Alternative Patterns Research Articles

Jazz Musicians and Their Disabilities: Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, and Michel Petrucciani.

Musicians with physical disabilities who achieved stardom are part of the lore of popular music. Guitarist Django Reinhardt contrived alternate fingering patterns necessitated by burn contractures of his left hand. Les Paul, a legend in the development of the solid body electric guitar and multitrack recording, mangled his right arm in a car wreck so severely that his elbow was set permanently at 90° so he could continue to play guitar. Michel Petrucciani suffered from osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that stunted his growth to the point where he used a special attachment to reach the sustaining pedals of his piano. Their stories show the force of human genius in music.

Study on the Effect of an Alternate Injection Pattern of Proppant on Hydraulic Fracture Closure Morphology

In previous studies of the transportation of proppants within fractures and the morphology of proppant-supported fractures, researchers have generally treated the fractures as static and have overlooked the interactions between fractures and the proppant during the dynamic closure caused by filtration. To address this limitation, we propose a semi-implicit method to calculate the complete fluid–structure interaction equations for the fracture, fluid, and proppant. The results show that there are three types of closed fracture patterns formed by alternate proppant injection at the end of filtration loss, and the third pattern of fracture formed by injecting small particles first and then large particles has the best support length and filling effect. More effects of the particle size and injection pattern of the injected proppant on the fracture closure pattern after the end of filtration loss are shown graphically and analyzed in detail.

New evidence of alternative migration patterns for two Mediterranean potamodromous species

Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei Steindachner, 1864) and Iberian nase (Pseudochondrostoma polylepis Steindachner, 1864) are two Mediterranean potamodromous fish species known to perform annual upstream migrations to reach spring spawning grounds. In the Mondego River basin, at the Coimbra dam, migratory movement patterns and individual size structure were assessed through a video recording monitoring system installed on an upstream section of a vertical-slot fish pass. Visual census for these target species during two consecutive annual cycles (2013–2014) revealed alternative migratory patterns, with the first peak of upstream movements in autumn, for both barbel (October–November) and nase (November–December). Circadian movements of both species showed a diurnal preference, contrary to what is usually described for these species. Size structure analysis for individuals of both species showed significant intra-annual differences in the size of migrating fish. Boosted regression trees models applied to the 2013–2014 visual count data identified flow and temperature as the most influential environmental predictors, triggering both species’ movements in each direction in the study years. These results provide novel information on the timing of the migratory movements of these potamodromous fish, which can be used to adapt current management and conservation measures to the specificities of their migratory behaviour.

Characterization of aberrant splicing in pediatric central nervous system tumors reveals CLK1 as a candidate oncogenic dependency.

Pediatric brain cancer is the leading cause of disease-related mortality in children, and many aggressive tumors still lack effective treatment strategies. We characterized aberrant alternative splicing across pediatric brain tumors, identifying pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGGs) among the most heterogeneous. Annotating these events with UniProt, we identified 11,940 splice events in 5,368 genes leading to potential protein function changes. We discovered CDC-like kinase 1 (CLK1) is aberrantly spliced to include exon 4, resulting in a gain of two phosphorylation sites and subsequent activation. Inhibition of CLK1 with Cirtuvivint significantly decreased both cell viability and proliferation in the pediatric HGG KNS-42 cell line. Morpholino-mediated depletion of CLK1 exon 4 splicing reduced RNA expression, protein abundance, and cell viability with concurrent differential expression of 78 cancer genes and differential splicing at functional sites in 193 cancer genes. Our findings highlight a dependency of pediatric HGGs on CLK1 and represent a promising therapeutic strategy.

Tourism Development Strategy Sustainable Environmental Insight In Kampar District, Riau Province

The exploitation of various tourism potentials in Kampar Regency is still not maximized; incredibly natural attractions such as lakes and playgrounds, history and education, as well as folk crafts. In general, the problem that causes the low number of tourist visits to tourist places is tourism management that has not been optimally packaged so that tourists are less interested in visiting; this is evident from the unavailability of the typical souvenir market for Kampar Regency, the unavailability of adequate transportation facilities, and the lack of promotion. Go out. Based on these potentials and problems, researchers need to conduct further research related to tourism development strategies, focusing on studying tourism resource management and internal and external factors that influence its development. Through the results of the data collection obtained, the researcher can carry out an analysis in the form of a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis so that alternative strategies and patterns of developing tourist destinations will be arranged that prioritize ecological, cultural sustainability and increase the income of local communities. This study used saturated sampling techniques with data collection through interviews, observations, and questionnaires. The role of the Government, private sector, and the community contributes to the development of tourist destinations in Kampar Regency. During its existence, POKDARWIS has made various efforts to sustainably change and improve the quality of management of tourist destinations. Most of those not involved with internal issues have made various developments and changes related to the tourism products offered to enhance the quality of service.

Evaluation of the Multidimensional Enhanced Lateral Flow Immunoassay in Point-of-Care Nanosensors.

Point-of-care (POC) nanosensors with high screening efficiency show promise for user-friendly manipulation in the ever-increasing on-site analysis demand for illness diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety. Currently, inspired by the merits of integrating advanced nanomaterials, molecular biology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA)-based POC nanosensors have been devoted to satisfying the commercial demands in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and practicality. Herein, we examine the use of multidimensional enhanced LFIA in various fields over the past two decades, focusing on introducing advanced nanomaterials to improve the acquisition capability of small order of magnitude targets through engineering transformations and emphasizing interdomain fusion to collaboratively address the inherent challenges in current commercial applications, such as multiplexing, development of detectors for quantitative analysis, more practical on-site monitoring, and sensitivity enhancement. Specifically, this comprehensive review encompasses the latest advances in comprehending LFIA with an alternative signal transduction pattern, aiming to achieve rapid, ultrasensitive, and "sample-to-answer" available options with progressive applications for POC nanosensors. In summary, through the cross-collaboration development of disciplines, LFIA has the potential to break the barriers toward commercialization and achieve laboratory-level POC nanosensors, thus leading to the emergence of the next generation of LFIA.

Signatures of convergence in Neotropical cichlid fish.

Convergent evolution of similar phenotypes suggests some predictability in the evolutionary trajectories of organisms, due to strong and repeated selective pressures, and/or developmental constraints. In adaptive radiations, particularly in cichlid fish radiations, convergent phenotypes are commonly found within and across geographical settings. Cichlids show major repeated axes of morphological diversification. Recurrent changes in body patterns reveal adaption to alternative habitats, and modifications of the trophic apparatus respond to the exploitation of different food resources. Here we compare morphologically and genetically two Neotropical cichlid assemblages, the Mexican desert cichlid and the Nicaraguan Midas cichlid, with similar polymorphic body and trophic adaptations despite their independent evolution. We found a common morphological axis of differentiation in trophic structures in both cichlid radiations, but two different axes of differentiation in body shape, defining two alternative limnetic body patterns. Adaptation to limnetic habitats implied regulation of immune functions in the Midas cichlid, while morphogenesis and metabolic functions in the desert cichlid. Convergent phenotypic adaptions could be associated to divergent gene regulation.

A novel intron variant in the prolactin gene associated with eggshell weight and thickness with putative alternative splicing patterns in chickens

A novel intron variant in the prolactin gene associated with eggshell weight and thickness with putative alternative splicing patterns in chickens

Study on Sex Determination and Variation in Gender Expression of Individual Trees in a Population of Cedrusdeodara (Roxb.) G. Don. From Dense Temperate Forests of Northern India

Conifers are reported to exhibit predominantly monoecious behaviour however, numerous species and some genera show uncertainties regarding their gender expression. The factors influencing the sexual differentiation of strobili in monoecious or dioecious conifers remain poorly understood. To investigate this unpredictable phenomenon in conifers, we selected three populations representing pure stands of Cedrusdeodara in dense temperate forests of Northern India, specifically one in Uttarakhand and two in Himachal Pradesh. Each site was surveyed, and total 900 trees were marked as male, female, monoecious and neutral trees based on their reproductive behaviour and sexual representation. Selection criteria were based on the reproductive age of Cedrusdeodara, as it attains maturity when it reaches a height of 19 to 20 meters. Our findings revealed that Cedrusdeodara exhibits subdioecious behaviour, characterized by the occurrence of four basic sex forms such as male trees, female trees, monoecious trees, and neutral trees. Yearly observations from 2014 to 2016 unveiled that Cedrusdeodara does not exhibit consistent reproductive behaviour. Instead, the species displays a fascinating pattern of alternation between dioecy and monoecy. Additionally, it was also found that individual trees demonstrated change in their expression of sex during each reproductive cycle. These findings underscore the complexity of sex determination and reproductive plasticity in Cedrusdeodara. The study has revealed that the monoecious behaviour was more dominant than the dioecious behaviour, and the individual tree changes its sexual representation depending upon the rate of seed production the previous year. This research pave the way for future investigations into the factors influencing sex expression and reproductive behaviour in conifers and will contribute to our broader knowledge of plant sexuality and plant evolution.

Cortexa: a comprehensive resource for studying gene expression and alternative splicing in the murine brain

BackgroundGene expression and alternative splicing are strictly regulated processes that shape brain development and determine the cellular identity of differentiated neural cell populations. Despite the availability of multiple valuable datasets, many functional implications, especially those related to alternative splicing, remain poorly understood. Moreover, neuroscientists working primarily experimentally often lack the bioinformatics expertise required to process alternative splicing data and produce meaningful and interpretable results. Notably, re-analyzing publicly available datasets and integrating them with in-house data can provide substantial novel insights. However, such analyses necessitate developing harmonized data handling and processing pipelines which in turn require considerable computational resources and in-depth bioinformatics expertise.ResultsHere, we present Cortexa—a comprehensive web portal that incorporates RNA-sequencing datasets from the mouse cerebral cortex (longitudinal or cell-specific) and the hippocampus. Cortexa facilitates understandable visualization of the expression and alternative splicing patterns of individual genes. Our platform provides SplicePCA—a tool that allows users to integrate their alternative splicing dataset and compare it to cell-specific or developmental neocortical splicing patterns. All standardized gene expression and alternative splicing datasets can be downloaded for further in-depth downstream analysis without the need for extensive preprocessing.ConclusionsCortexa provides a robust and readily available resource for unraveling the complexity of gene expression and alternative splicing regulatory processes in the mouse brain. The data portal is available at https://cortexa-rna.com/

Choke Anastomosis: A Key Element Acting as a Shunt Converter Between Adjacent Angiosomes.

Choke anastomosis is commonly recognized as a resistance factor that detrimentally affects the hemodynamics of the skin flap; however, its additional potential physiological roles in normal skin function are currently not fully understood. Ten cadaveric forehead flap specimens pedicled with unilateral STAs were perfused with lead oxide-gelatin mixture, and then dissected into 3 layers, including the super temporal fascia-frontalis-galea aponeurotica layer, the subcutaneous adipose tissue layer, and the "super-thin flap" layer. The forehead flap and stratified specimens underwent molybdenum target x-ray and subsequent transparent processing to effectively visualize the microscopic spatial architecture of arterial vessels across all levels. Based on the different anastomoses near the midline area of the flap, 2 types of arterial perfusion were identified: choke anastomosis type (8/10) and true anastomosis type (2/10). The former formed multiple choke anastomoses near the midline. In the "super-thin flap" layer, arterial perfusion density on the ipsilateral side was significantly higher compared to that on the contralateral side. The arterioles on the ipsilateral side exhibited a dense and uninterrupted distribution, whereas those on the contralateral side appeared sparse and dispersed. The latter exhibited an alternative perfusion pattern; the bilateral arterial vessels were connected with 3 to 5 true anastomoses near the midline. Furthermore, the microscopic architecture confirmed a uniform distribution of arterioles that remained continuous from ipsilateral to contralateral sides in the "super-thin flap" layer. This study demonstrated that choke anastomosis not only impairs blood perfusion in the adjacent angiosomes but also acts as a shunt converter to impact the blood supply of distal skin flaps at different levels through the "trans-territory diversion phenomenon." This results in necrosis of the superficial dermis while preserving survival of the deep subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Activating the potential for more walking in work tour: An explorative study on car commuters

This paper investigates the Potential for More Walking (PMW) in work tour among car commuters and proposes ways to encourage them to activate this potential. The study utilized a sample of 621 car commuters in the city of Qom, Iran, who expressed a willingness to replace their daily commute pattern with an alternative commute pattern that involves more walking time. The findings of the random effect binary logit model indicated that network patterns with improved connectivity in the residential neighborhood have a significant impact on activating the PMW. Additionally, subjective factors such as positive perceptions towards sidewalk conditions, longer distances between home and workplace, and positive attitudes towards walking were found to be associated with an increased tendency to activate the PMW. Moreover, the study assessed a set of transportation demand management measures that could influence individual behavior towards activating the PMW. The results indicated that pull measures are generally more effective than push measures in promoting walking during work commuting. Furthermore, the measures of turning streets with dense land-uses into pedestrian malls, increasing green spaces on sidewalks, and widening sidewalks were found to have the highest impact on activating the PMW, respectively.

Extensive computational fluid dynamics analysis of microchannel flow topology and friction factor in arrays of conical pin-fins

The design of integrated circuits presents an increasing challenge for engineers, who seek to identify effective methods for cooling the miniature electronic components that are becoming increasingly complex. One potential solution is the use of micro pin-fin heat sinks, which have the potential to be an effective thermal management technique. This study compares the potential thermo-hydraulic efficiency of micro heat exchangers with conical pin-fins, arranged in two alternative patterns. The flow topology was investigated using the critical points theory and Ω-criteria to gain a deeper understanding of vortical structures and flow separation. 75 variations of pin-fin arrays were simulated and analyzed. It is noteworthy that no pattern similar to bidirectional pin-fins has been studied previously. The input datasets for the simulations included pitch/height ratios ranging from 0.823 to 1.235, cone angles from 0° to 13.48°, and flow Reynolds numbers of 40–117. The numerical results show that Ω and kinetic energies can predict the onset of instabilities. The degree of conicity and the pattern affect the friction factor, typically reducing it. The conical shape and arrangement of pin-fins can also aid in stabilizing the flow. Furthermore, the dependence of the friction factor on pitch/height and Reynolds was quantified with the calculated mean relative error of 1.7%. Moreover, turbulence parameters and friction factors were used to evaluate the thermohydraulic properties, deliberately excluding heat transfer simulations. This approach allows a much wider range of geometric modifications to be investigated for the preliminary optimization of the thermal and hydraulic performance of microchannels.

Inclusion of home languages during early childhood instructional conversations

Including home languages in classrooms can increase multilingual students’ participation, improve literacy, and promote inclusion. It is a prevalent topic at academic conferences; however, home language use in classrooms is less common. This study was a microanalysis of home language use during Instructional Conversations at a linguistically diverse English-medium preschool. Data sources included 27 h of classroom videos of Instructional Conversations and interviews with educators who used children's home languages. Home language use during Instructional Conversations was rare in these data; however, when employed, it was followed by increased participation by the multilingual children, facilitating language and concept development. These findings indicate a need for explicit educator preparation on home language use in classrooms. Educators in this study who used children's home languages adopted alternative discourse patterns than those traditionally found in schools. They reported being motivated by the increased participation of multilingual children and positive responses from families.

Simultaneous Optical Imaging of Gastric Slow Waves and Contractions in the In Vivo Porcine Stomach.

Gastric peristalsis is governed by electrical "slow waves" generally assumed to travel from proximal to distal stomach (antegrade propagation) in symmetric rings. While alternative slow wave patterns have been correlated with gastric disorders, their mechanisms and how they alter contractions remain understudied. Optical electromechanical mapping, a developing field in cardiac electrophysiology, images electrical and mechanical physiology simultaneously. Here, we translate this technology to the in-vivo porcine stomach. Stomachs were surgically exposed and a fluorescent dye (di-4-ANEQ(F)PTEA) that transduces the membrane potential (Vm) was injected through the right gastroepiploic artery. Fluorescence was excited by LEDs and imaged with one or two 256x256 pixel cameras. Motion artifact was corrected using a marker-based motion tracking method and excitation ratiometry, which cancels common-mode artifact. Tracking marker displacement also enabled gastric deformation to be measured. We validated detection of electrical activation and Vm morphology against alternative non-optical technologies. Non-antegrade slow waves and propagation direction differences between the anterior and posterior stomach were commonly present in our data. However, sham experiments suggest they were a feature of the animal preparation and not an artifact of optical mapping. In experiments to demonstrate the method's capabilities, we found that repolarization did not always follow at a fixed time behind activation "wavefronts," which could be a factor in dysrhythmia. Contraction strength and the latency between electrical activation and contraction differed between antegrade and non-antegrade propagation. In conclusion, optical electromechanical mapping, which simultaneously images electrical and mechanical activity, enables novel questions regarding normal and abnormal gastric physiology to be explored.

NUTRIENTS' DEFICIENCY RISKS IN PREGNANT WOMEN DUE TO THEIR EATING HABITS

Aim: To research the dietary habits of pregnant women living in Bulgaria and to assess the possible health effects for the offspring. Methods: An online anonymous survey of the dietary habits of pregnant women living in Bulgaria was conducted. A questionnaire was developed in Google Forms, collecting information about the demographic profile, diet, frequency of consumption of certain food and drink groups, use of alternative dietary patterns, etc. The questionnaire was spread through social media using the snowball technique. The assessment of the respondents' dietary habits was based on the national dietary recommendations during pregnancy. Descriptive analysis of the results was done using Jamovi software statistical package ver. 2.3.0. Results: 117 pregnant women aged between 21 and 54 years (median - 30 years) were interviewed. Daily consumption of milk and dairy products was found in 41% and 47% of respondents, respectively. Among the women surveyed, all were reported to consume dairy products, except 5.1% who did not consume milk. The relative share of women who rarely or never consumed fish was 58.1% and 12%, respectively, and one woman did not consume both fish and meat. Vegetarians accounted for 6% of the women surveyed, and 6% were on a low carbohydrate diet. Conclusion: Although the majority of pregnant women surveyed followed the recommendations for healthy eating, some rarely or never consumed some of the healthy foods, which put them at risk of deficiency or insufficiency of certain nutrients.

A CRISPR-dCas13 RNA-editing tool to study alternative splicing.

Alternative splicing allows multiple transcripts to be generated from the same gene to diversify the protein repertoire and gain new functions despite a limited coding genome. It can impact a wide spectrum of biological processes, including disease. However, its significance has long been underestimated due to limitations in dissecting the precise role of each splicing isoform in a physiological context. Furthermore, identifying key regulatory elements to correct deleterious splicing isoforms has proven equally challenging, increasing the difficulty of tackling the role of alternative splicing in cell biology. In this work, we take advantage of dCasRx, a catalytically inactive RNA targeting CRISPR-dCas13 ortholog, to efficiently switch alternative splicing patterns of endogenous transcripts without affecting overall gene expression levels cost-effectively. Additionally, we demonstrate a new application for the dCasRx splice-editing system to identify key regulatory RNA elements of specific splicing events. With this approach, we are expanding the RNA toolkit to better understand the regulatory mechanisms underlying alternative splicing and its physiological impact in various biological processes, including pathological conditions.

DNA methylation in mammalian development and disease.

The DNA methylation field has matured from a phase of discovery and genomic characterization to one seeking deeper functional understanding of how this modification contributes to development, ageing and disease. In particular, the past decade has seen many exciting mechanistic discoveries that have substantially expanded our appreciation for how this generic, evolutionarily ancient modification can be incorporated into robust epigenetic codes. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the distinct DNA methylation landscapes that emerge over the mammalian lifespanand discuss how they interact with other regulatory layers to support diverse genomic functions. We thenreview the rising interest in alternative patterns foundduring senescence and the somatic transition to cancer. Alongside advancements in single-cell and long-read sequencing technologies, the collective insights made across these fields offer new opportunities to connect the biochemical and genetic features of DNA methylation to cell physiology, developmental potential and phenotype.

Circular RNAs regulate neuron size and migration of midbrain dopamine neurons during development

Midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons play an essential role in cognitive and motor behaviours and are linked to different brain disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their development, and in particular the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), remain incompletely understood. Here, we establish the transcriptomic landscape and alternative splicing patterns of circular RNAs (circRNAs) at key developmental timepoints in mouse mDA neurons in vivo using fluorescence-activated cell sorting followed by short- and long-read RNA sequencing. In situ hybridisation shows expression of several circRNAs during early mDA neuron development and post-transcriptional silencing unveils roles for different circRNAs in regulating mDA neuron morphology. Finally, in utero electroporation and time-lapse imaging implicate circRmst, a circRNA with widespread morphological effects, in the migration of developing mDA neurons in vivo. Together, these data for the first time suggest a functional role for circRNAs in developing mDA neurons and characterise poorly defined aspects of mDA neuron development.

Does seasonal flowering and fruiting patterns of cacao only depend on climatic factors? The case study of mixed genotype populations in Côte d'Ivoire

Theobroma cacao, a tropical cauliflorous fruit tree, typically produces flowers and fruits twice a year and exhibits alternate harvesting patterns over consecutive six-monthly seasons in regions with bi-modal rainfall distribution, such as Côte d'Ivoire. This study investigated seasonal variations in flowering and fruiting among trees in populations of mixed cacao genotypes. The intensities of crown and trunk flowering and pod production were monitored for eight consecutive six-monthly seasons on 114 adult cacao trees grown from seedlings. We investigated distributions of seasonal flowering and fruiting values, relationships between flowering and pod production, and the effects of seasonal cumulative rainfall. The patterns of seasonal flowering and fruiting series were analyzed using two descriptors: the first distinguishing between regular and variable patterns, and the second analyzing the structure of such variability, classifying it as either irregular or alternating. Despite being subjected to similar climate and agronomic management, individual trees exhibited highly variable flowering and fruiting behaviors within each season, as well as variable patterns of flowering and fruiting across seasons. Seasonal alternate fruiting on a population scale masked highly variable patterns among trees, and only 19 % of the trees exhibited marked alternate fruiting patterns. Variations in pod production on a tree scale were mainly related to variations in trunk flowering. Endogenous factors seemed to control seasonal variations in flowering and fruiting, even though exogenous factors, both climatic and agronomic, could structure flowering and fruiting patterns at the orchard scale.