Impact of Complete Revascularization for Acute Myocardial Infarction In Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease Patients With Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The clinical benefits of complete revascularization (CR) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients are unclear. Moreover, the benefit of CR is unknown in AMI with diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. We sought to compare the prognosis of CR and incomplete revascularization (IR) in patients with AMI and multivessel disease, according to the presence of DM. METHODS: A total of 2,150 AMI patients with multivessel coronary artery disease were analyzed. CR was defined based on the angiographic image. The primary endpoint of this study was the patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO) defined as a composite of all-cause death, any myocardial infarction, and any revascularization within 3 years. RESULTS: Overall, 3-year POCO was significantly lower in patients receiving angiographic CR (985 patients, 45.8%) compared with IR (1,165 patients, 54.2%). When divided into subgroups according to the presence of DM, CR reduced 3-year clinical outcomes in the non-DM group but not in the DM group (POCO: 11.7% vs. 23.2%, p<0.001, any revascularization: 7.2% vs. 10.8%, p=0.024 in the non-DM group, POCO: 24.3% vs. 27.8%, p=0.295, any revascularization: 13.3% vs. 11.3%, p=0.448 in the DM group, for CR vs. IR). Multivariate analysis showed that CR significantly reduced 3-year POCO (hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-0.75) only in the non-DM group. CONCLUSIONS: In AMI patients with multivessel disease, CR may have less clinical benefit in DM patients than in non-DM patients.

Monitoring measurable residual disease in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia using immunoglobulin gene clonality based on next-generation sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of measurable residual disease (MRD) is an essential prognostic tool for B-lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL). In this study, we evaluated the utility of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based MRD assessment in real-world clinical practice. METHOD: The study included 93 paediatric patients with B-ALL treated at our institution between January 2017 and June 2022. Clonality for IGH or IGK rearrangements was identified in most bone marrow samples (91/93, 97.8%) obtained at diagnosis. RESULTS: In 421 monitoring samples, concordance was 74.8% between NGS and multiparameter flow cytometry and 70.7% between NGS and reverse transcription-PCR. Elevated quantities of clones of IGH alone (P < 0.001; hazard ratio [HR], 22.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.1-69.1), IGK alone (P = 0.011; HR, 5.8; 95% CI, 1.5-22.5), and IGH or IGK (P < 0.001; HR, 7.2; 95% CI, 2.6-20.0) were associated with an increased risk of relapse. Detection of new clone(s) in NGS was also associated with inferior relapse-free survival (P < 0.001; HR, 18.1; 95% CI, 3.0-108.6). Multivariable analysis confirmed age at diagnosis, BCR::ABL1-like mutation, TCF3::PBX1 mutation, and increased quantity of IGH or IGK clones during monitoring as unfavourable factors. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this study highlights the usefulness of NGS-based MRD as a routine assessment tool for prognostication of paediatric patients with B-ALL.

PLD1 is a key player in cancer stemness and chemoresistance: Therapeutic targeting of cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways.

The development of chemoresistance is a major challenge in the treatment of several types of cancers in clinical settings. Stemness and chemoresistance are the chief causes of poor clinical outcomes. In this context, we hypothesized that understanding the signaling pathways responsible for chemoresistance in cancers is crucial for the development of novel targeted therapies to overcome drug resistance. Among the aberrantly activated pathways, the PI3K-Akt/Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway is clinically implicated in malignancies such as colorectal cancer (CRC) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Aberrant dysregulation of phospholipase D (PLD) has been implicated in several malignancies, and oncogenic activation of this pathway facilitates tumor proliferation, stemness, and chemoresistance. Crosstalk involving the PLD and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways promotes the progression of CRC and GBM and reduces the sensitivity of cancer cells to standard therapies. Notably, both pathways are tightly regulated and connected at multiple levels by upstream and downstream effectors. Thus, gaining deeper insights into the interactions between these pathways would help researchers discover unique therapeutic targets for the management of drug-resistant cancers. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms by which PLD signaling stimulates stemness and chemoresistance in CRC and GBM. Thus, the current review aims to address the importance of PLD as a central player coordinating cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways and proposes the possibility of targeting these pathways to improve cancer therapy and overcome drug resistance.

Triple threat: neutrophil ER stress, NETosis, airway inflammation escalation.

This report aims to propose the novel term 'neutrophil endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress' (NERS). NERS explores the influence of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation and exacerbation of respiratory ailments. This inquiry aims to advance comprehension in neutrophil biology and respiratory health.

Zingiber officinale promotes autophagy and apoptosis in human oral cancer through the C/EBP homologous protein.

The rhizome of Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale), commonly known as ginger, has been characterized as a potential drug candidate due to its antitumor effects. However, the chemotherapeutic effect of ginger on human oral cancer remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the effects of an ethanol extract of Z. officinale rhizomes (ZOE) on oral cancer and identified the components responsible for its pharmacological activity. ZOE exerts its inhibitory activity in oral cancer by inducing both autophagy and apoptosis simultaneously. Mechanistically, ZOE-induced autophagy and apoptosis in oral cancer are attributed to the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Additionally, we identified two active components of ZOE, 1-dehydro-6-gingerdione and 8-shogaol, which were sufficient to stimulate autophagy initiation and apoptosis induction by enhancing CHOP expression. These results suggest that ZOE and its two active components induce ROS generation, upregulate CHOP, initiate autophagy and apoptosis, and hold promising therapeutics against human oral cancer.

Antitumor activity of afatinib in EGFR T790M-negative human oral cancer therapeutically targets mTOR/Mcl-1 signaling axis.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the role and effectiveness of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in oral cancer, focusing on the clinical relevance of EGFR and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) in head and neck cancers (HNCs). It aims to explore the molecular mechanism of afatinib, a TKI, in treating human oral cancer. METHODS: We conducted an in silico analysis using databases like The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, along with immunohistochemistry staining, to study EGFR and Mcl-1 expression in HNCs. For investigating afatinib's anticancer properties, we performed various in vitro and in vivo analyses, including trypan blue exclusion assay, Western blotting, 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, flow cytometry, quantitative real-time PCR, Mitochondrial membrane potential assay, overexpression vector construction, transient transfection, and a tumor xenograft model. RESULTS: Higher expression levels of EGFR and Mcl-1 were observed in HNC patient tissues compared to normal tissues, with their co-expression significantly linked to poor prognosis. There was a strong correlation between EGFR and Mcl-1 expressions in oral cancer patients. Afatinib treatment induced apoptosis and suppressed Mcl-1 in oral cancer cell lines without the EGFR T790M mutation. The mechanism of afatinib-induced apoptosis involved the EGFR/mTOR/Mcl-1 axis, as shown by the effects of mTOR activator MHY1485 and inhibitor rapamycin. Afatinib also increased Bim expression, mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, and cytochrome c release. It significantly lowered tumor volume without affecting body, liver, and kidney weights. CONCLUSION: Afatinib, targeting the EGFR/mTOR/Mcl-1 axis, shows promise as a therapeutic strategy for oral cancer, especially in patients with high EGFR and Mcl-1 expressions.

Tuning the Threshold Voltage of an Oxide Thin-Film Transistor by Electron Injection Control Using a p-n Semiconductor Heterojunction Structure.

Herein, a heterojunction structure integrating p-type tellurium (Te) and n-type aluminum-doped indium-zinc-tin oxide (Al:IZTO) is shown to precisely modulate the threshold voltage (VT) of the oxide thin-film transistor (TFT). The proposed architecture integrates Te as an electron-blocking layer and Al:IZTO as a charge-carrier transporting layer, thereby enabling controlled electron injection. The effects of incorporating the Te layer onto Al:IZTO are investigated, with a focus on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, in order to explain the behavior of oxygen vacancies and to depict the energy band structure configurations. By modulating the thickness and employing both single and double deposition methods for the heterojunction Te layer, a remarkable VT shift of up to +20 V is achieved. Furthermore, this study also shows excellent stability to a positive bias stress of +2 MV/cm for 10,000 s without additional passivation layers, demonstrating the robustness of the designed TFT. By a thorough optimization of the Al:IZTO/Te interface, the results demonstrate not only the substantial impact of the introduced heterojunction structure on VT control but also the endurance, durability, and stability of the optimized TFTs under prolonged long-term operating stress, thus offering promising prospects for tailored semiconductor device applications.

Durable-polymer versus biodegradable-polymer drug-eluting stents in acute coronary syndromes: three-year outcomes of the HOST REDUCE POLYTECH RCT Trial.

BACKGROUND: Long-term follow-up is essential to evaluate the impact of polymer degradation in drug-eluting stents (DES). AIMS: We aimed to compare durable-polymer DES (DP-DES) and biodegradable-polymer DES (BP-DES) during a 3-year follow-up to evaluate the entire period of polymer resolution (before, during, and after degradation). METHODS: The HOST REDUCE POLYTECH RCT Trial was a randomised clinical trial enrolling patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and comparing the efficacy and safety of DP-DES and BP-DES. The primary outcome was a patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO), and the key secondary outcome was a device-oriented composite outcome (DOCO). RESULTS: A total of 3,413 ACS patients were randomised to either the DP-DES (1,713 patients) or BP-DES (1,700 patients) group. During the 3-year follow-up, the risk of the POCO was similar between the DP-DES and BP-DES groups (14.8% vs 15.4%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-1.14; p=0.613). However, the risk of the DOCO was lower in the DP-DES group (6.0% vs 8.0%, HR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57-0.95; p=0.020). In a landmark analysis, the lower risk of the DOCO for the DP-DES group was evident during the transition from the early to the late period after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (from 8 to 16 months post-PCI; 1.8% vs 3.3%, HR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34-0.84; p=0.007), which was mainly driven by a risk reduction of target lesion revascularisation. CONCLUSIONS: In ACS patients, DP-DES showed similar results to BP-DES regarding the POCO up to 3 years. For the DOCO, DP-DES were superior to BP-DES; this was due to the higher event rate during the period of polymer degradation.

Current status of advance care planning, palliative care consultation, and end-of-life care in patients with glioblastoma in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Given the typical trajectory of glioblastoma, many patients lose decision-making capacity over time, which can lead to inadequate advance care planning (ACP) and end-of-life (EOL) care. We aimed to evaluate patients' current ACP and EOL care status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cohort study on 205 patients referred to oncologists at a Korean tertiary hospital between 2017 and 2022. We collected information on sociodemographic factors, cancer treatment, palliative care consultation, ACP, legal documents on life-sustaining treatment (LST) decisions, and aggressiveness of EOL care. RESULTS: With a median follow-up time of 18.3 months: 159 patients died; median overall survival: 20.3 months. Of the 159 patients, 11 (6.9%) and 63 (39.6%) had advance directive (AD) and LST plans, respectively, whereas 85 (53.5%) had neither. Among the 63 with LST plans, 10 (15.9%) and 53 (84.1%) completed their forms through self-determination and family determination, respectively. Of the 159 patients who died, 102 (64.2%) received palliative care consultation (median time: 44 days from the first consultation to death) and 78 (49.1%) received aggressive EOL care. Those receiving palliative care consultations were less likely to receive aggressive EOL care (83.3% vs 32.4%, P < .001), and more likely to use more than 3 days of hospice care at EOL (19.6% vs 68.0%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The right to self-determination remains poorly protected among patients with glioblastoma, with nearly 90% not self-completing AD or LST plan. As palliative care consultation is associated with less aggressive EOL care and longer use of hospice care, physicians should promptly introduce patients to ACP conversations and palliative care consultations.

Poor Mobilization-Associated Factors in Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Harvest.

Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) is an important therapeutic measure for both hematologic and non-hematologic diseases. For PBSCT to be successful, sufficient CD34+ cells need to be mobilized and harvested. Although risk factors associated with poor mobilization in patients with hematologic diseases have been reported, studies of patients with non-hematologic diseases and those receiving plerixafor are rare. To identify factors associated with poor mobilization, data from autologous PBSC harvest (PBSCH) in 491 patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed. A multivariate analysis revealed that in patients with a hematologic disease, an age older than 60 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.655, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.049-2.611, p = 0.008), the use of myelotoxic agents (OR 4.384, 95% CI 2.681-7.168, p < 0.001), and a low platelet count (OR 2.106, 95% CI 1.205-3.682, p = 0.009) were associated with poor mobilization. In patients with non-hematologic diseases, a history of radiation on the pelvis/spine was the sole associated factor (OR 12.200, 95% CI 1.934-76.956, p = 0.008). Among the group of patients who received plerixafor, poor mobilization was observed in 19 patients (19/134, 14.2%) and a difference in the mobilization regimen was noted among the good mobilization group. These results show that the risk factors for poor mobilization in patients with non-hematologic diseases and those receiving plerixafor differ from those in patients with hematologic diseases; as such, non-hematologic patients require special consideration to enable successful PBSCH.

A Bis-Cyclopentadienyl Ligand-Supported Di-Iron Trihydride Motif as a Synthon for Access to Heterobimetallic Trinuclear Complexes.

Herein, we report the synthesis of a flexible bis-cyclopentadienyl ligand L (the doubly deprotonated form of H2L (1,3-bis(2,4-di-tert-butylcyclopentadienyldimethylsilyl)benzene)), demonstrating its ability to stabilize a series of di-iron hydrido complexes. Notably, this ligand facilitates the isolation of an unprecedented anionic cyclopentadienyl ligand-supported di-iron trihydride complex, LFe2(µ-H)3Li(THF) (2), functioning as a synthon for the [Fe2(µ-H)3]- core and providing access to heterobimetallic complexes 4-6 with coinage metals.

In Operando X-ray Spectroscopic and DFT Studies Revealing Improved H2 Evolution by the Synergistic Ni-Co Electron Effect in the Alkaline Condition.

The different electrolyte conditions, e.g., pH value, for driving efficient HER and OER are one of the major issues hindering the aim for electrocatalytic water splitting in a high efficiency. In this regard, seeking durable and active HER electrocatalysts to align the alkaline conditions of the OER is a promising solution. However, the success in this strategy will depend on a fundamental understanding about the HER mechanism at the atomic scale. In this work, we have provided thorough understanding for the electrochemical HER mechanisms in KOH over Ni- and Co-based hollow pyrite microspheres by in operando X-ray spectroscopies and DFT calculations, including NiS2, CoS2, and Ni0.5Co0.5S2. We discovered that the Ni sites in hollow NiS2 microspheres were very stable and inert, while the Co sites in hollow CoS2 microspheres underwent reduction and generated Co metallic crystal domains under HER. The generation of Co metallic sites would further deactivate H2 evolution due to the large hydrogen desorption free energy (-1.73 eV). In contrast, the neighboring Ni and Co sites in hollow Ni0.5Co0.5S2 microspheres exhibited the electronic interaction to elevate the reactivity of Ni and facilitate the stability of Co without structure or surface degradation. The energy barrier in H2O adsorption/dissociation was only 0.73 eV, followed by 0.06 eV for hydrogen desorption over the Ni0.5Co0.5S2 surface, revealing Ni0.5Co0.5S2 as a HER electrocatalyst with higher durability and activity than NiS2 and CoS2 in the alkaline medium due to the synergy of neighboring Ni and Co sites. We believe that the findings in our work offer a guidance toward future catalyst design.

Prediction of treatment response after stereotactic radiosurgery of brain metastasis using deep learning and radiomics on longitudinal MRI data.

We developed artificial intelligence models to predict the brain metastasis (BM) treatment response after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) using longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and evaluated prediction accuracy changes according to the number of sequential MRI scans. We included four sequential MRI scans for 194 patients with BM and 369 target lesions for the Developmental dataset. The data were randomly split (8:2 ratio) for training and testing. For external validation, 172 MRI scans from 43 patients with BM and 62 target lesions were additionally enrolled. The maximum axial diameter (Dmax), radiomics, and deep learning (DL) models were generated for comparison. We evaluated the simple convolutional neural network (CNN) model and a gated recurrent unit (Conv-GRU)-based CNN model in the DL arm. The Conv-GRU model performed superior to the simple CNN models. For both datasets, the area under the curve (AUC) was significantly higher for the two-dimensional (2D) Conv-GRU model than for the 3D Conv-GRU, Dmax, and radiomics models. The accuracy of the 2D Conv-GRU model increased with the number of follow-up studies. In conclusion, using longitudinal MRI data, the 2D Conv-GRU model outperformed all other models in predicting the treatment response after SRS of BM.

Influence of Casting Variables on Release Kinetics of Orally Disintegrating Film.

As a new form for supplying vitamin C, orally disintegrating films (ODFs) were developed C based on hyaluronic acid (HA) under varying casting conditions and the properties were analyzed. The films with different thicknesses (2, 3, and 8 mm, for CT2, CT4, and CT8, respectively) were produced by adjustments made to casting height. Two types of 8 mm thick ODFs produced by single or double casting (4 + 4 mm for CTD4+4) methods were also compared. As film thickness increased, water vapor permeability and tensile strength also increased. Even at equal thickness, manufacturing with double casting exhibited a stronger texture and reduced disintegration compared to single casting. All ODFs met the World Health Organization's recommended daily vitamin C intake (45 mg/day) with a single sheet. Films showed over 80% dissolution in various solvents, adhering to the Hixson-Crowell cube root law, indicating vitamin C release occurred via porous penetration of the eluate. For CT2, CT4, and CTD4+4, vitamin C release was primarily governed by diffusion within the gel matrix and HA erosion. However, for CT8, HA erosion-induced release somewhat dominated. Based on the sensory test, it seems desirable to adjust the thickness of the film to 2 or 4 mm, because a thickness greater than that increased the foreign body sensation due to prolonged residence in the oral cavity.

Biodegradable Polymer Versus Polymer-Free Ultrathin Sirolimus-Eluting Stents: Analysis of the Stent Arm Registry From the HOST-IDEA Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of each third-generation drug-eluting stent with ultrathin struts and advanced polymer technology remain unclear. We investigated the clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention using the Coroflex ISAR polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) or Orsiro biodegradable polymer SES. METHODS: The HOST-IDEA trial (Harmonizing Optimal Strategy for Treatment of Coronary Artery Stenosis-Coronary Intervention With Next-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent Platforms and Abbreviated Dual Antiplatelet Therapy), initially designed with a 2×2 factorial approach, sought to randomize patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention based on dual antiplatelet therapy duration (3 versus 12 months) and stent type (Coroflex ISAR versus Orsiro). Despite randomizing 2013 patients for dual antiplatelet therapy duration, the stent arm transitioned to a registry format during the trial. Among these, 328 individuals (16.3%) were randomized for Coroflex ISAR or Orsiro SES, while 1685 (83.7%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention without stent-type randomization. In this study, the Coroflex ISAR (n=559) and Orsiro groups (n=1449) were matched using a propensity score. The prespecified primary end point was target lesion failure, a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and clinically driven target lesion revascularization at 12 months. RESULTS: The baseline patient and procedural characteristics were well balanced between the Coroflex ISAR and Orsiro groups after propensity score matching (n=559, each group). The Coroflex ISAR group was significantly associated with a higher rate of target lesion failure, mainly driven by clinically driven target lesion revascularization, compared with the Orsiro group (3.4% versus 1.1%; hazard ratio, 3.21 [95% CI, 1.28-8.05]; P=0.01). A higher risk of target lesion failure in the Coroflex ISAR group was consistently observed across various subgroups. The rates of any bleeding (hazard ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.51-1.40]; P=0.52) and major bleeding (hazard ratio, 1.58 [95% CI, 0.61-4.08]; P=0.34) were comparable between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this propensity score-matched analysis of the stent arm registry from the HOST-IDEA trial, the Orsiro SES was associated with significantly better outcomes in terms of 1-year target lesion failure, mainly driven by clinically driven target lesion revascularization, than the Coroflex ISAR SES. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02601157.

Association between exposure to antibiotics during pregnancy or early infancy and risk of autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disorder, language disorder, and epilepsy in children: population based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between antibiotic use during pregnancy or early infancy and the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. DESIGN: Nationwide population based cohort study and sibling analysis. SETTING: Korea's National Health Insurance Service mother-child linked database, 2008-21. PARTICIPANTS: All children live born between 2009 and 2020, followed up until 2021 to compare those with and without antibiotic exposure during pregnancy or early infancy (first six months of life). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disorder, language disorder, and epilepsy in children. After 1:1 propensity score matching based on many potential confounders, hazard ratios with 95% confidence interval were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. A sibling analysis additionally accounted for unmeasured familial factors. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, 1 961 744 children were identified for the pregnancy analysis and 1 609 774 children were identified for the early infancy analysis. Although antibiotic exposure during pregnancy was associated with increased risks of all four neurodevelopmental disorders in the overall cohort, these estimates were attenuated towards the null in the sibling analyses (hazard ratio for autism spectrum disorder 1.06, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.12; intellectual disorder 1.00, 0.93 to 1.07; language disorder 1.05, 1.02 to 1.09; and epilepsy 1.03, 0.98 to 1.08). Likewise, no association was observed between antibiotic exposure during early infancy and autism spectrum disorder (hazard ratio 1.00, 0.96 to 1.03), intellectual disorder (1.07, 0.98 to 1.15), and language disorder (1.04, 1.00 to 1.08) in the sibling analyses; however, a small increased risk of epilepsy was observed (1.13, 1.09 to 1.18). The results generally remained consistent across several subgroup and sensitivity analyses, except for slightly elevated risks observed among children who used antibiotics during very early life and those who used antibiotics for more than 15 days. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort study, antibiotic exposure during pregnancy or early infancy was not associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disorder, or language disorder in children. However, elevated risks were observed in several subgroups such as children using antibiotics during very early life and those with long term antibiotic use, which warrants attention and further investigation. Moreover, antibiotic use during infancy was modestly associated with epilepsy, even after control for indications and familial factors. When prescribing antibiotics to pregnant women and infants, clinicians should carefully balance the benefits of use against potential risks.

Emerging role of the lateral habenula in conditioned inhibition and depression.

Associating a neutral conditioned stimulus (CS) with the absence of a biologically significant unconditioned stimulus (US) confers conditioned inhibitory properties upon the CS, referred to as conditioned inhibition. Conditioned inhibition and conditioned excitation, an association of a CS with the presence of the US, are fundamental components of associative learning. While the neural substrates of conditioned excitation are well established, those of conditioned inhibition remain poorly understood. Recent research has shed light on the lateral habenula (LHb) engagement in conditioned inhibition, along with the midbrain dopaminergic neurons. This article reviews behavioral tasks conducted to assess conditioned inhibition and how experimental LHb manipulations affect performance in these tasks. These results underscore the critical role of the LHb in conditioned inhibition. Intriguingly, stress increases LHb reactivity and impairs performances in tasks consisting of a component of conditioned inhibition in animals. Dysfunction of the LHb is observed in patients with depression. The ability of an organism to perform conditioned inhibition is closely linked to altered neuronal activity in the LHb, which has implications for mental disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Scaling and Localization in Multipole-Conserving Diffusion.

We study diffusion in systems of classical particles whose dynamics conserves the total center of mass. This conservation law leads to several interesting consequences. In finite systems, it allows for equilibrium distributions that are exponentially localized near system boundaries. It also yields an unusual approach to equilibrium, which in d dimensions exhibits scaling with dynamical exponent z=4+d. Similar phenomena occur for dynamics that conserves higher moments of the density, which we systematically classify using a family of nonlinear diffusion equations. In the quantum setting, analogous fermionic systems are shown to form real-space Fermi surfaces, while bosonic versions display a real-space analog of Bose-Einstein condensation.