Tomatoes are annual herbaceous plants of the family Solanaceae. They have very stringent requirements for their growing environment and climate conditions. To precisely control the greenhouse environment for tomato growth, this project designed and implemented a monitoring system utilizing programmable logic controllers and a data acquisition system for monitoring. Sensors are installed at key locations in the greenhouse, such as near the ground, in the plant canopy, and under the roof, to monitor environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, light intensity, and carbon dioxide concentration in real time. A three-layer feedforward GA-BP neural network model was established using soil temperature, soil humidity, air humidity, and illumination as predictive parameters. This technology predicts optimal environmental parameters and performs real-time monitoring and intelligent control, overcoming the traditional BP neural network’s drawbacks of slow convergence, susceptibility to disturbance, and poor generalization ability, with the current model’s average prediction error being less than 5%. It provides a theoretical basis and decision support for precision control and related environmental forecasting in agricultural projects. Based on the growth characteristics, physiological and morphological features of tomatoes, and the comprehensive impact of planting conditions, the technology enhances tomato yield and quality while reducing production costs and labor inputs. It mainly includes the establishment of tomato growth models, measurement and control of environmental parameters, and the design and optimization of intelligent decision control systems. Research outcomes in this field are significant for improving agricultural production efficiency, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. Full article

In this study, lead(II) sulphide (PbS) nanoparticles of varying particle sizes were synthesized using the hot injection method, employing 1-octadecene (ODE) as a coordinating ligand in conjunction with oleylamine (OAm). This synthesis approach was compared with the preparation of hexagonal-shaped nanoparticles through the ligand of 1-Dodecanethiol (DT), resulting in DT-capped PbS nanoparticles. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using multiple techniques including photoluminescence (PL), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The condensation reaction of DT ligands led to various nanoparticles within the range of 34.87 nm to 35.87 nm across different synthesis temperatures (120 °C, 150 °C, 180 °C, 210 °C, and 240 °C). The PbS with DT ligands exhibited a highly crystalline and superhydrophilic structure. Interestingly, near-infrared (NIR)-PL analysis revealed peaks at 1100 nm, representing the lowest-energy excitonic absorption peak of PbS nanoparticles for both ligands. This suggests their potential utility in various applications, including IR photoreactors, as well as in the development of non-toxic nanoparticles for potential applications in in vivo bioimaging. Full article

Background. Langerhans cells (LCs) are professional Dendritic Cells (DCs) involved in immunoregulatory functions. At the skin level, LCs are immature. In response to tissue injuries, they migrate to regional Lymph Nodes (LNs), reaching a full maturation state. Then, they become effective antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that induce anti-cancer responses. Notably, melanoma patients present several DC alterations in the Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN), where primary antitumoral immunity is generated. LCs are the most represented DCs subset in melanoma SLNs and are expected to play a key role in the anti-melanoma response. With this paper, we aim to review the current knowledge and future perspectives regarding LCs and melanoma. Methods. A systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement using the PubMed (MEDLINE) library from January 2004 to January 2024, searching for original studies discussing LC in melanoma. Results. The final synthesis included 15 articles. Several papers revealed significant LCs–melanoma interactions. Conclusions. Melanoma immune escape mechanisms include SLN LC alterations, favoring LN metastasis arrival/homing and melanoma proliferation. The SLN LCs of melanoma patients are defective but not irreversibly, and their function may be restored by appropriate stimuli. Thus, LCs represent a promising target for future immunotherapeutic strategies and cancer vaccines. Full article

The state of health is a crucial state that suggests the capacity of lithium-ion batteries to store and restitute energy at a certain power level, which should be carefully monitored in the battery management system. However, the state of health of batteries is unmeasurable and, currently, it is usually estimated within a specific area of the whole charging data, which is very limited in practical application because of the incomplete and random charging behaviors of users. In this paper, we intend to estimate the state of health of batteries with flexible partial charging curves and normal multi-layer perceptron based on the degradation data of eight 0.74 Ah batteries. To make the estimation more adaptive and flexible, we extract several features from partial charging curves. Analysis of the relationship between extracted features and the state of health shows that the extracted features are useful in estimation. As the length of the partial charging curve increases, the extracted features still function well, and the root mean square error of the test set is lower than 1.5%. Further validation on the other two types of batteries reveals that the proposed method achieves high accuracy even with different sampling and working conditions. The proposed method offers an easy-to-implement way to achieve an accurate estimation of a battery’s state of health. Full article

This study evaluates the long-term effects of swine wastewater (SWW) on relevant parameters for soil fertility, including calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) cations, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and organic matter (OM) in an agricultural area with 9 years of crop cultivation. Three types of SWW (raw, after leaving the biodigester, and after the manure plant) were analyzed with four application rates of SWW (0, 100, 200, and 300 m³.ha⁻¹), associated or not with mineral fertilization, resulting in eight treatments. The study found that the long-term use of SWW had significant effects on soil parameters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to summarize the data. The soil’s calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) levels were higher in soybean compared to other crops and natural soil. Similarly, the treatment with 0 m³.ha⁻¹ of pig manure and without mineral fertilization showed higher levels of these nutrients. In contrast, potassium (K) was found in greater quantities in oats, SWW from the biodigester, higher doses of manure, and with mineral fertilization. The crops had a higher organic matter (OM) content compared to the natural soil, with corn and raw SWW showing the most significant increase. Full article

Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp and hair caused by dermatophyte molds, that most often affects children and may also affect adults. Previous estimates suggest that between 3% and 11% of all tinea capitis cases worldwide occur in adults, although updated epidemiological studies are needed to reassess the prevalence of tinea capitis in adult populations specifically. Postmenopausal adult women are most often affected by tinea capitis, with African American or Black women particularly at risk. Adults who experience crowded living conditions, who live in close proximity to animals, who are immunosuppressed, and/or who live in households with affected children are at greatest risk of infection. Tinea capitis can be non-inflammatory or inflammatory in nature, and the subtype affects the extent and severity of clinical symptoms. Fungal culture and potassium hydroxide preparations are the most commonly used diagnostic tools. Trichoscopy, defined as dermoscopic imaging of the scalp and hair, is a useful adjunct to the physical examination. The mainstay of therapy is oral antifungal therapy, and topical therapy alone is not recommended. Since tinea capitis infection is uncommon in adults, there are no widely accepted treatment guidelines. Rather, the same medications used for tinea capitis infection among children are recommended for adults at varying doses, including griseofulvin, and terbinafine, and, less commonly, itraconazole and fluconazole. The prognosis for tinea capitis in adults is typically excellent when prompt and adequate treatment is administered; however, delayed diagnosis or inadequate treatment can result in scarring alopecia. Over the past decade, dermatophyte infections resistant to treatment with topical and oral antifungal agents have emerged. While tinea capitis infections resistant to antifungal therapy have been rarely reported to date, antifungal resistance is rising among superficial fungal infections in general, and antifungal stewardship is necessary to ensure that resistance to treatment does not develop among dermatophytes that cause tinea capitis. Full article

In this study, we propose a method for optimizing the design of CMUT sensors using genetic algorithms. Existing CMUT sensors face frequency response and sensitivity limitations, necessitating optimization to enhance their sensing performance. Traditional optimization methods are often intricate and time-consuming and may fail to yield the optimal solution. Genetic algorithms, which simulate the biological evolution process, offer advantages in global optimization and efficiency, making them widely utilized in the optimization design of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) devices. Based on the theoretical framework and finite element model of CMUT sensors, we propose a CMUT array element optimization design method based on genetic algorithms. The optimization and validation results demonstrate that we have successfully designed a broadband CMUT array element consisting of four microelements with a 1–2 MHz frequency range. Compared with a randomly arranged array element, the optimized array shows a 63.9% increase in bandwidth and a 7.5% increase in average sensitivity within the passband. Moreover, the sensitivity variance within the passband is reduced by 50.2%. Our proposed method effectively optimizes the design of high sensitivity CMUT sensors with the desired bandwidth, thereby offering significant reference value for the optimization design of CMUT sensors. Full article

Multi-robot Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems employing 2D lidar scans are effective for exploration and navigation within GNSS-limited environments. However, scalability concerns arise with larger environments and increased robot numbers, as 2D mapping necessitates substantial processor memory and inter-robot communication bandwidth. Thus, data compression prior to transmission becomes imperative. This study investigates the problem of communication-efficient multi-robot SLAM based on 2D maps and introduces an architecture that enables compressed communication, facilitating the transmission of full maps with significantly reduced bandwidth. We propose a framework employing a lightweight feature extraction Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for a full map, followed by an encoder combining Huffman and Run-Length Encoding (RLE) algorithms to further compress a full map. Subsequently, a lightweight recovery CNN was designed to restore map features. Experimental validation involves applying our compressed communication framework to a two-robot SLAM system. The results demonstrate that our approach reduces communication overhead by 99% while maintaining map quality. This compressed communication strategy effectively addresses bandwidth constraints in multi-robot SLAM scenarios, offering a practical solution for collaborative SLAM applications. Full article

Previous omics research in patients with complex congenital heart disease and single-ventricle circulation (irrespective of the stage of palliative repair) revealed alterations in cardiac and systemic metabolism, inter alia abnormalities in energy metabolism, and inflammation, oxidative stress or endothelial dysfunction. We employed an affinity-proteomics approach focused on cell surface markers, cytokines, and chemokines in the serum of 20 adult Fontan patients with a good functioning systemic left ventricle, and we 20 matched controls to reveal any specific processes on a cellular level. Analysis of 349 proteins revealed 4 altered protein levels related to chronic inflammation, with elevated levels of syndecan-1 and glycophorin-A, as well as decreased levels of leukemia inhibitory factor and nerve growth factor-ß in Fontan patients compared to controls. All in all, this means that Fontan circulation carries specific physiological and metabolic instabilities, including chronic inflammation, oxidative stress imbalance, and consequently, possible damage to cell structure and alterations in translational pathways. A combination of proteomics-based biomarkers and the traditional biomarkers (uric acid, γGT, and cholesterol) performed best in classification (patient vs. control). A metabolism- and signaling-based approach may be helpful for a better understanding of Fontan (patho-)physiology. Syndecan-1, glycophorin-A, leukemia inhibitory factor, and nerve growth factor-ß, especially in combination with uric acid, γGT, and cholesterol, might be interesting candidate parameters to complement traditional diagnostic imaging tools and the determination of traditional biomarkers, yielding a better understanding of the development of comorbidities in Fontan patients, and they may play a future role in the identification of targets to mitigate inflammation and comorbidities in Fontan patients. Full article

There is a vast amount of published literature concerning dental veneers; however, the effects of tooth preparation, aging, veneer type, and resin cement type on the failure of dental veneers in laboratory versus clinical scenarios are not clear. The purpose of the present narrative review was to determine the principal factors associated with failures of dental veneers in laboratory tests and to understand how these factors translate into clinical successes/failures. Articles were identified and screened by the lead author in January 2024 using the keywords ‘‘dental veneer”, “complication”, “survival rate”, “failure”, and “success rate” using PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. The inclusion criteria included articles published between January 1999 and December 2023 on the topics of preparation of a tooth, aging processes of the resin cement and veneer, translucency, thickness, fabrication technique of the veneer; shade, and thickness of the resin cement. The exclusion criteria included articles that discussed marginal and internal fit, microhardness, water sorption, solubility, polishability, occlusal veneers, retention, surface treatments, and wear. The results of the present review indicated that dental veneers generally have a high survival rate (>90% for more than 10 years). The amount of preserved enamel layer plays a paramount role in the survival and success rates of veneers, and glass-ceramic veneers with minimal/no preparation showed the highest survival rates. Fracture was the primary failure mechanism associated with decreased survival rate, followed by debonding and color change. Fractures increased in the presence of parafunctional activities. Fewer endodontic complications were associated with veneer restorations. No difference was observed between the maxillary and mandibular teeth. Clinical significance: Fractures can be reduced by evaluation of occlusion immediately after cementation and through the use of high-strength veneer materials, resin cements with low moduli, and thin layers of highly polished veneers. Debonding failures can be reduced with minimal/no preparation, and immediate dentin sealing should be considered when dentin is exposed. Debonding can also be reduced by preventing contamination from blood, saliva, handpiece oil, or fluoride-containing polishing paste; through proper surface treatment (20 s of hydrofluoric acid etching for glass ceramic followed by silane for 60 s); and through use of light-cured polymerization for thin veneers. Long-term color stability may be maintained using resin cements with UDMA-based resin, glass ceramic materials, and light-cure polymerization with thin veneers. Full article

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an emerging cause for morbidity and mortality worldwide. Acute kidney injury (AKI) can transition to CKD and finally to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Targeted treatment is still unavailable. NF-κB signaling is associated with CKD and activated by B cell activating factor (BAFF) via BAFF-R binding. In turn, renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs) are critical for the progression of fibrosis and producing BAFF. Therefore, the direct involvement of the BAFF/BAFF-R system to the pathogenesis of CKD is conceivable. We performed non-accelerated nephrotoxic serum nephritis (NTN) as the CKD model in BAFF KO (B6.129S2-Tnfsf13b^tm1Msc/J), BAFF-R KO (B6(Cg)-Tnfrsf13c^tm1Mass/J) and wildtype (C57BL/6J) mice to analyze the BAFF/BAFF-R system in anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease using high throughput RNA sequencing. We found that BAFF signaling is directly involved in the upregulation of collagen III as BAFF ko mice showed a reduced expression. However, these effects were not mediated via BAFF-R. We identified several upregulated genes that could explain the effects of BAFF in chronic kidney injury such as Txnip, Gpx3, Igfbp7, Ccn2, Kap, Umod and Ren1. Thus, we conclude that targeted treatment with anti-BAFF drugs such as belimumab may reduce chronic kidney damage. Furthermore, upregulated genes may be useful prognostic CKD biomarkers. Full article

Strawberry nectars have increased colour stability when produced from overripe, darker, and redder strawberries, with a high anthocyanin concentration. The post-harvest storage of strawberries has been shown to develop these properties. Nectars are frequently produced from strawberries rejected for fresh sale due to poor colour, which are insufficiently ripe to produce colour-stable nectars. This study investigated post-harvest anthocyanin development in strawberries to improve the colour and colour stability of nectars, which is the first time these developments were studied for beverage production. Strawberries at five ripeness stages were stored at 20 °C for 1 and 2 days prior to nectar production. The anthocyanin content of nectars was determined by a pH-differential method, and the colour stability was tracked for 12 weeks using a consumer Acceptance Factor, derived from CIELAB colour components. The anthocyanin content and colour stability were highly correlated, and both were dependent on ripening, with larger increases observed in under-ripe strawberries, and small to no improvement in overripe samples. Stored partially coloured strawberries produced nectars with equivalent colour stability to non-stored strawberries of normal ripeness. This allowed strawberries that were previously unsuitable for both fresh sale and nectar production to be used as a feedstock for nectar production, reducing food waste. Full article

Cyanobacteria in recent times have been touted to be a suitable source for the discovery of novel compounds, including antioxidants and antibiotics, due to their large arsenal of metabolites. This study presents the in vitro antioxidant and in silico evaluation of Cylindrospermum alatosporum NR125682 and Loriellopsis cavenicola NR117881, isolated from freshwater ponds around the campus of the University of Zululand, South Africa. The isolates were confirmed using 16S rRNA. Various crude extracts of the isolated microbes were prepared through sequential extraction using hexane, dichloromethane, and 70% ethanol. The chemical constituents of the crude extracts were elucidated by FTIR and GC-MS spectroscopy. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was determined by the free radical (DPPH, ABTS, ^•OH, and Fe²⁺) systems. Molecular docking of the major constituents of the extracts against β-lactamase was also evaluated. GC-MS analysis indicated the dominating presence of n-alkanes. The extracts exhibited varying degrees of antioxidant activity (scavenging of free radicals; an IC₅₀ range of 8–10 µg/mL was obtained for ABTS). A good binding affinity (−6.6, −6.3 Kcal/mol) of some the organic chemicals (diglycerol tetranitrate, and 2,2-dimethyl-5-(3-methyl-2-oxiranyl)cyclohexanone) was obtained following molecular docking. The evaluated antioxidant activities, coupled with the obtained docking score, potentiates the antimicrobial activity of the extracts. Full article

This paper addresses the importance of organizational environmental volunteering as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies of organizations. If more organizations support their employees’ involvement in such projects, there can be hope for mitigating climate change and making the transition to a more sustainable world. We used partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the impact of management support on organizational environmental volunteering and of the latter on the employees’ well-being and productivity. Making environmental volunteering part of an organization’s CSR strategy can help the environment, the employees, and the organization itself. The results show a direct and positive relationship between management support and organizational environmental volunteering and between the latter and both the well-being and productivity of employees. The findings will help managers in both public and private organizations to better shape their strategies and encourage their employees to get involved in projects meant to reduce pollution and the carbon footprint. Full article

The evaluation of nanostructured biomaterials and medicines is associated with 2D cultures that provide insight into biological mechanisms at the molecular level, while critical aspects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) are provided by the study of animal xenograft models. More realistic models that can histologically reproduce human tumors are provided by tissue engineering methods of co-culturing cells of varied phenotypes to provide 3D tumor spheroids that recapitulate the dynamic TME in 3D matrices. The novel approaches of creating 3D tumor models are combined with tumor tissue engineering (TTE) scaffolds including hydrogels, bioprinted materials, decellularized tissues, fibrous and nanostructured matrices. This review focuses on the use of nanostructured materials in cancer therapy and regeneration, and the development of realistic models for studying TME molecular and immune characteristics. Tissue regeneration is an important aspect of TTE scaffolds used for restoring the normal function of the tissues, while providing cancer treatment. Thus, this article reports recent advancements in the development of 3D TTE models for antitumor drug screening, studying tumor metastasis, and tissue regeneration. Also, this review identifies the significant opportunities of using 3D TTE scaffolds in the evaluation of the immunological mechanisms and processes involved in the application of immunotherapies. Full article

In recent years, research has intensified in exploring the genetic basis of psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Genome-wide association studies (GWASs), including tools like ImmunoChip, have significantly deepened our understanding of disease mechanisms by pinpointing risk-associated genetic loci. These efforts have elucidated biological pathways involved in PsO pathogenesis, particularly those related to the innate immune system, antigen presentation, and adaptive immune responses. Specific genetic loci, such as TRAF3IP2, REL, and FBXL19, have been identified as having a significant impact on disease development. Interestingly, different genetic variants at the same locus can predispose individuals to either PsO or PsA (e.g., IL23R and deletion of LCE3B and LCE3C), with some variants being uniquely linked to PsA (like HLA B27 on chromosome 6). This article aims to summarize known and new data on the genetics of PsO and PsA, their associated genes, and the involvement of the HLA system and cytokines. Full article

Nutritional status plays a vital role in regulating ovary activity. This regulation is mediated by the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis and by effects exerted directly on the ovary. Therefore, to achieve the best reproductive performance, it is essential to know how the nutritional status affects the secretion of GnRH, gonadotrophins, and sex steroid hormones. Adequate body reserves and energy balance are critical for optimal reproductive performance in sheep and goats. However, over- or under-conditioned animals experience issues like extended anestrus, irregular ovarian cycles, and reduced conception. Body condition scoring allows for the evaluation of the relationships between adiposity, nutritional status, and fertility. Acute feed deficits briefly stimulate processes, but chronic restrictions suppress pulsatile LH release, disrupting ovarian function. The process of follicle development is a very complex one which involves intricate interactions between the pituitary gonadotrophins and metabolic hormones as well as between the locally produced factors by the ovarian somatic and germ cells including the IGF system and the TGF-β superfamily members. Genotype and nutrition are factors that have an impact on follicular development, and seasonal factors are also involved. This review will give a brief overview on how the body condition can be evaluated and the effects of nutrition on the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis and ovarian activity, which are responsible for reproductive regulation. This paper presents a clear and reasonable summary of the pathway that runs from the nutritional status of small ruminants to ovarian activity through the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. This review summarizes methods for body condition evaluation in small ruminants and evidence regarding acute versus prolonged nutritional impacts on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis and ovarian activity controlling reproduction. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to examine how varied environmental and social factors in urban environments affect human wellbeing, which is an important dimension of urban sustainability. Past research has focused on individual dimensions of health and isolated nature interactions, limiting knowledge about how different environmental and social factors affect distinct aspects of residents’ wellbeing. Through quantitative analyses of social survey and environmental data in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona (USA), we explored how distinct nature recreation activities—along with nature satisfaction and social capital—affected residents’ subjective, mental, and physical wellbeing across diverse neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic, controlling for socio-demographics. Results reveal how distinct drivers shape different dimensions of wellbeing. Perceived social and environmental attributes of neighborhoods and proximity to nature preserves were associated with subjective wellbeing, while park visitation was linked to physical health. Nature interactions largely were unrelated to mental health. Changes in nature recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly impact any dimension of wellbeing. Our research suggests that multiple local environmental and social features should be considered when designing healthy communities for urban sustainability. Full article

An orthogonal experiment was designed to prepare different UV topcoat microcapsules by adjusting the mass ratio of wall material to core material, HLB value of emulsifier, reaction temperature, and reaction time of UV topcoat microcapsule. By testing the morphology and multiple properties of UV topcoat microcapsules, it was found that the biggest factor affecting the synthesis of UV topcoat microcapsules is the emulsifier HLB value. In order to further optimize the performance of UV topcoat microcapsules, a single-factor experiment was conducted with the emulsifier HLB value as the variable, and it was found that the UV topcoat microcapsules achieved the best performance when the emulsifier HLB value was 10.04. The optimal UV topcoat microcapsules were added to the UV topcoat at different amounts to prepare UV topcoat paint films. Through testing the various properties of the UV topcoat paint film, it was determined that the performance of the UV topcoat paint film was optimal when the amount of UV topcoat microcapsules added to the UV topcoat was 4.0%. The optical properties of the UV topcoat paint film were tested, and the effect of UV topcoat microcapsules on the color difference and glossiness of the UV topcoat paint film was not significant. The tensile and self-healing performance of UV topcoat microcapsules were tested. UV topcoat microcapsules can enhance the toughness of the UV topcoat paint film to a certain extent, suppress the generation of microcracks, and have a good self-healing effect. The results provide experimental support for the preparation of microcapsules using UV coatings as core materials for the self-healing of UV coatings. Full article

Most banana improvement programs are restricted to using a sub-set of edible landraces for sexual hybridization as the majority are female sterile. This results from an array of factors that work in tandem and lead to sterility. Use of pollination germination media (PGM) during pollination significantly increases seed set, but it is a very small fraction compared to the potential seed set. This research therefore explored early pollination (a day before anthesis), evening pollination, saline treatment, plant growth regulators (PGRs) treatment, and ovule culture as potential techniques for overcoming sterility in bananas. Early and evening pollinations did not increase seed set because of immature flowers and a mismatch of male and female flower opening, respectively (t-prob. = 0.735 and 0.884). Immersion of bunches in a saline solution before pollination and ovule culture also did not overcome pollination barriers. Auxin antagonists (TIBA and salicylic acid) increased seed set, though their respective increases were not statistically significant (t-prob. = 0.123 and 0.164, respectively). The use of auxin antagonists shows great potential for overcoming pollination barriers in bananas. However, application rates and time of application have to be optimized and used holistically with other promising techniques, such as use of PGM. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1) is characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and disabling bone manifestations requiring regular MRI monitoring. The EIROS study assessed the real-world impact of velaglucerase alfa on GD1 bone disease, using MRI data collected in French clinical practice. Methods: MRIs collected retrospectively from treatment initiation and prospectively during follow-up (12-months) were analyzed centrally by a blinded expert radiologist to evaluate bone infiltration using the Bone Marrow Burden (BMB) score and a qualitative method (stable, improved or worsened for the spine and femur). Abdominal MRIs were also centrally analyzed to assess hepatosplenomegaly. Bone manifestations, hepatosplenomegaly, and hematologic parameters were analyzed from medical records. Results: MRI data were available for 20 patients: 6 treatment-naive patients and 14 patients who switched to velaglucerase alfa from another GD treatment. Interpretable MRIs for BMB scoring were available for seven patients for the spine and one patient for the femur. Qualitative assessments (n = 18) revealed stability in spine and femur infiltration in 100.0% and 84.6% of treatment-switched patients (n = 13), respectively, and improvements in 80.0% and 60.0% of treatment-naive patients (n = 5), respectively; no worsening of bone infiltration was observed. Liver, spleen, and hematologic parameters improved in treatment-naive patients and remained stable in treatment-switched patients. Conclusions: The qualitative real-world data support findings from clinical trials suggesting the long-term effectiveness of velaglucerase alfa on GD1 bone manifestations. When MRI assessment by radiologists with experience of GD is not possible, a simplified qualitative assessment may be sufficient in clinical practice for monitoring bone disease progression and treatment response. Full article

Small RNAS (sRNAs) participate in regulatory RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms in a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, including fungi. The fungus Fusarium fujikuroi, a model for the study of secondary metabolism, contains a complete set of genes for RNAi pathways. We have analyzed by high-throughput sequencing the content of sRNAs in total RNA samples of F. fujikuroi grown in synthetic medium in the dark or after 1 h of illumination, using libraries below 150 nt, covering sRNAs and their precursors. For comparison, a parallel analysis with Fusarium oxysporum was carried out. The sRNA reads showed a higher proportion of 5′ uracil in the RNA samples of the expected sizes in both species, indicating the occurrence of genuine sRNAs, and putative miRNA-like sRNAs (milRNAS) were identified with prediction software. F. fujikuroi carries at least one transcriptionally expressed Ty1/copia-like retrotransposable element, in which sRNAs were found in both sense and antisense DNA strands, while in F. oxysporum skippy-like elements also show sRNA formation. The finding of sRNA in these mobile elements indicates an active sRNA-based RNAi pathway. Targeted deletion of dcl2, the only F. fujikuroi Dicer gene with significant expression under the conditions tested, did not produce appreciable phenotypic or transcriptomic alterations. Full article