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Abstract Within the framework of nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD), we calculate the fragmentation function for a charm quark into an S-wave fully-charmed tetraquark, denoted as T 4c . The charm-to-T 4c fragmentation function is expressed as a sum of products of the perturbatively calculable short-distance coefficients and the nonperturbative long-distance matrix elements (LDMEs). The short-distance coefficients are ascertained through the perturbative matching procedure at lowest order in α s expansion. The LDMEs are approximated using the T 4c four-body wave functions at the origin, which have been evaluated by various phenomenological potential models in literature. Incorporating the celebrated QCD factorization and the charm-to-T 4c fragmentation function, we predict the T 4c production rate at high transverse momentum p T regime in colliders. Both the differential distribution over p T and the integrated cross sections are predicted at the LHC. The cross sections for T 4c states production can reach several femtobarns to several hundreds femtobarns, suggesting a substantial potential for T 4c event production at the LHC. Additionally, we estimate for the photoproduction of T 4c in electron-proton (ep) collisions. It is observed that the cross sections for these processes are moderate at the HERA and EIC, and relatively small at the EicC. Given the luminosities of these colliders, the prospect of detecting these fully-charmed tetraquarks at ep colliders is somewhat challenging.

Most individuals with intellectual disability (ID) lack the motivation and willingness to do exercise on their own. The purpose of this study was to apply the response-stimulation strategy to encourage three overweight students with ID to engage in walking/running. This was a preliminary study to implement the strategy by using a dance pad combined with a LEGO® Train. The LEGO® Train was used as the stimulation to motivate the participants and a dance pad was used to detect the participants' walking/running activity in order to trigger the LEGO® Train. This study adopted a multiple probe design across participants, including one baseline phase and two intervention phases. The experimental results show that the three participants performed a greater number of walking/running steps during the intervention phases, compared to the baseline phase. The findings demonstrate that a dance pad combined with the LEGO® Train was a feasible motivator to increase the participants' willingness to perform walking/running on their own.

Whole-brain imaging is important for understanding brain functions through deciphering tissue structures, neuronal circuits, and single-neuron tracing. Thus, many clearing methods have been developed to acquire whole-brain images or images of three-dimensional thick tissues. However, there are several limitations to imaging whole-brain volumes, including long image acquisition times, large volumes of data, and a long post-image process. Based on these limitations, many researchers are unsure about which light microscopy is most suitable for imaging thick tissues. Here, we compared fast-confocal microscopy with light-sheet fluorescence microscopy for whole-brain three-dimensional imaging, which can acquire images the fastest. To compare the two types of microscopies for large-volume imaging, we performed tissue clearing of a whole mouse brain, and changed the sample chamber and low- magnification objective lens and modified the sample holder of a light-sheet fluorescence microscope. We found out that light-sheet fluorescence microscopy using a 2.5× objective lens possesses several advantages, including saving time, large-volume image acquisitions, and high Z-resolution, over fast-confocal microscopy, which uses a 4× objective lens. Therefore, we suggest that light-sheet fluorescence microscopy is suitable for whole mouse brain imaging and for obtaining high-resolution three-dimensional images.

Low temperatures delay aging and promote longevity in many organisms. However, the metabolic and homeostatic aspects of low-temperature-induced longevity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that lipid homeostasis regulated by Caenorhabditis elegans Mediator 15 (MDT-15 or MED15), a transcriptional coregulator, is essential for low-temperature-induced longevity and proteostasis. We find that inhibition of mdt-15 prevents animals from living long at low temperatures. We show that MDT-15 up-regulates fat-7, a fatty acid desaturase that converts saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), at low temperatures. We then demonstrate that maintaining a high UFA/SFA ratio is essential for proteostasis at low temperatures. We show that dietary supplementation with a monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid (OA), substantially mitigates the short life span and proteotoxicity in mdt-15(-) animals at low temperatures. Thus, lipidostasis regulated by MDT-15 appears to be a limiting factor for proteostasis and longevity at low temperatures. Our findings highlight the crucial roles of lipid regulation in maintaining normal organismal physiology under different environmental conditions.

Objective: Death from tuberculosis or HIV among people from racial and ethnic minority groups who are aged <65 years is a public health concern. We describe age-adjusted, absolute, and relative death rates from HIV or tuberculosis from 2011 through 2020 by sex, race, and ethnicity among US residents. Methods: We used mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online data system on deaths from multiple causes from 2011 through 2020 to calculate age-adjusted death rates and absolute and relative disparities in rates of death by sex, race, and ethnicity. We calculated corresponding 95% CIs for all rates and determined significance at P <.05 by using z tests. Results: For tuberculosis, when compared with non-Hispanic White residents, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native residents had the highest level of disparity in rate of death (666.7%). Similarly, as compared with non-Hispanic White female residents, American Indian or Alaska Native female residents had a high relative disparity in death from tuberculosis (620.0%). For HIV, the age-adjusted death rate was more than 8 times higher among non-Hispanic Black residents than among non-Hispanic White residents, and the relative disparity was 735.1%. When compared with non-Hispanic White female residents, Black female residents had a high relative disparity in death from HIV (1529.2%). Conclusion: Large disparities in rates of death from tuberculosis or HIV among US residents aged <65 years based on sex, race, and ethnicity indicate an ongoing unmet need for effective interventions. Intervention strategies are needed to address disparities in rates of death and infection among racial and ethnic minority populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Cytoplasmic inclusions of transactive response DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) in neurons and astrocytes are a feature of some neurodegenerative diseases, such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TDP-43 (FTLD-TDP) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the role of TDP-43 in astrocyte pathology remains largely unknown. Methods To investigate whether TDP-43 overexpression in primary astrocytes could induce inflammation, we transfected primary astrocytes with plasmids encoding Gfp or TDP-43-Gfp. The inflammatory response and upregulation of PTP1B in transfected cells were examined using quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis. Neurotoxicity was analysed in a transwell coculture system of primary cortical neurons with astrocytes and cultured neurons treated with astrocyte-conditioned medium (ACM). We also examined the lifespan, performed climbing assays and analysed immunohistochemical data in pan-glial TDP-43-expressing flies in the presence or absence of a Ptp61f RNAi transgene. Results PTP1B inhibition suppressed TDP-43-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)) in primary astrocytes. Using a neuron-astrocyte coculture system and astrocyte-conditioned media treatment, we demonstrated that PTP1B inhibition attenuated neuronal death and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by overexpression of TDP-43 in astrocytes. In addition, neuromuscular junction (NMJ) defects, a shortened lifespan, inflammation and climbing defects caused by pan-glial overexpression of TDP-43 were significantly rescued by downregulation of ptp61f (the Drosophila homologue of PTP1B) in flies. Conclusions These results indicate that PTP1B inhibition mitigates the neuronal toxicity caused by TDP-43-induced inflammation in mammalian astrocytes and Drosophila glial cells.

Objective: The SLIT and NTRK‐like 1 (SLITRK1) gene mutation and striatal cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) loss are associated with Tourette syndrome (TS). ChIs comprise only 1 to 2% of striatal neurons but project widely throughout the stratum to impact various striatal neurotransmission, including TS‐related dopaminergic transmission. Here, we link striatal Slitrk1, ChI function, and dopaminergic transmission and their associations with TS‐like tic behaviors. Methods: Slitrk1‐KD mice were induced by bilaterally injecting Slitrk1 siRNA into their dorsal striatum. Control mice received scrambled siRNA injection. Their TS‐like tic behaviors, prepulse inhibition, sensory‐motor function and dopamine‐related behaviors were compared. We also compared dopamine and ACh levels in microdialysates, Slitrk protein and dopamine transporter levels, and numbers of Slitrk‐positive ChIs and activated ChIs in the striatum between two mouse groups, and electrophysiological properties between Slitrk‐positive and Slitrk‐negative striatal ChIs. Results: Slitrk1‐KD mice exhibit TS‐like haloperidol‐sensitive stereotypic tic behaviors, impaired prepulse inhibition, and delayed sensorimotor response compared with the control group. These TS‐like characteristics correlate with lower striatal Slitrk1 protein levels, fewer Slitrk1‐containing ChIs, and fewer activated ChIs in Slitrk1‐KD mice. Based on their electrophysiological properties, Slitrk1‐negative ChIs are less excitable than Slitrk1‐positive ChIs. Slitrk1‐KD mice have lower evoked acetylcholine and dopamine levels, higher tonic dopamine levels, and downregulated dopamine transporters in the striatum, increased apomorphine‐induced climbing behaviors, and impaired methamphetamine‐induced hyperlocomotion compared with controls. Interpretation: Slitrk1 is pivotal in maintaining striatal ChIs activity and subsequent dopaminergic transmission for normal motor functioning. Furthermore, conditional striatal Slitrk1‐KD mice may serve as a translational modality with aspects of TS phenomenology. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:174–189 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activities of a nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin film and graphene sheet. In addition, we functionalized the surfaces of the NCD film and graphene sheet with fluorine by plasma treatments to increase their antibacterial activities. The antibacterial activities of the NCD film and graphene sheet were confirmed by both colony forming unit (CFU) counting and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay based on the drop-test method. The CFU counting showed that the ratios of surviving bacteria on the NCD film and graphene sheet were 27.5% and 13.9%, respectively. The ratios of surviving bacteria on the fluorinated NCD (F-NCD) film and fluorinated graphene (F-graphene) sheet were decreased to 15.2% and 9.3%, respectively, which indicated that the antibacterial activities of the F-NCD film and F-graphene sheet increased upon fluorine functionalization. In addition, an ATP bioluminescence assay was employed based on the concentration of ATP released from cultured Escherichia coli (E. coli), which confirmed that the fluorinated surface had high antibacterial activity. The ratios of metabolism-cultured E. coli on the F-NCD film and F-graphene sheet were 15.0% and 7.4%, respectively. Furthermore, we observed the morphologies of E. coli cultured on the NCD film and graphene sheet. The antibacterial activity was attributed to the destruction of the E. coli membranes. These results show that the antibacterial activities of the NCD film and graphene sheet depend on their surface functional groups and conductivities. Keywords: Fluorine functionalization, Antibacterial activity, Colony forming unit, Adenosine triphosphate production, Nanocrystalline diamond, Graphene sheet