Fungal Wound Healing through Instantaneous Protoplasmic Gelation

Evaluating the effectiveness of echocardiographic guidance in diminishing postoperative wound complications for left atrial appendage closure: A clinical retrospective study

Echocardiographic guidance in left atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedures is increasingly recognized for its potential to enhance patient outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF). This retrospective study assesses its impact on hospital stay duration, readmission rates and surgical site wound complications in 200 AF patients. Divided equally into an echocardiographically guided group (Group E) and a non-guided group (Group N), the analysis focused on detailed patient data encompassing hospital stay, 30-day readmission and wound complications. Findings revealed that Group E experienced a significantly shorter average hospital stay of 3.5 days, compared with 6.5 days in Group N, along with a lower 30-day readmission rate (5% vs. 18% in Group N). Furthermore, Group E showed a considerable reduction in surgical site wound complications, such as infections and hematomas. The study concludes that echocardiographic guidance in LAA closure procedures markedly improves postoperative wound outcomes, underscoring its potential as a standard practice in cardiac surgeries for AF patients. This approach not only optimizes patient safety and postoperative recovery but also enhances healthcare resource utilization.

Cytoplasmic zoning by protein phase transition after membrane permeabilization

Biological membranes, including plasma membrane (PM) and organelle membranes, restrict the flux of ions, molecules and organelles. However, the barrier function of biological membranes is frequently compromised by various perturbations, including physical membrane damage and protein- or chemical-induced pore formation. Recent evidence suggests that, upon PM damage, protein gelation and solid condensation are utilized to restrict ion/molecule/organelle flux across the damaged membranes by zoning the cytoplasm. In addition, membrane permeabilization dramatically alters intramembrane and extramembrane ion/molecule concentrations via the flux across the permeabilized membrane. The changes in ion/molecule concentration and their downstream pathways induce protein phase transition to form zones for biological processes or protein sequestration. Here, we review the mechanisms and functions of protein phase transition after biological membrane permeabilization.

Large-scale identification of genes involved in septal pore plugging in multicellular fungi

Multicellular filamentous fungi have septal pores that allow cytoplasmic exchange, and thus connectivity, between neighboring cells in the filament. Hyphal wounding and other stress conditions induce septal pore closure to minimize cytoplasmic loss. However, the composition of the septal pore and the mechanisms underlying its function are not well understood. Here, we set out to identify new septal components by determining the subcellular localization of 776 uncharacterized proteins in a multicellular ascomycete, Aspergillus oryzae. The set of 776 uncharacterized proteins was selected on the basis that their genes were present in the genomes of multicellular, septal pore-bearing ascomycetes (three Aspergillus species, in subdivision Pezizomycotina) and absent/divergent in the genomes of septal pore-lacking ascomycetes (yeasts). Upon determining their subcellular localization, 62 proteins were found to localize to the septum or septal pore. Deletion of the encoding genes revealed that 23 proteins are involved in regulating septal pore plugging upon hyphal wounding. Thus, this study determines the subcellular localization of many uncharacterized proteins in A. oryzae and, in particular, identifies a set of proteins involved in septal pore function.

Unusual Mathematical Approaches Untangle Nervous Dynamics

The massive amount of available neurodata suggests the existence of a mathematical backbone underlying neuronal oscillatory activities. For example, geometric constraints are powerful enough to define cellular distribution and drive the embryonal development of the central nervous system. We aim to elucidate whether underrated notions from geometry, topology, group theory and category theory can assess neuronal issues and provide experimentally testable hypotheses. The Monge’s theorem might contribute to our visual ability of depth perception and the brain connectome can be tackled in terms of tunnelling nanotubes. The multisynaptic ascending fibers connecting the peripheral receptors to the neocortical areas can be assessed in terms of knot theory/braid groups. Presheaves from category theory permit the tackling of nervous phase spaces in terms of the theory of infinity categories, highlighting an approach based on equivalence rather than equality. Further, the physical concepts of soft-matter polymers and nematic colloids might shed new light on neurulation in mammalian embryos. Hidden, unexpected multidisciplinary relationships can be found when mathematics copes with neural phenomena, leading to novel answers for everlasting neuroscientific questions. For instance, our framework leads to the conjecture that the development of the nervous system might be correlated with the occurrence of local thermal changes in embryo–fetal tissues.

Network traits predict ecological strategies in fungi

Colonization of terrestrial environments by filamentous fungi relies on their ability to form networks that can forage for and connect resource patches. Despite the importance of these networks, ecologists rarely consider network features as functional traits because their measurement and interpretation are conceptually and methodologically difficult. To address these challenges, we have developed a pipeline to translate images of fungal mycelia, from both micro- and macro-scales, to weighted network graphs that capture ecologically relevant fungal behaviour. We focus on four properties that we hypothesize determine how fungi forage for resources, specifically: connectivity; relative construction cost; transport efficiency; and robustness against attack by fungivores. Constrained ordination and Pareto front analysis of these traits revealed that foraging strategies can be distinguished predominantly along a gradient of connectivity for micro- and macro-scale mycelial networks that is reminiscent of the qualitative 'phalanx' and 'guerilla' descriptors previously proposed in the literature. At one extreme are species with many inter-connections that increase the paths for multidirectional transport and robustness to damage, but with a high construction cost; at the other extreme are species with an opposite phenotype. Thus, we propose this approach represents a significant advance in quantifying ecological strategies for fungi using network information.

Hyphal and mycelial consciousness: the concept of the fungal mind

Like other cells, fungal hyphae show exquisite sensitivity to their environment. This reactiveness is demonstrated at many levels, from changes in the form of the hypha resulting from alterations in patterns of exocytosis, to membrane excitation, and mechanisms of wound repair. Growing hyphae detect ridges on surfaces and respond to restrictions in their physical space. These are expressions of cellular consciousness. Fungal mycelia show decision-making and alter their developmental patterns in response to interactions with other organisms. Mycelia may even be capable of spatial recognition and learning coupled with a facility for short-term memory. Now is a fruitful time to recognize the study of fungal ethology as a distinctive discipline within mycology.