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PubMed2026

Early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: clinical spectrum, diagnosis, outcomes, and evolving treatment strategies.

Early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (EIDEE) is among the most severe epilepsy syndromes, with onset before three months of age and an estimated incidence of approximately 10 per 100,000 live births. The 2022 International League Against Epilepsy classification unified the historically distinct Ohtahara syndrome and early myoclonic encephalopathy under a single diagnostic framework defined by frequent drug-resistant tonic and/or myoclonic seizures, an abnormal neurological examination, and an abnormal interictal electroencephalogram-most characteristically a burst-suppression pattern. This narrative review synthesizes the clinical, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, genetic, and therapeutic literature within the EIDEE framework. The clinical phenotype is characterized by central hypotonia, postnatal microcephaly, cortical visual impairment, and age-dependent syndromic evolution toward infantile epileptic spasms syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in the majority of patients. Electroencephalography remains essential for syndromic classification, while systematic metabolic screening and early trio whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing are central to the etiologic workup, achieving diagnostic yields of 60-65%. The most commonly identified genetic causes include STXBP1, KCNQ2, and SCN2A variants. Outcomes are poor overall and strongly etiology-dependent: vitamin-responsive disorders carry a substantially more favorable prognosis, whereas mortality reaches 25% in genetic cohorts. Genotype-guided pharmacotherapy is now applicable to a clinically meaningful subset of patients, with sodium channel blockers, potassium channel openers, and emerging antisense oligonucleotide therapies representing important therapeutic advances. Gene therapy trials are underway but have encountered early safety signals, underscoring the vulnerability of this population. Critical unmet needs include earlier molecular diagnosis, precision therapies targeting developmental outcomes beyond seizure control, and prospective international registries to characterize the long-term natural history of EIDEE.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Longitudinal whole-genome analysis of bluetongue virus identifies conserved serotype-specific genomes and distinct genomic constellations within a Colorado sheep flock (2021-2023).

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a segmented double-stranded RNA virus of ruminants transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges. Although the genome consists of ten segments, classification into serotypes is primarily based on genome segment 2. However, reassortment among genomic segments is a major driver of BTV evolution and diversity. This study used longitudinal whole-genome sequencing to characterize BTV genomes collected from 2021 to 2023 within a single sheep flock in Colorado, where multiple serotypes co-circulate. Whole-genome sequences were generated from fourteen blood samples representing four serotypes: BTV-6, -11, -13, and -17. Longitudinal sampling identified multiple BTV serotypes within individual sheep across consecutive years. Tanglegram analysis comparing segment phylogenies to the segment 2 tree demonstrated incongruent topologies across all genomic segments, suggestive of reassortment or the circulation of distinct genomic constellations. Nucleotide-level comparisons revealed high sequence homology among same-serotype samples from the same year, while the greatest genetic divergence was observed among BTV-17 genomes collected in different years. Additionally, all BTV-13 genomes contained a previously undescribed nonsynonymous substitution in segment 10 predicted to extend the encoded protein by three amino acids. Together, these findings demonstrate that highly conserved BTV genomes and distinct genomic constellations can be detected at the flock level across multiple years. This longitudinal whole-genome approach reveals the genetic complexity of endemic BTV populations, including novel variants and genomic patterns consistent with reassortment that are lost with conventional serotyped-based approaches, highlighting the need to integrate whole-genome characterization into endemic BTV monitoring programs.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Metabolic depot for nucleated erythrocyte degradation: molecular and structural elucidation of the teleost melanomacrophage center.

The function of melanomacrophage centers (MMCs) has long been controversial. While their foundational function is widely accepted as "metabolic dumps" for waste processing, a widely circulated hypothesis posits that they are primitive germinal centers (GCs) executing adaptive immunity. To elucidate this controversy, this study systematically evaluated the splenic MMCs in a higher teleost ( Micropterus salmoides) by combining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution spatial transcriptomics. Structurally, TEM revealed that the MMC comprises a core with characteristic sparse cellular density, filled with cellular debris and encapsulated by a fibrous layer. Molecularly, under physiological conditions, MMC regions exhibited low transcriptional activity. We did not detect clear enrichment of B cell and T cell lineage genes, and the key GC marker aicda was not observed. Conversely, its predominant molecular signature was characterized by macrophage-driven iron metabolism (e.g., ferritin) and erythrocyte degradation (e.g., hba1). Furthermore, the physicochemical properties of MMCs pigments (e.g., argyrophilia) suggest that traditional histological staining methods warrant cautious interpretation regarding potential non-specific signals. In conclusion, our findings characterize the MMC as a highly specialized metabolic processing and sequestration niche. This study provides new perspectives on the evolution of immune-metabolic homeostasis in poikilothermic vertebrates, advances comparative immunology, and offers a critical scientific reference for the accurate interpretation of MMCs as a biological indicator in pathology and ecotoxicology.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Impact of Physical Environment of Pediatric Inpatient Wards on Children: A Systematic Literature Review.

ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine empirical studies published between 2003 and 2025 to identify elements of physical environments influencing health outcomes and experiences of children and families.BackgroundIn the past 40 years, research has shown that the physical environment influences the health and well-being of patients in the healthcare environment. However, similar research in the context of "pediatric inpatient wards" remains underexplored.MethodsPubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to identify relevant articles. All extracted articles underwent a three-step screening process using PRISMA. A total of 30 eligible articles were used for the analysis. The protocol is registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023408997).ResultsKey findings reveal positive and negative impacts of identified elements. Positive-effect elements include play spaces, space for parents, natural light, connections with nature, and so on, which promote comfort, healing, and emotional resilience. Conversely, negative-effect elements, such as noise, artificial lighting, uncomfortable temperature, and so on, contribute to stress and disrupted sleep. Mixed effects were observed for elements like art and television, which underscore the complexity of designing environments that address the diverse needs of different age groups and genders.ConclusionsThe review findings highlight significant knowledge gaps. The study also tries to bridge existing gaps between research and practice by systematically identifying environmental elements, offering actionable insights to architects, designers, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Future research must adopt rigorous, culturally inclusive approaches to advance the field of pediatric healthcare design and ensure equitable care across diverse sociocultural contexts.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

To Treat or Not to Treat: Navigating Early-Stage CLL in the Era of Targeted Therapy.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is most frequently diagnosed at early, asymptomatic stages (Rai 0/Binet A), in which a watch-and-wait strategy remains the standard of care, based on historical trials demonstrating no overall survival benefit from early treatment. Over the past two decades, however, substantial advances in genomic profiling-including immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IGHV) mutational status, TP53 disruption, recurrent gene mutations, and complex karyotype-have uncovered marked biological heterogeneity among early-stage patients and substantially improved prediction of disease progression. In parallel, targeted therapies such as Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and venetoclax-based combinations have transformed the management of symptomatic CLL, raising renewed interest in whether early intervention might favorably alter the natural history of biologically high-risk disease. In this review, we critically examine the evolution of prognostication in early-stage CLL, integrate contemporary molecular and clinical risk models, and summarize evidence from both historical chemotherapy-era studies and modern early-intervention trials. We discuss key unresolved controversies, including reliance on surrogate endpoints, the risks of overtreatment, and the persistent absence of an overall survival benefit across all early-treatment strategies. Finally, we outline future research priorities, including refined genomic stratification, minimal residual disease-driven (MRD)-driven approaches, and combination targeted therapies currently under investigation. Despite renewed interest in preemptive treatment, available evidence supports continued observation for asymptomatic patients outside clinical trials.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Published Database Resources for Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine: Update of a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) has been established in the academic context of universities. In recent years, strategies have been developed worldwide to strengthen the role of TCIM in supporting the health of the population. Online databases are a common way for obtaining evidence-based information. This article is an update of a former systematic review from 2010 on published databases resources for TCIM. METHODS: The databases CINAHL, CAMbase, Web of Science, MEDLINE/PubMed, and Google Scholar search engine were searched for databases related to TCIM published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and November 2024. All included databases were visited online, and information on the origin, content, and scope of the database was extracted. RESULTS: A total of 6579 articles were identified through the literature search. After exclusion of irrelevant articles, full-text screening of 127 articles yielded 37 new databases. Together with 16 still available old databases, these mainly contained information on herbal therapies (n = 15) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (n = 11) from 18 different countries. Newly identified medicinal plant databases offer various scientific resources such as crude drugs, indigenous plants, and structures for natural and phytochemical components with molecular biological content. CONCLUSIONS: This literature review illustrates the dynamic development in the database landscape over the last 15 years. While the number of bibliographic databases is shrinking, databases in the field of medical plants/herbal therapy content are on the rise, which might be due to advances in plant genomics and molecular biology.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Structural complexity and mechanistic diversity of MECOM rearrangements in myeloid neoplasms.

Rearrangements involving MECOM at chromosome 3q26.2 are recurrent in myeloid neoplasms, classically represented by inv(3)(q21q26.2) and t(3;3)(q21;q26.2), which reposition the GATA2-distal haematopoietic enhancer and drive aberrant EVI1 overexpression. However, the full structural and mechanistic diversity of MECOM rearrangements (MECOM-r) is yet to be explored. We retrospectively analysed 97 cases with cytogenetically defined MECOM-r and identified 12 with complex rearrangements using GTG-banded karyotyping and tri-colour interphase/metaphase fluorescence in situ hybridisation analyses. These 12 cases demonstrated remarkable structural heterogeneity. The abnormalities encompassed translocations, inversions, insertions, duplications, and deletions, which often coexisted within the same specimen as multiple rearranged subclones. Insertional events emerged as a distinct mechanism of MECOM activation. These encompassed insertions of MYNN and/or MECOM into chromosomes 1 and 6, insertion of chromosome 8 segment into MECOM, and inverted insertions between homologous chromosome 3 segments. Recurrent breakpoints at 3q21 across multiple cases, together with localised copy number imbalances frequently involving the MYNN and GOLIM4 loci at 3q26.2, underscore the architectural fragility of these two regions. Co-occurring abnormalities such as -5/del(5q), -7/del(7q), and TP53 loss were common, reflecting a permissive genomic background for chromosomal reassembly. Our findings expand the mechanistic landscape of MECOM-r beyond canonical inv(3)/t(3;3), establishing 3q21 and 3q26.2 as structural 'hotspots' and genomic instability hubs. Distinct from fusion-driven oncogenes such as KMT2A, MECOM activation results from enhancer hijacking and regional structural remodelling, leading to EVI1 overexpression and clonal evolution in myeloid malignancies.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Medically Unexplained Symptoms: A Systematic Umbrella Review of Current Terminology and Reported Rationales.

OBJECTIVES: Toaddress current naming conventions for Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS) through a systematic umbrella review. The terminology used and the provided rationales were considered. METHODS: Registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024526020), this review searched 8 key databases, last on January 28, 2025. Reviews including medically unexplained symptoms (or synonym or subtype) in their systematic search terms were included (N=422). RESULTS: A total of 577 references to 111 terms were made across the reviews, with numerous reviews using the same overarching terms, including "functional" (n=233), "somatic" (or variants thereof, n=51), and "medically unexplained" (n=28). Thirty percent of terms (n=179) were to specific syndromes or terms that did not group together under an overarching term, suggesting substantial variability in terms, even though over 60% of authors were primarily associated with just 3 disciplines: medicine, allied health, and psychology. A subset of 23 reviews provided rationales, which were subjected to content analysis and a ROBIS (Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews) risk-of-bias assessment. This analysis showed that rationales tended to (1) highlight differences between psychological, psychiatric, and other medical fields (n=7); (2) focus on the patient perspective and patient-practitioner therapeutic relationship (n=10); or (3) follow broad and/or commonly used terms (n=7). DISCUSSION: The current landscape of terminology used for MUS remains varied, nuanced, and inconsistent between disciplines. Moving forward to a more universal language accepted and used by both patients and practitioners would aid in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of MUS.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

The future of precision oncology and artificial intelligence in Belgium: scenarios and policy responses.

PURPOSE: Precision medicine, also known as personalized medicine, enables the provision of tailored health services to patients. In the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancers, precision medicine is highly promising, given the increasing use of genomic profiling for diagnosis and adapting therapies in several tumor types. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support this process by analyzing vast amounts of relevant data. However, high-quality data and financial investments in the health system are essential for the implementation of precision medicine and AI solutions in routine cancer care. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Building on the quantitative outcomes of a foresight exercise published in another study, this article collects qualitative data to gain more detailed insights into the future of precision oncology in Belgium and discusses the role of AI in this field. It reports the results of a series of expert workshops, focusing on four hypothetical future scenarios that are centered around technological and economic issues that must be overcome for the widespread use of precision oncology in Belgium. FINDINGS: The study concludes that all four scenarios discussed in the workshops would require supportive policy measures in Belgium, which should go beyond mere technological and economic considerations, such as involving patient associations and the public in policy design or creating multi-disciplinary expert groups for precision medicine. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to employ foresight methodology to illustrate possible future scenarios, scrutinize feasible approaches for implementing precision oncology in Belgium, and discuss the use of AI in this context.

Belgium↗

PubMed2026

Efficacy of pharmacological and microbiota-based therapies in preclinical models of autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition in which pharmacological and microbiota-targeted interventions are emerging as promising therapeutic avenues. Animal models are the main tool to investigate etiology, molecular mechanisms and screening for pharmacological therapies. Methodological differences, outcome measure variability, incomplete reporting, biological confounders, and overgeneralization of the results made evaluating innovative pharmacological agents challenging. These limitations in the field highlight a need for systematic and standardized research to reliably assess and translate pharmacological interventions from ASD animal models to human clinical relevance. SUBJECTS: This systematic review synthesized efficacy evidence for pharmacological and microbiota-based therapies across established ASD animal models. RESULTS: We identified 52 recent (2010-2025) studies that reported key ASD behavioral outcomes after pharmacological or microbiota-focused treatments. Interventions were grouped into therapeutic classes - including oxytocinergic agents, E/I balance therapeutic targets, metabolic drugs, cannabinoids, purine-based interventions and emerging targets - alongside microbiota-directed strategies such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation. By integrating effect directions and robustness across models, we identified most potential drug candidates, evaluated the efficacy of novel strategies, and recognized critical translational gaps. The reviewed studies demonstrate that ASD-like behavioral deficits in preclinical models can be modulated through interventions targeting diverse biological systems, including neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, metabolism, and the gut-brain axis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the multifactorial nature of ASD pathophysiology which arises from a network of interacting systemic processes rather than a single molecular defect. It could explain the limited success of traditionally narrowly targeted interventions and suggest a paradigm shift into a more systemic approach.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Influence of soil types with different soil-forming process on the qualitative and quantitative detection of microplastics by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Microplastics (MPs) have become a pressing global environmental threat, with soils-acting as sinks for MPs from multiple sources-gaining increasing attention. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy offers a promising tool for MPs detection due to its rapid, non-destructive, and field-applicable features. Although previous studies have focused on the effects of individual soil components on the NIR detection performance of MPs, there is still a lack of systematic research on how the complex background-formed by the coupling of multiple physicochemical properties in natural soils-affects detection performance. This study focuses on soil types with different soil-forming processes, selected five representative agricultural soils to systematically evaluate how the combinations of physicochemical properties they represented affect the performance of NIR-based qualitative and quantitative analysis of MPs in soils. The results demonstrated that soil type significantly affected both the spectral response and detection performance of MPs. Brown Pedocals and Brown Earth exhibited clearer characteristic absorption and stronger linear responses, achieving higher identification accuracy under low (<1.5 %) or zero MPs concentrations and the best quantitative performance (R2 ≥ 0.988, prediction set root mean square error (RMSEP) ≤ 0.110 %). In contrast, Phaeozem and Red Soil were more prone to misclassification at low concentrations, while Fluvo-aquic Soil showed the poorest quantitative performance. This study is the first to reveal, at a holistic level, the critical constraints posed by natural soil complexity on the NIR detection of MPs, offering targeted empirical evidence to support the application of NIR technology in real-world soil environments.

Soil↗

PubMed2026

Continuous Intravenous Lidocaine for Refractory Cancer Pain in Palliative Care: A Multicenter Feasibility Study.

ObjectivesTo assess the feasibility and tolerability of continuous low-dose intravenous lidocaine infusion in patients with opioid-refractory cancer pain receiving palliative care, and to explore its potential impact on pain outcomes in real-world clinical conditions.MethodsWe conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled feasibility study in palliative care units to evaluate continuous intravenous lidocaine infusion in patients with opioid-refractory cancer pain. Patients were randomized to receive lidocaine (5 mg/kg/day, increased to 8 mg/kg/day if pain reduction was <30% after 24 h) or placebo for 48 h. Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Pain Intensity Scale, with a clinically meaningful response defined as a ≥30% reduction from baseline at 40 min. Secondary outcomes included pain evolution over time, neuropathic pain, symptom burden, and tolerability.ResultsThirty-five patients were included in the final analysis (18 lidocaine, 17 placebo). No significant difference was observed between lidocaine and placebo for the primary endpoint or for secondary pain outcomes. Reductions in pain intensity were observed in both groups. In the lidocaine group, 61% of patients required dose escalation to 8 mg/kg/day. Continuous intravenous lidocaine infusion was generally well tolerated, with mostly mild adverse events and no unexpected toxicity.ConclusionIn this multicenter feasibility study, continuous low-dose intravenous lidocaine did not demonstrate a clinically meaningful analgesic benefit over placebo. As the planned sample size was not reached, the study was underpowered. These findings highlight the challenges of randomized trials in palliative care and may inform future feasibility-oriented designs.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Response-optimised training improves learning of a complex motor task and closely related motor tasks.

Regular physical exercise is essential for promoting healthy aging and longevity. In older adults with varying physical and cognitive decline, optimising exercise interventions is crucial to maximise benefits. A promising approach to achieve this goal is by adjusting task demands to individual abilities in turn preventing over- or underloading their abilities. In the field of motor learning, it is currently unclear whether such an optimised training improves not only performance on the trained task but also transfers to untrained motor and cognitive tasks. We conducted a randomized, single-blinded, 6-week dynamic balance training (DBT) with healthy older adults (n = 30). Training was tailored to individual balance ability. Participants were assigned to either suboptimal (high or low difficulty) or optimal (moderate difficulty) training groups. Transfer effects were assessed via cognitive tasks (memory and executive) and motor tasks (untrained DBT variations and other balance tasks) measured pre-, mid- and post-intervention. Multivariate longitudinal statistical analysis showed higher performance gains in the optimal training group in three out of six sessions compared to the suboptimal groups, especially under testing conditions with high task demands. The optimal group also showed greater improvements in near motor transfer tasks mid- and post-intervention, while no significant differences were observed in the cognitive tasks. Within-group DBT learning positively correlated with transfer gains, highlighting the role of training response in achieving transfer. In conclusion, optimised task difficulty in balance training enhances both task-specific performance and related motor skills, supporting the use of personalised interventions to maintain function and independence in older adults.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Optimizing focal vibration therapy for balance and gait: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review evaluated the efficacy of focal (localized) vibration therapy (FVT) applied to muscles/tendons on balance, gait, and mobility, with a specific focus on defining optimal vibration protocols (frequency, amplitude, dosing) and muscle-targeting strategies to maximize sensorimotor recovery. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted across six databases (CINHAL, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL) from January 2000 to May 2025. Studies were included if they involved human participants, applied FVT therapeutically, and reported balance, gait, or mobility outcomes. Data extraction included study characteristics, intervention protocols, and outcomes. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. RESULTS: Sixty-two studies (n = 2090 participants) were included. Methodological quality assessment (PEDro scale) indicated 44% of studies met high-quality standards. Biomechanical analysis identified the quadriceps, gastrocnemius/soleus, and plantar muscles as the most effective vibration sites, given their critical roles in gait propulsion and postural stability. The synthesis of protocol data indicated a promising therapeutic window characterized by a vibration frequency of 80-120 Hz (primarily fixed sinusoidal waveforms at a single frequency) and an amplitude of 0.2-0.5 mm (reported only in 12 studies; amplitude was not reported in 23 studies), applied bilaterally for a minimum of 3 sessions per week over 4-12 weeks, which could lead to improved balance and gait performance with benefits sustained for up to 5 months. CONCLUSION: FVT shows potential to improve gait and balance, particularly when targeting lower-extremity muscles with optimized vibration parameters. To advance the field, future research must prioritize the development of standardized protocols and investigate neurophysiological mechanisms to refine FVT as a precision bioengineering solution for mobility deficits.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Self-selected goals outperform assigned goals in reducing mobile phone usage: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

Excessive smartphone use is increasingly recognized as a public-health concern, yet scalable approaches to help individuals regulate daily use remain limited. We examine whether allowing individuals to self-select reduction goals improves behavioral and psychological outcomes when incentives and average goal levels are held constant across conditions. In a twelve-week randomized controlled trial, (N = 149; over 9000 person-day observations), participants were assigned to (i) a self-selected condition (choosing a 10%, 20%, or 30% reduction in daily phone use), (ii) an assigned condition (assigned a 14% reduction goal), or (iii) a no-goal control condition. Participants who selected their own goals reduced phone use by 26 min more per day (73% larger reduction) and achieved their goals 11 percentage points more often than those assigned goals, despite identical incentives and average goal levels. Reductions in phone use and higher goal achievement were associated with improvements in perceived addiction, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. These psychological outcomes were secondary endpoints. Although the between-group estimates generally followed the same directional pattern as the behavioral outcomes, the sample size for these analyses was limited and the between-group differences were not statistically significant. These findings should therefore be interpreted with caution. Overall, the results provide causal field evidence that self-selection under this goal-setting design can improve behavioral outcomes. Allowing individuals to choose their own goals may strengthen engagement and support healthier digital behavior. Incorporating opportunities for goal-selection may represent a simple addition to digital-health and public-health interventions aimed at helping individuals moderate smartphone use and improve well-being.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Multi-omics insights into the physiological mechanisms of bile acid accumulation in the gallbladder in brumation-like snakes.

Hibernation/brumation represents an important physiological adaptation for animals to cope with seasonal environmental changes. Field observations suggested increased gallbladder weight in the Five-pacer viper (Deinagkistrodon acutus) during brumation, and our quantitative measurements confirmed this increase together with bile acid accumulation. By integrating a multi-omic approach, this study elucidates the regulatory mechanisms of bile acid accumulation in the gallbladder during brumation. Results showed that taurocholic acid (TCA) and taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA) were the major components in the gallbladder of the brumation-like group, with significantly elevated concentrations of bile acids, whereas bile acid concentrations in serum and intestinal contents were markedly reduced, indicating suppression of the enterohepatic circulation and consequent accumulation of bile acids in the gallbladder. Hepatic transcriptomic analysis revealed significant downregulation of bile acid synthesis and regulatory genes in brumation-like snakes. In contrast, the alternative synthesis pathway gene sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) and some transporter genes were slightly upregulated. Further, some modification genes and regulatory genes showed no significant differences between active and brumation-like states. Gut microbiota analysis demonstrated Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides fragilis, and Citrobacter freundii were more enriched in the active group, which were common microbes related to bile acid metabolism, and the correlation analysis confirmed this relationship. Taken together, these findings indicate that the "physiological bile acid accumulation" observed in snakes during brumation-like state is jointly driven by suppressed hepatic synthesis, reduced enterohepatic circulation, and remodeled microbial community structure. The study provides novel comparative physiological insights into extreme metabolic homeostasis in animals.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Dynamics of soil fungal communities restored with biochar from a quarry site.

Quarrying activities have intensified due to population expansion, leading to landscape degradation and ecological destruction. Quarry restoration is usually mandatory in Hong Kong, China. Although biochar is used for sustainable soil amendment, its effectiveness in restoring quarry soil with poor properties has rarely been investigated. A 24-month field study was conducted to evaluate the ecological feasibility of restoring a quarry site by using native species (that is, Castanopsis fissa and Cyclobalanopsis edithiae) and biochar amendment. The results revealed that after 24 months, the application of biochar increased the organic carbon, phosphorus and potassium of the vegetated soil by at least 120 %, 31 % and 12 %, respectively, due to higher cation exchange capacity and better plant growth. The relative abundance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota increased by 24 % and 47 % with biochar application when C. fissa was planted, which was likely associated with the improved nutrient cycling and soil fertility. Even though adding biochar to bare soil was found to increase the complexity of fungal co-occurrence networks, biochar application only increased fungal diversity in vegetated quarry soil but usually reduced its fungal richness. Moreover, fungal co-occurrence networks in vegetated soil became less complex, suggesting that biochar potentially helped plants to assemble specific, beneficial fungal communities. This effect is most pronounced in the soil planted with C. edithiae, where the structure of fungal communities after 24 months was significantly different from that at other restoration times. This study identifies key fungal phyla enhanced by biochar in quarry soil and provides an effective strategy for facilitating the restoration and management of degraded lands, especially quarry sites.

Charcoal↗

PubMed2026

Ultrasound protocols used to detect vascular gas emboli in divers: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Venous gas emboli (VGE) detected via ultrasound can be used as a surrogate marker for decompression stress. While Doppler ultrasound is the historical gold standard, two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography offers advantages for on-site monitoring, including a wider field of view and reduced dependence on noise-free environments. This systematic review evaluates 2D ultrasonography protocols used in decompression research since the 2015 International Meeting on Ultrasound for Diving Research, identifying methodological similarities, differences, and adherence to consensus recommendations. METHODS: A search of PubMed and Scopus identified studies using 2D ultrasound to detect VGE in divers. Inclusion criteria were: (1) use of 2D ultrasound, (2) detection of VGE or monitoring of decompression stress, (3) inclusion of a diver cohort, and (4) publication after 2015. Data extraction focused on VGE scoring systems, ultrasound hardware, measurement protocols, and operator experience. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I-V2, and compliance with the 2015 consensus recommendations was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included. The Eftedal-Brubakk scale was most commonly used (n = 15), with cardiac ultrasound as the primary imaging modality; one study assessed a peripheral vessel. Common shortcomings included post-dive measurements lasting less than two hours, underreporting of operator experience and hardware specifications, limited individual-level data, and inappropriate use of parametric statistics for ordinal bubble grade data. No study fully complied with all consensus recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: This review demonstrates that, although two-dimensional ultrasound is widely used for post-dive VGE assessment, methodological heterogeneity with multiple shortcomings remain. Furthermore, nearly all studies restricted imaging to the heart, thus leaving peripheral vessel assessment largely unexplored.

Embolism, Air↗