Efficacy of neuromodulation of the pulvinar nucleus for drug-resistant epilepsy.

Objective: The pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus has extensive cortical connections with the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the pulvinar nucleus, therefore, carries the potential for therapeutic benefit in patients with drug-resistant posterior quadrant epilepsy (PQE) and neocortical temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Here, we present a single-center experience of patients managed via bilateral DBS of the pulvinar nucleus.

A protocol to study the effect of targeted parental education intervention to identify early childhood development disorder - multisite interventional study.

Background: In India, approximately 3.5 million children are affected by Developmental Delay (DD), often stemming from preterm births. These delays contribute to neurological and motor development delays, placing a significant financial burden on families.

Positional obstructive sleep apnea in children prescribed continuous positive airway pressure therapy for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing.

Positional obstructive sleep apnea, in which there is a ≥ 2:1 predominance of obstructive events in the supine position, is a sleep-disordered breathing phenotype with a targeted treatment in the form of positional device therapy. We sought to determine the prevalence of positional obstructive sleep apnea in a cohort of children prescribed continuous positive airway pressure therapy, ascertain risk factors for the condition, and determine the associated continuous positive airway pressure treatment adherence rate. A retrospective cohort study of all children > 2 years old from a single tertiary paediatric centre prescribed continuous positive airway pressure therapy over an 8-year period was conducted.

Metal-organic frameworks as thermocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide generation and environmental antibacterial applications.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive, making them useful for environmental and health applications. Traditionally, photocatalysts and piezocatalysts have been used to generate ROS, but their utilization is limited by various environmental and physical constraints. This study introduces metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as modern thermocatalysts efficiently producing hydrogen peroxide (HO) from small temperature differences.

Relationships Among Soda and Energy Drink Consumption, Substance Use, Mental Health and Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents.

: Energy drink (ED) use is increasing among children and adolescents, but little is known about the impacts on health, including substance use and mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between soda and ED consumption and substance use, mental health, and risk taking in a nationally representative sample of high school students. We used data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS) from New Jersey, Montana, and Florida to assess these relationships using binary and multinomial regression analyses to determine odds ratios, comparing non-consumers with daily consumers.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) Embedded with Montmorillonite Clay and Nano Titania: A Scale-Up for Sustainable Environmental Remediation.

A poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite/titania (PVA/MMT/TiO) nanocomposite film was fabricated via a simple solution casting strategy for the removal of cationic as well as anionic dyes. The developed nanocomposite film was subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), mechanical property evaluation, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The embedding of MMT and TiO nanoparticles onto a PVA matrix has been confirmed from XRD, FTIR, and SEM analysis.

Estimation of noncanonical pyroptosis biomarkers gasdermin D and caspase 4 in gingiva of periodontitis and diabetes patients: An observational cross-sectional study.

Background: Periodontitis and diabetes are chronic diseases where inflammation plays a central role, with each condition exacerbating the other. Pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, is implicated in periodontitis and diabetes. The activation of gasdermin D (GSDMD), a key mediator of pyroptosis, promotes cytokine release and perpetuates tissue destruction in both.

Gingival tissue evaluation using soft tissue-cone-beam computed tomography and root coverage esthetic score in the treatment of isolated gingival recession: A clinical study.

Objectives: Comparative assessment of the effectiveness of coronally advanced flap (CAF) with subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) and the envelope technique with SCTG in Miller's Class I recession utilizing soft tissue-cone-beam computed tomography (ST-CBCT) and root coverage esthetic score (RES).

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients were randomly assigned to Group I (CAF + SCTG) and Group II (envelope technique + SCTG) using the coin toss method, with 10 patients in each group. Recession height (RH) and width (RW), probing pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and keratinized tissue height (HKT) were assessed at baseline and 6 months.

Enhanced fetal hemoglobin production via dual-beneficial mutation editing of the HBG promoter in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells for β-hemoglobinopathies.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia patients with elevated gamma globin (HBG1/G2) levels exhibit mild or no symptoms. To recapitulate this natural phenomenon, the most coveted gene therapy approach is to edit the regulatory sequences of HBG1/G2 to reactivate them. By editing more than one regulatory sequence in the HBG promoter, the production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can be significantly increased.

ODD-Net: a hybrid deep learning architecture for image dehazing.

Haze can significantly reduce visibility and contrast of images captured outdoors, necessitating the enhancement of images. This degradation in image quality can adversely affect various applications, including autonomous driving, object detection, and surveillance, where poor visibility may lead to navigation errors and obscure crucial details. Existing dehazing techniques face several challenges: spatial methods tend to be computationally heavy, transform methods often fall short in quality, hybrid methods can be intricate and demanding, and deep learning methods require extensive datasets and computational power.

Structured Polymers Enable the Sustained Delivery of Glucocorticoids within the Intra-Articular Space.

Intra-articular glucocorticoid injections are effective in controlling inflammation and pain in arthritides but restricted by short duration of action and risk of joint degeneration. Controlled drug release using biocompatible hydrogels offers a unique solution, but limitations of in situ gelation restrict their application. Gellan sheared hydrogels (GSHs) retain the advantages of hydrogels, however their unique microstructures lend themselves to intra-articular application - capable of shear thinning under force but restructuring at rest to enhance residence.

Evaluation of Healing Efficacy of Collagen Matrix and Connective Tissue Graft for Root Coverage Using Doppler Flowmetry: A Case Report.

The epitome of periodontal plastic surgical procedures is to achieve coverage of the denuded root surface and flawless esthetics. Connective tissue graft (CTG) along with coronally advanced flap (CAF) is the most frequent approach, which is considered a gold standard remedy. The procurement of CTG requires a second surgical site morbidity.

Systematic treatment and management of postpartum hypertension using remote patient monitoring.

Objective: To describe postpartum visit attendance and postpartum blood pressure control among patients enrolled in a remote patient monitoring program and compare these outcomes by race.

Study Design: A prospective cohort study of postpartum patients with a diagnosis of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy at the University of Chicago between October 2021 and April 2022. All patients received remote patient monitoring as routine care but consented separately for the use of their data.

Molecular basis for plasma membrane recruitment of PI4KA by EFR3.

The lipid kinase phosphatidylinositol 4 kinase III α (PI4KIIIα/PI4KA) is a master regulator of the lipid composition and asymmetry of the plasma membrane. PI4KA exists primarily in a heterotrimeric complex with its regulatory proteins TTC7 and FAM126. Fundamental to PI4KA activity is its targeted recruitment to the plasma membrane by the lipidated proteins EFR3A and EFR3B.

Impact of model physiotherapy centres in reducing the burden among the caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders in the rural area of Tamil Nadu: a study protocol.

Background: Approximately 1 in 8 children under the age of 6 in Tamil Nadu are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), yet only a fraction of these children receives proper medical care. The unequal distribution of healthcare services is mainly due to the lack of accessibility, especially in rural areas, leading to a significant burden on caregivers. This research aims to alleviate caregiver burden and reduce disability in preschool children by establishing model clinics or specialized outreach centers in rural villages, supported by SRM Institute of Science and Technology under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme.

Ultrasound imaging based recognition of prenatal anomalies: a systematic clinical engineering review.

For prenatal screening, ultrasound (US) imaging allows for real-time observation of developing fetal anatomy. Understanding normal and aberrant forms through extensive fetal structural assessment enables for early detection and intervention. However, the reliability of anomaly diagnosis varies depending on operator expertise and device limits.

Gut Microbiome and Its Role in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) afflicted more than 8.5 million people globally in 2019, as the prevalence of the condition more than doubled during the preceding 25 years. Both non-motor symptoms, such as mood disorders and cognitive impairment, and motor symptoms, such as tremors and rigidity, are indicative of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

Effect of polyacrylamide gel elasticity on collagen type II fibril assembly.

Collagen type II fibrils provide structural integrity to the articular cartilage extracellular matrix. However, the conditions that control the fibril radial size scale, distribution, and formation inside of dense networks are not well understood. We have investigated how surrounding elastic networks affect fibril formation by observing the structure and dynamics of collagen type II in model polyacrylamide gels of varying moduli.

Modular design workflow for 3D printable bioresorbable patient-specific bone scaffolds: extended features and clinical validation.

A previously in-house developed patient-specific scaffold design workflow was extended with new features to overcome several limitations and to broaden its adaptability to diverse bone defects, thereby enhancing its fit for routine clinical use. It was applied to three clinical cases for further validation. A virtual surgical resection tool was developed to remove regions of the bone defect models.

SenMayo transcriptomic senescence panel highlights glial cells in the ageing mouse and human retina.

There is a growing need to better characterise senescent cells in the CNS and retina. The recently published SenMayo gene panel was developed to identify transcriptomic signatures of senescence across multiple organ systems, but the retina was not included. While other approaches have identified senescent signatures in the retina, these have largely focused on experimental models in young animals.

Vitamin E and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Investigating the Evidence Through a Systematic Review.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), now recognized as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is a common chronic liver condition characterized by hepatic steatosis and inflammation, with an increased risk of developing fibrosis and cirrhosis. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of vitamin E supplementation on liver enzymes and histological features in patients with NAFLD/MASLD. We conducted a comprehensive literature search from July 14, 2024, to July 30, 2024, across multiple databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Europe PMC, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.

Evaluation of a Large Language Model on the American Academy of Pediatrics' PREP Emergency Medicine Question Bank.

Background: Large language models (LLMs), including ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer), a popular, publicly available LLM, represent an important innovation in the application of artificial intelligence. These systems generate relevant content by identifying patterns in large text datasets based on user input across various topics. We sought to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT in practice test questions designed to assess knowledge competency for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM).

Racial disparities in early postoperative proximal humerus fracture outcomes: Do minorities face longer operative times, extended hospital stays, and higher risks?

Background: Racial disparities in orthopedic surgery outcomes have been extensively documented, highlighting systemic biases in care. Proximal humerus fractures (PHFs), about 6% of all fractures, are rising, especially among the elderly. Despite the prevalence of PHFs, a research gap exists regarding racial disparities in postoperative complications and outcomes.

Emergent collective behavior evolves more rapidly than individual behavior among acorn ant species.

Emergence is a fundamental concept in biology and other disciplines, but whether emergent phenotypes evolve similarly to nonemergent phenotypes is unclear. The hypothesized process of emergent evolution posits that evolutionary change in at least some collective behaviors will differ from evolutionary change in the corresponding intrinsic behaviors of isolated individuals. As a result, collective behavior might evolve more rapidly and diversify more between populations compared to individual behavior.