Autologous fat grafting is widely used in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery because it is easy to harvest, well tolerated by the host, and produces natural-looking results. However, unpredictable graft resorption-with reported volume retention ranging from 30% to 80%-remains a major obstacle. To overcome this, two cell-based approaches have been developed: the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a freshly isolated mixture containing approximately 1%-10% adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ADSCs) plus other cell types, and culture-expanded ADSCs, a more homogeneous population obtained under Good Manufacturing Practice conditions. Meta-analyses show that while SVF increases fat retention by a modest margin, expanded ADSCs can achieve substantially greater improvements, highlighting important biological and regulatory differences between the two preparations. ADSCs support graft survival not only through classic growth factor secretion but also via immunomodulation, intercellular mitochondrial transfer, and exosomal microRNAs that co-ordinate angiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. This review summarises current clinical evidence for ADSC- and SVF-enriched fat grafting in breast reconstruction, facial rejuvenation, scar management, chronic wounds, hair restoration, and paediatric as well as elderly populations. We also critically assess adjunctive strategies, including platelet-rich plasma, exosome-based acellular therapies, decellularized adipose matrices, engineered hydrogels, and nanofat grafting, and discuss the role of mitochondrial transfer enhancement. Standardised summary tables of clinical studies and emerging technologies are provided to facilitate evidence synthesis. Persistent challenges-such as the frequent conflation of SVF with ADSCs in the literature, the lack of standardised preparation and potency assays, and unresolved long-term oncological safety concerns-are examined, and priority areas for future research are proposed.

Though modern contraceptive prevalence has increased significantly across all wealth quintiles, a substantial gap in the utilisation of modern reversible contraceptives persists among women in lower socioeconomic groups. Nevertheless, very few studies have explored the same. This study assesses the magnitude and underlying factors of wealth-based inequalities in the utilisation of MRC. The study included 202,954 currently married women who are not currently pregnant, are not sterilised, and need family planning, from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey, 2019-21. To address the study objectives, descriptive statistics, bivariate chi-square significance test, and Erreygers concentration index were employed. The results demonstrate that the level of MRC use varies from 41.93% among the poorest to 56.86% among the richest. Particularly, a pro-rich inequality was found in the utilisation of MRC (CI = 0.113), with the pro-rich pattern being more pronounced for short-acting (CI = 0.093) than for long-acting (CI = 0.020) reversible contraceptives. Additionally, pro-rich inequality in MRC is attributed to no media exposure (31.80%), the east region (16.71%), urban residence (14.39%), higher education level (13.15%), ≥ 3 children (8.64%), and the ≥ 35 age group (3.50%). Hence, the study findings endorse scaling up media exposure and strengthening outreach programmes, as well as informed choices through community support in the eastern region, as pivotal for achieving equity in reproductive health.

Growth is a complex trait, influenced by numerous genes and environmental factors that transect various physiological pathways. This study sought to characterise the relationship between neurobehavioural development genes and growth in dusky kob juveniles. Five candidate neurobehavioural genes were identified from the literature and assessed for gene sequence variants. Thirteen SNPs in two genes, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) and Early growth response 1 (egr1), were identified. Case-control association analyses were conducted applying two methods of correcting for family structure: (1) categorical, based on family identity; and (2) quantitative, based on co-ordinate analysis eigenvalues. The eigenvalue-corrected association analysis outperformed the categorical analysis in both model adherence and estimates of effect sizes. Six significantly associated SNPs were identified, three in each gene. Linkage disequilibrium was significant within both genes, with the formation of haplotype -GA- in egr1 associated with increased growth and haplotype -CG- in bdnf associated with decreased growth. A non-synonymous mutation (Serine > Proline) was identified in bdnf, and protein modelling suggests significant disruption of protein structure in small individuals that likely explains the functional mechanism of action. This study has identified novel SNPs and haplotypes in neurobehavioural development genes, which highlight the impact of neurological and behavioural pathways on growth in dusky kob.

One of the ways in which healthcare's climate impact can be reduced is by taking greenhouse gas emissions into account when deciding which treatments are reimbursed and/or included in clinical guidelines. In a report for the Minister of Health, Welfare, and Sports in the Netherlands, we explored how this idea could be put into practice. We developed a set of two criteria: greenhouse gas emissions per patient (which can be compared to, for example, QALYs gained), and total amount of greenhouse gas emissions for all patients undergoing the intervention (which can be compared to, e.g., healthcare's remaining carbon budget). In the coming three years, the National Health Care Institute will use these criteria in an experimental setting, to gain practical experience and to assess whether there is sufficient support among policy makers, practitioners, and patients for taking into account climate impact regularly.

Freshwater fish biodiversity is undergoing a rapid decline worldwide due to habitat fragmentation, climate change, invasive species, overexploitation and pollution. Yet, for many regions, including biodiversity-rich but underrepresented areas such as Türkiye, large-scale assessments of species diversity and distribution remain limited. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding offers a powerful, non-invasive and scalable tool for biodiversity assessment, capable of detecting both common and cryptic taxa. Here, we present the first nationwide, basin-scale eDNA metabarcoding survey of freshwater fishes across Türkiye's major river systems, spanning a transect of more than 6000 km and encompassing 29 sampling sites across seven principal basins. Triplicate water samples were analysed using high-throughput sequencing of the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, generating 351,392 high-quality reads (after filtration) and detecting 52 fish species, including native, invasive and several taxa previously unrecorded in their respective basins. The Eastern Mediterranean basin exhibited the highest species richness (28 species) and diversity (H' = 2.35; 1 - D = 0.88), whereas beta-diversity analyses revealed marked spatial structuring among basins (Jaccard similarity 0.17-0.58) and a clear biogeographic separation in principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) ordination. Importantly, eDNA metabarcoding uncovered cryptic and low-abundance taxa not detected by conventional surveys, demonstrating its complementary value and sensitivity. By providing the first comprehensive molecular baseline of Turkish freshwater ichthyofauna, this study illustrates the potential of large-scale eDNA approaches to transform biodiversity monitoring, inform conservation strategies and support management decisions in freshwater ecosystems facing accelerating environmental change.

Objective.Contemporary particle accelerators allow for the generation of a narrow pencil beam of electrons which can be scanned to deliver a clinical dose distribution at an ultra-high (FLASH) dose rate. This study develops a radiotherapy beam model and discrete ordinates Boltzmann solver for such an accelerator and then applies the method to treatment planning for superficial brain metastases.Approach.Beam profiles for the quasi-monoenergetic 17.5 MeV electron beam from the Photo Injector Test facility at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron laboratory in Zeuthen (PITZ) were measured at various depths in a water tank using radiochromic film. The incident radiation was modelled as a Gaussian source and the electron distribution in the patient was modelled using classical observations with continuous slowing down approximation (CSDA). This distribution then formed the fixed source component in a discrete ordinates Boltzmann solver. The dose calculation method was then applied to a retrospective study of six patients with superficial brain metastases. The dose due to scanned electrons was compared with that from a single passively scattered proton beam at ultra-high dose rate (UHDR), a proton arc, and a robotic photon treatment.Main results.The calculated dose distribution in a homogeneous water phantom agreed with the measured data to within the 3% experimental uncertainty at all depths. Scanned electron beams were able to provide dose distributions for superficial brain metastases that had a better conformity index than either passively scattered protons or robotic photon treatment (1.02 ± 0.13 versus 1.54 ± 0.13 and 1.35 ± 0.26 respectively; median ± hemi-range; p < 0.05). Brain V12Gyand skin dose were acceptable for all treatments.Significance.The dose calculation provides a fast and efficient method for inverse planning in the potential clinical application of a scanned electron beam at UHDR. The results show that such an approach could be useful in the treatment of superficial target volumes.

The deterioration of soil microorganisms stands as a key barrier to the sustainable cultivation of peanut. Peroxides such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and calcium peroxide (CaO2) with antimicrobial efficacy may inhibit soil pathogens and improve microbial community, but their effects on the soil properties, microbiome and peanut yield are still unclear. In this study, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of CaO2 (CP, with application rate of 4.5 t ha-1) and H2O2 (HP, with application rate of 22.5 t ha-1) and no peroxide application (CK) on physicochemical properties, microbial communities and network structures of acidic soils in which peanut had been cultivated for 13 years. Compared with CK, calcium peroxide application significantly increased soil pH. Hydrogen peroxide showed a similar trend, but not significant. Principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) indicated that peroxides application significantly affected the fungal community structure, while it had a weaker impact on the bacterial community. With peroxides application, soil harmful fungus Fusarium and the fungal functional group associated with plant pathogen declined. Network co-occurrence analysis showed that peroxides enhanced bacterial network interactions, with bacterial stability increasing markedly by 2.19- and 1.40-fold in calcium peroxide and hydrogen peroxide treatments, respectively. Peanut yield was correlated with the microbial network properties, and significantly increased by 31.7% in calcium peroxide. Random forest model analysis further revealed that bacterial stability, soil pH, bacterial negative cohesion, and complexity were key factors for peanut yield. In conclusion, short-term calcium peroxide application increased soil pH and bacterial stability, thereby promoting peanut yield in acidic soils.

Accurate representation of coordinates and the computation of the angular quadrature coefficients μ, ξ, and η in complex geometries are essential for advancing the understanding of astrophysical phenomena and various industrial applications. This paper builds upon prior work titled " Enhanced discrete ordinates approach for mitigating shadowing effects in obstructed gas-filled spaces: Implications for astrophysical and industrial applications", which introduced Uniform Constant Weight Quadrature (UCWQ) to address challenges associated with the discrete ordinates method (DOM). Specifically, this research tackles issues related to computational inefficiency and accuracy loss in complex radiative transfer scenarios. The innovative Pyramidal Angular Mesh (PAM) exhibits an R-squared value of 0.9965. This high statistical agreement directly translates to increased reliability and underscores the model's strengths in accurately simulating radiative heat transfer, particularly in complex geometrical configurations. A comparative analysis highlights UCWQ's superior performance with its PAM design over other quadrature methods, such as SN and TN, as well as the Finite Volume Method (FVM). Unique aspects of UCWQ include the unlimited choice of directions afforded by the PAM design. This versatile technique is valuable for studying astrophysical systems and analyzing the radiative effects of greenhouse gases, particularly concerning shadowing and ray effects and obstructions in industrial furnaces.•Employing a novel Pyramidal Angular Mesh (PAM) design to advance the analysis of complex geometries.•A head-to-head comparison of UCWQ and FVM in terms of performance and accuracy.•Presenting comprehensive findings and error metrics to assess performance improvements and validate the method.

Mitochondria are central to plant metabolism, yet the diversity of mechanisms plants use to cope with mitochondrial stress and its implications in cellular signalling are not fully understood. In this study, we analysed Arabidopsis noxy (nonresponding to oxylipins) mutants affected in 9-HOT (9(S)-hydroxy-10,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid) signalling, mitochondrial function, and ethylene (ET) signalling to dissect plant responses to a range of mitochondrial stresses, including inhibitors of all electron transport chain complexes and mitochondrial translation. All noxy mutants showed resistance to antimycin A (AA), implicating Complex III and 9-HOT signalling in mitochondrial stress adaptation. Notably, noxy22/eto1-14, an ET overproducer mutant, displayed resistance to all tested inhibitors independently of the canonical mitochondrial retrograde pathway mediated by ANAC017. We found similar results in eto1-5 and eto1-13 alleles, thus sustaining a role for ET in mitochondrial protection. Histochemical and RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that AA induced ANAC017-regulated genes early and independently of ET signalling, whereas EIN2 contributed to later induction of AA-associated immune responses. EIN2 was required for full activation of AA-induced resistance against the biotrophic pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis, but not against the necrotroph Plectosphaerella cucumerina. Collectively, our findings point to a complex network that co-ordinates distinct but overlapping responses to mitochondrial dysfunction and integrates them into broader stress pathways.

The woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, and its mutualistic fungal symbiont, Amylostereum areolatum, are native to Eurasia and northern Africa. Sirex noctilio was first reported outside its native range in New Zealand in 1900, Tasmania in 1952 and mainland Australia in 1961. In this study, we consider the invasion history of these organisms across Australasia through population genetic analysis using mitochondrial sequence data and microsatellite markers and compared them with a previously published dataset from global collections. The study included contemporary (n = 461) and historical (n = 41) samples of S. noctilio dating back to 1952 and fungal (n = 176) samples from across the range. No population structure was found in Australian and New Zealand populations of S. noctilio or the fungal symbiont A. areolatum, reflecting both the natural (within the countries) and human-assisted (between the countries) spread of these symbionts. The S. noctilio populations in these countries had lower genetic diversity than other populations sampled globally. Amylostereum areolatum populations from Australia and New Zealand clustered separately from all other countries and were highly clonal. While the results suggested multiple early introductions in these two countries, it also reflected an efficient recent quarantine system that isolated these populations and reduced their complexity compared to other parts of the world. The findings also have relevance to the application of biological control for the pest complex.

To promote the standardization and harmonization of glycated hemoglobin A1c （HbA1c） testing results in medical laboratories across Beijing， we established a reference method for HbA1c. This method participated in the International Comparison Program for HbA1c Reference Laboratories organized by the European Reference Laboratory Network for HbA1c to validate its accuracy. The experimental samples consisted of HbA1c network reference laboratory proficiency testing samples imported annually from the Netherlands， including six calibrators （A-F）， ten intercomparison samples， several quality control materials， and additional auxiliary samples with International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine （IFCC）-assigned values. The pre-treatment process involved digesting samples with protein endopeptidase Glu-C. The experimental samples were removed from the -80 ℃ freezer and allowed to reach room temperature. Subsequently， 50 μL of Glu-C （mass concentration： 200 μg/mL） was added to each sample vial at a ratio of total hemoglobin to enzyme of 1 mg∶0.01 mg. The volume was then adjusted to a final volume of 500 μL with ammonium acetate solution （50 mmol/L， pH 4.3）. After thorough mixing， the samples were incubated at 37 ℃ for 18-20 h. Using mobile phases of methanol and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution under gradient elution conditions， the detection of HbA1c in international samples was performed via high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （HPLC-MS/MS）. A gradient elution mode was employed for liquid chromatography separation using a Shimadzu C18 column （50 mm×3 mm， 2.2 μm）. The injector temperature was maintained at 4-8 ℃， with a column temperature of 30 ℃. The flow rate was kept constant at 0.6 mL/min， with an injection volume of 5 μL and a total run time of 8 min. The MS detection was performed using electrospray ionization （ESI） in positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring （MRM）. The monitored ion pairs for the precursor and product ions of non-glycated and glycated N-terminal hexapeptides are m/z 348.2/237.2 and m/z 429.2/245.2， respectively. The linearity was evaluated by performing regression analysis. The HbA1c （mmol/mol） quantification in unknown samples was achieved by performing linear regression using Analyst 1.6.2 software. Peak areas were integrated， with the abscissa （X-axis） representing the known concentration ratio of HbA1c to hemoglobin A0 （HbA0）， and the ordinate （Y-axis） representing the average peak area ratio of glycated to non-glycated hexapeptides. Both glycated and non-glycated hexapeptides eluted within 3 min， with linear correlation coefficients ranging from 0.999 6 to 0.999 8. The quality control （QC） materials （≥3 types） annually provided by the IFCC were analyzed. Since each QC material in every shipment typically consists of two replicated vials， enzymatic digestion was performed in two separate batches. For each batch， five parallel samples were processed， followed by triplicate injections of each sample. Intra-assay and total coefficients of variation （CV） were calculated. The intra-assay coefficients of variation （CVs） were 0.35%-2.20%， and the total CVs were 0.83%-2.39%. From 2018 to 2024， IFCC compared individual laboratory results with the overall median， calculating proportional bias （slope） and systematic bias （intercept） based on linear regression. Our laboratory's combined statistical test value （computed from slope and intercept） ranged from 0.1 to 3.0. The systematic bias ranged from -0.69 to 1.27， and the proportional bias ranged from -0.009 to 0.021. The residual values from all testing points in the 2024 proficiency testing （PT） program were evenly distributed around zero. Furthermore， the magnitude of residual deviations from zero was relatively small compared to those observed across the 15 participating laboratories， demonstrating satisfactory consistency in our laboratory's analytical results. The established HbA1c reference method demonstrated robust performance， achieving satisfactory results in IFCC international comparisons from 2018 to 2024.