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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 18, 2024 at 6:23am

To study the nasal mycobiome, the researchers recruited 214 participants from among children and young adults attending an immunology and asthma clinic in Porto. 155 patients had both allergic rhinitis and asthma, while 47 were only diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and 12 with asthma. 125 healthy controls were also enrolled.

The scientists took samples from the participants' noses using nasal swabs and sequenced the fungal DNA they found, focusing on two specific regions to identify different fungal species and develop an overview of each participant's mycobiome. After quality controls, they had 306 samples to work with.

They then used network analysis to understand the relationships between different genera of fungi, and to characterize the different communities of fungi present in healthy and sick participants. They also investigated the function of different fungi, looking at the metabolic pathways they affect, to try to understand the implications of any mycobiome variation between the groups of patients.
The most common families of fungi across all samples were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. In these two families, 14 genera dominated the mycobiomes.

"Among these dominant genera we detected common fungi that have been recognized in humans as allergenic or opportunistic pathogenic fungi.
This suggests that the nasal cavity is a major reservoir for fungi that could be involved in allergic rhinitis and asthma.
There was a very clear and statistically significant difference between the patients with respiratory diseases and the healthy controls—and no significant difference between the different groups of patients with respiratory diseases. The patients with respiratory diseases had more diverse and richer mycobiomes.

The fungi sampled from patients with both allergic rhinitis and asthma also showed more evidence of connections between them than the fungi in the healthy participants' noses and those who only had allergic rhinitis. This could indicate that the fungi are affecting the nose's immune environment.
Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 18, 2024 at 6:21am

Patients whose allergies cause the sniffles have different fungi living in their noses, scientists discover

Several people have allergies that cause a runny nose. This respiratory disease, formally called allergic rhinitis and frequently associated with asthma, is a common problem around the world, and the upper airway is a key target for research into the underlying disease processes.

Now a global team of researchers has discovered that patients with allergy-induced sniffles and asthma have different fungal colonies or mycobiomes in their noses, suggesting potential lines of inquiry for future treatments.

This may suggest that allergic rhinitis increases the diversity and changes the composition of the upper airway's microbiome.

Allergic rhinitis causes sneezing, itching, inflamed nasal mucous membranes, and a blocked and runny nose. It's often comorbid with asthma, which also involves inflammation and obstructed airways. Allergic rhinitis and asthma may even be different aspects of the same airway inflammatory disease, which makes it critical to identify the links between them and the underlying causes.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 18, 2024 at 6:13am

To understand how the rats processed each task, the researchers measured the rats' neural activity. The measurements were recorded from the frontal orienting fields (FOF), a region of the brain involved in decision-making and orienting responses to external stimuli, especially in terms of adjusting behavior based on context. This would later help to understand the mechanisms at play in content-dependent decision-making.
The researchers developed a theoretical framework to explain how the brain computes context-dependent decision-making. This was based on three possible dynamic solutions for how the brain might process information.

Next, the researchers developed RNNs to simulate how each solution could be used to solve the task presented to the rats. RNNs are a type of artificial neural network used in machine learning, designed to handle sequential data—like time series or patterns that change over time.

"RNNs can be trained to solve the same task as the rats using different mechanisms.
The researchers found that not all brains use the same mechanism to solve a task, even if the same outcome is achieved.

"Measurements of brain dynamics differed between individual animals, suggesting that different brains use different mechanisms to solve the same task, even though on the surface it might look like their behavior is very similar. This result is important because it has been very hard to study this kind of individual variability before.
Additionally, the team found a strong correlation between variability in neural responses and behavioral outcomes, identifying neural signatures for these correlations. The results from the RNN models matched the observed brain activity in the rats, confirming their finding of a high degree of individual variability in handling the same task.

Marino Pagan et al, Individual variability of neural computations underlying flexible decisions, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08433-6

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 18, 2024 at 6:10am

Cognitive flexibility: How neural variability shapes decision-making in different brains

Research published in Nature has revealed that neural computations in different individuals can be implemented to solve the same decision-making tasks, even when the behavioral outcomes appear identical.

Cognitive flexibility is the ability of a brain to adapt its response to the same external stimulus, like light or sound, based on different contexts. For example, if someone calls your name in a crowded room, you must focus on the sound's location or the voice characteristics to identify the person. This flexibility in selecting and processing relevant information while ignoring irrelevant information is crucial for survival and effective interaction with our environment. The researchers aimed to develop a framework to explain how neural networks compute context-dependent selection, and link neural and behavioral variability. They began by training rats to perform decision-making tasks based on external auditory cues. Their decision-making was based on a set of two alternating rules.

The location rule required the rats to respond to the location of a series of auditory clicks. On the other hand, the frequency rule required them to respond to the frequency of the clicks while ignoring their location.

A context cue before each rule informed the rats of which rule to follow. The rules switched rapidly, requiring the rats to adjust their decision-making process quickly.
Rats can learn to solve this task with very high accuracy, and analysis of their behavior and neural activity over many trials allows us to precisely characterize the mechanisms they are using to select the context-relevant stimuli and make the right decisions
Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 17, 2024 at 11:15am

Scientists develop 3D concrete printing method that captures carbon dioxide

Scientists  have developed a 3D concrete printing method that captures carbon, demonstrating a new pathway to reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry.

The innovative method, detailed in the journal Carbon Capture Science & Technology, aims to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of cement—a material responsible for 1.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) or about 8% of global CO₂ emissions—through lower material usage, reduced construction time, and labor requirements.

The newly developed 3D concrete printing process involves injecting steam and CO2, captured as the by-products of industrial processes, into the mixing concrete, which then directly incorporates and stores the CO2 in the concrete structure. Results have shown that the CO2 and steam injection method improved the mechanical properties of the concrete, offering increased strength compared to conventional 3D printed concrete.

Sean Gip Lim et al, Carbon capture and sequestration with in-situ CO2 and steam integrated 3D concrete printing, Carbon Capture Science & Technology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ccst.2024.100306

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 17, 2024 at 10:34am

Microfibers in India's open-air laundries a 'silent disaster'

India's traditional open-air laundries, known as dhobi ghats, hold cultural significance and have provided livelihoods to thousands of washers for generations.

But these communal washing facilities now face a modern environmental challenge, in the form of microfiber—putting aquatic and human health at risk.

Tiny synthetic particles, released from clothes during washing, apart from the chemical detergents used for washing.  are polluting rivers, lakes and other water bodies in India, according to researchers.

Microfiber pollution is a silent yet growing issue. Millions of synthetic fibers are shed from clothes during washing, especially in Dhobi Ghats and commercial laundries, where filtration systems are often absent. These fibers enter water bodies, accumulate over time, and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.

A study by researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, published earlier this year in Environmental Science and Pollution Research, was the first to measure the levels of microfibers in wastewater from Dhobi Ghats and similar commercial laundries.

In Hindi, dhobi means washerman, and ghats are landings or steps leading to the river for bathing or washing. They are part of India's huge informal economy.

But according to the study, dhobi ghats release over 3,200 microfibers per liter of wastewater, while commercial laundries discharge almost 37,000 microfibers per liter.

Most of these particles come from synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon, which are non-biodegradable. Once in the water, these microfibers harm aquatic life and eventually make their way into the human food chain.

The conclusion: The rising microfiber pollution is a silent disaster we must address immediately.

As well as microfibers, chemical detergents pose a huge risk to aquatic life and human health, while untreated sewage ends up in many rivers.

People need to be aware of how their laundry choices impact the environment.

Solutions suggested: 

Installing low-cost microfiber filters at Dhobi Ghats. These filters can trap synthetic fibers before the wastewater enters water bodies.

Centralized laundry facilities with proper wastewater treatment systems could also help. These would reduce pollution and improve working conditions for washermen.

Other solutions include using biodegradable detergents and raising awareness about eco-friendly practices among washermen.

Zaid Mushtaq Bhat et al, Microfiber pollution from Dhobi Ghats (open air laundry centers) and commercial laundries in a north Indian city, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31700-4

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 14, 2024 at 11:41am

Animal dynamics

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 14, 2024 at 11:29am

These sugars are not only essential nutrients for the development of fruits and seeds, but significantly influence the sweetness of fruits and the quality of rice grains.

Heat stress represses CWIN activity and thus disrupts the source-sink balance, resulting in inadequate energy supply in sink organs, reduced reproductive development, and yield penalties.
Researchers developed a strategy based on climate-responsive optimization of carbon partitioning to sinks (CROCS) by rationally manipulating the expression of CWIN genes in fruit and cereal crops.

They precisely knocked-in a 10-bp heat-shock element (HSE) into promoters of CWIN genes in elite rice and tomato cultivars, using self-developed high-efficiency, prime-editing tools. HSE insertion endows CWINs with heat-responsive upregulation in both controlled and field environments to enhance carbon partitioning to rice grains and tomato fruits.

Multi-location and multi-season yield tests on tomatoes under various cultivation conditions, including greenhouses and open fields, showed that under normal conditions, the CROCS strategy increased tomato yields by 14–47%.

Under heat stress, it increased per-plot fruit yield by 26–33% over controls and rescued 56.4–100% of fruit yield losses caused by heat stress. Notably, aspects of fruit quality such as uniformity and sugar content were significantly improved compared to unmodified controls.
In addition, rice cultivars improved by this strategy not only showed a yield increase of 7–13% under normal conditions, but also showed a 25% grain yield increase over controls under heat-stress conditions. Specifically, up to 41% of heat-induced grain losses were rescued in rice.

CROCS is an efficient, versatile, prime-editing based system for rapid crop improvement, which paves the way to rapidly create climate-smart crops by targeted insertion of environment-responsive cis-regulatory elements. The strategy also provides effective gene-editing tools and feasible operational procedures for the fundamental study of plant responses to stress.

The researchers also noted that this breeding strategy has now also been applied to crops such as soybeans, wheat, and corn.

https://english.cas.ac.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202412/t20241...

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 14, 2024 at 11:28am

Scientists innovate breeding strategies to create climate-smart crops

A recent study has reported a novel breeding strategy to rapidly create climate-smart crops that show higher yield under normal conditions and greatly rescue yield losses under heat stress both in staple grain and vegetable crops.

The study,  was published in Cell on 13 December 2024.

 The year 2050 is fast approaching and farm productivity must increase by 60% in order to feed a projected global population of 10 billion. However, current crop production is insufficient and is expected to worsen due to the abiotic-stress burden of climate change.

An increase of 2 °C during the growing season will result in a yield loss of 3–13%. To ensure global food security and overcome breeding bottlenecks, scientists urgently need to develop "climate-smart" crops that achieve higher yields under normal conditions and stable yields under heat stress.

The physiological basis of crop yield and quality is the source-sink relationship. Source tissues (e.g., leaves) are net producers of photoassimilates—i.e., primarily carbohydrates such as sucrose. In contrast, sink tissues (e.g., fruits, seeds, roots, developing flowers, cotton fibers, and storage organs) are net importers, which use or store photoassimilates.

The cell wall invertase gene (CWIN) is the crucial gene regulating the source-sink relationship in plants. The enzyme encoded by this gene unloads and converts sucrose transported from leaves into glucose and fructose within sink organs, where these sugars can be directly absorbed and utilized. Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on December 13, 2024 at 11:37am

Paracetamol may not be as safe as perceived in older people, according to a new study

Research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that repeated doses of paracetamol in people aged 65 and over, can lead to an increased risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal complications.

The study, which is published in Arthritis Care and Research, shows that care must be taken when repeated doses are required for chronic painful conditions such as osteoarthritis in older people.

Due to its perceived safety, paracetamol has long been recommended as the first line drug treatment for osteoarthritis by many treatment guidelines, especially in older people who are at higher risk of drug-related complications.

The study analyzed data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Gold. Participants were aged 65 and over with an average age of 75.

Researchers looked at the health records of 180,483 people who had been prescribed paracetamol repeatedly (≥2 prescriptions within six months) during the study. Their health outcomes were then compared to 402,478 people of the same age who had never been prescribed paracetamol repeatedly.

The findings showed that prolonged paracetamol use was associated with an increased risk of peptic ulcers, heart failure, hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

Given its minimal pain-relief effect, the use of paracetamol as a first line pain killer for long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis in older people needs to be carefully considered, say the researchers.

Jaspreet Kaur et al, Incidence of side effects associated with acetaminophen in people aged 65 years or more: a prospective cohort study using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Arthritis Care & Research (2024). DOI: 10.1002/acr.25471

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