpartum dairy cows and cyclic beef cows to allow for metabolomic profiling via targeted mass spectrometry. Objectives were to 1) compare the metabolomic profile of uterine fluid with plasma in dairy cows and 2) assess the impact of dietary rumen-protected methionine and stage of estrous cycle (day 0 vs 7) on plasma and uterine fluid metabolomic profile in beef cows. Results revealed that the concentrations of many metabolites, including amino acids, signaling molecules (e.g. dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid) and lipids (e.g. ceramides, diacylglycerols), were higher in uterine fluid than in plasma. An oral bolus of rumen-protected methionine increased uterine concentration of methionine on day 0 of the estrous cycle. The uterine metabolome remained relatively stable between days 0 and 7 although there was temporal variability for a select number of metabolites (cysteine, methionine, methionine sulfoxide, asymmetric dimethylarginine, ceramides, and glycerophospholipids). Correlations between plasma and uterine fluid concentrations were strong or moderate for many amino acids. Collectively, these findings highlight that the uterine lumen is a specialized, selectively regulated biochemical compartment.

In this study, a medium-term oven aging (MTOA) protocol of 20 h at 100 °C was applied to loose plant-produced mixes to evaluate the age-related and fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt mixes containing recycled materials. To evaluate the age-related cracking resistance, the indirect tensile IDEAL cracking tolerance test was performed on 27 plant-produced mixes, and fatigue cracking resistance was evaluated using the four-point bending (4PB) test on four selected mixes. MTOA resulted in an increase in strength and a reduction of the cracking tolerance index (CTIndex), while the fracture energy did not change much. Overall, the indirect tensile strength increased on average by 150 kPa (somewhat uniform shift for different mix types), and the CTIndex decreased by approximately 38% on average, indicating that the change in the CTIndex value depended on the short-term aged value. Based on 4PB test results, MTOA resulted in an increase of the dynamic modulus of the four mixes between 10% and 30% at 20 °C and 1 Hz, and a reduction of approximately 50% for the 4PB fatigue life for three out of the four mixes at strain levels of 400–700 µε, which are typical of thin overlays on cracked pavements. The fourth mix showed little effect of MTOA on 4PB fatigue life.

Nuclear positioning drives developmental processes from fertilization to neurogenesis. The linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex connects nuclei to cytoskeletal force generators that power nuclear migration. Mutations in LINC complex components cause muscular dystrophies and neurodegenerative disorders, yet mechanisms controlling nuclear movement remain poorly understood. We summarize advances from three C. elegans developmental models in different mechanical environments: pronuclear migration across the vast zygotic cytoplasm, hyp7 hypodermal precursor nuclear migration where nuclei span nearly the width of the cell, and P-cell nuclear migration through narrow constrictions. These systems reveal multiple regulatory strategies for nuclear movement. Tissue-specific expression of distinct SUN-KASH combinations determines which cytoskeletal elements engage nuclei. Alternative splicing generates KASH isoforms with opposing motor preferences, and P-cell nuclear migration through constrictions requires four parallel pathways. These findings establish conserved mechanistic principles of nuclear migration, with implications for development, immune cell function, and cancer metastasis.

Microplastic (particles <5 mm) is an emerging environmental concern that threatens aquatic ecosystems worldwide. While extensive research has documented the ubiquity of microplastic in marine and coastal environments and its assimilation by organisms at all trophic levels, comparatively little is known about microplastic occurrence in rural riverine ecosystems. Even less information exists for salmon-bearing streams, where microplastic pollution may hinder salmonid conservation and recovery efforts. We examined the presence and concentration of microplastic in Scott Creek, a small coastal California (USA) watershed with minimal urban development. Our study quantified suspended microplastic in surface waters and in the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of juvenile Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Microplastic was detected in 93 % of water samples, indicating that Scott Creek routinely transports and cycles microplastic. Concentrations were higher in late summer than in spring, although monthly spatial patterns were largely consistent among sites. In juvenile steelhead, 60.6 % of GI tracts contained one or more types of microplastic. For both surface waters and juvenile steelhead, microplastic was predominantly small (<5 mm) dark blue, black, and transparent fiber-type particles, with fragments, shards and foams encountered less frequently. These findings suggest that fish ingest microplastic at low frequencies, or that ingested particles may pass rapidly through their digestive systems. This study provides one of the first assessments of microplastic in a minimally urbanized, salmon-bearing watershed. Our results serve as a baseline for evaluating the ecological implications of microplastic pollution in small coastal creeks and its potential to influence native salmonid populations. Data Availability The surface water and steelhead microplastic datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are publicly available via Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18038857).

Equine squamous cell carcinomas (eSCCs) are common, and a proportion are likely induced by Equus caballus papillomavirus 2 (EcPV-2). Accurate prediction of clinical outcomes is challenging with no recognized prognostic criteria or consistent histopathological classification scheme for eSCC. The aims of this study were to histopathologically subtype a large case series of eSCCs (genital and ocular) and correlate them with p16 and HER-2 expression, equine papillomavirus infection status, and various clinical and histopathological parameters to predict tumour behavior and prognosis. One hundred and eighty-five samples were examined and subtyped histologically. HER-2 and p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) for the EcPV-2 E6/E7 oncogenes were performed on a subset of cases, and follow-up survival data were analyzed. The results were compared and correlated with published guidelines on the categorization of human SCC. Six histopathological subtypes of SCC, according to the WHO, were identified for the first time in horses: usual/invasive (most common), verrucous, pseudoglandular, papillary, warty, and basaloid, with different histological subtypes demonstrating prognostic significance. HER-2 and EcPV-2 statuses were not associated with prognosis in horses with SCC. p16 expression is not associated with EcPV-2 status but could be a potential prognostic factor. ISH demonstrated EcPV-2 genetic material in the majority of eSCCs, except for the papillary subtype, which includes mature, not just pre-cancerous, eSCCs. Widespread HER-2 expression in eSCCs could suggest a role for this cell receptor as a potential therapeutic target.

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and clinically significant complication among older adults undergoing major surgery under general anesthesia. Gamma-frequency (40-Hz) auditory stimulation has demonstrated potential neuroprotective and cognition-enhancing effects, suggesting a plausible role in perioperative delirium prevention. However, direct clinical evidence supporting intraoperative 40-Hz auditory stimulation in reducing POD remains limited, warranting rigorous evaluation in a randomized trial. This prospective, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial will enroll 550 older adults scheduled for major noncardiac, nonneurosurgical surgery under general anesthesia. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the active stimulation group, receiving intraoperative 40-Hz gamma-frequency auditory stimulation delivered via headphones for 2 h following successful anesthesia induction, or the sham stimulation group, wearing headphones without active auditory output. The primary outcome is the incidence of POD on postoperative day 1 though 3, assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) or the CAM for the ICU (CAM-ICU). Secondary outcomes include POD severity, sleep quality, pain scores, analgesic consumption, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), rescue antiemetic use, duration of post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, length of hospital stay, quality of postoperative recovery, incidence of perioperative adverse events; postoperative morbidity, health-related quality of life, and all-cause 30-day mortality. This trial will determine whether intraoperative 40-Hz gamma-frequency auditory stimulation reduces the incidence of POD among older adults undergoing major surgery under general anesthesia. If efficacious, this noninvasive intervention could constitute a feasible perioperative strategy to mitigate delirium risk and enhance postoperative recovery. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2500115156).

IntroductionTo our knowledge, only one case of acute Bartonella henselae infective endocarditis treated with heart transplantation as salvage therapy has been published. There is a paucity of literature on management of Bartonella henselae endocarditis in the pre-transplant and post-transplant periods.Case PresentationA 63-year-old Caucasian man with past medical history of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and HeartMate II left-ventricular assist device was diagnosed with presumptive Bartonella henselae infective endocarditis after presenting with infectious glomerulonephritis. He successfully underwent heart transplant with device removal and was able to discontinue chronic suppressive doxycycline therapy without recurrence of infective endocarditis.ConclusionThere remains a paucity of literature on Bartonella henselae endocarditis treated with orthotopic heart transplant and this case report represents the second known case. Our case is also unique in that the patient had endocarditis associated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. We hope it may serve as another resource to guide diagnosis and treatment of Bartonella henselae endocarditis associated with or without cardiac hardware, as well as monitoring for recurrent disease after transplant.

The discussion of radiative cooling in cloud dynamics rarely considers quantities aside from the total radiative cooling over a cloud layer, which is constant for blackbody clouds in a given environment. However, here we demonstrate using idealized radiative transfer calculations that the total cooling in the upper part of the cloud increases with liquid water path up to ~100 g m−2, well beyond the threshold liquid water path needed for a cloud to be a blackbody. Moreover, the maximum local cooling rate increases with LWP indefinitely. We then show using high-resolution simulations that the modulation of longwave radiative cooling profiles in blackbody clouds alters the dynamics, free tropospheric entrainment rates, liquid water path, and organization of closed cell stratocumulus clouds. We suggest that the role of longwave radiation in blackbody clouds, particularly in the context of aerosol-cloud interactions, should be given more consideration.

Introduction

Patients and methods

Discussion

Trial registration