A Case of Myasthenia Gravis: A Paraneoplastic Syndrome or an Immune-Related Disorder?

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by fatigable muscle weakness. While commonly linked to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies, other reported antibodies include muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), agrin, striated muscle, myosin, ryanodine receptor, and titin. Notably, titin antibodies are being highlighted for their role in MG pathogenesis, as they have been associated with increased disease severity.

Mechanistic Insights and Pharmacological Approaches for Nitrogen and Sulfur Mustards and Their Implications as Therapeutic Agents.

Nitrogen and sulfur mustards, often acting as vesicants, have significant consequences for public health. Skin is a common site for exposure to these vesicants that can result in considerable morbidity and mortality. Given that the treatment options are limited, new insights into the mechanisms for the toxicity of these vesicants that can be translated into preventative/therapeutic strategies are desperately needed.

Impact of targeting the platelet-activating factor and its receptor in cancer treatment.

The lipid mediator platelet-activating factor (PAF) and its receptor (PAFR) signaling play critical roles in a wide range of physiological and pathophysiological conditions, including cancer growth and metastasis. The ability of PAFR to interact with other oncogenic signaling cascades makes it a promising target for cancer treatment. Moreover, numerous natural and synthetic compounds, characterized by diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects, have been explored for their potential as PAF and PAFR antagonists.

The Place of Local Field Potentials in Deep Brain Stimulation Programming for Parkinson's Disease: A Review.

Unlabelled: Background/Objections: The pharmacological management of Parkinson's Disease (PD) is often supplemented by deep brain stimulation (DBS) to tackle problems of advanced disease such as motor fluctuation, dyskinesias or medication-resistant tremor. DBS uses high-frequency stimulation with spatially distributed electrodes to produce electrical fields that influence neuronal networks. The programming of such stimulation is complex and time-consuming.

Enhancer zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) targeting by small interfering RNA (siRNA); recent advances and prospect.

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) serves as the enzymatic catalytic subunit of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which is capable of modifying the expression of downstream target genes through the trimethylation of Lys-27 on histone 3 (H3K27me3). In addition to its role in H3K27me3 modification, EZH2 may influence gene expression through alternative mechanisms. The involvement of EZH2 in cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and senescence has been established.

Impact of hemolysis on the levels of proteins associated with aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases in a multicentric clinical research.

Introduction: Hemolysis is a known interference factor that has been found to show erroneous effect. Present study analyzes the impact of hemolysis on the concentrations of protein biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (Aβ42, t-Tau, p-Tau181) along with novel proteins which are currently under investigation (SIRT1,SIRT2,SIRT6,FOXO3A, NFL, Aβ40, GFAP).

Methods: Plasma samples were grouped into two categories: hemolyzed and non-hemolyzed groups.

Construction of Multi-Modal Transcriptome-Small Molecule Interaction Networks from High-Throughput Measurements to Study Human Complex Traits.

Small molecules (SMs) are integral to biological processes, influencing metabolism, homeostasis, and regulatory networks. Despite their importance, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding their downstream effects on biological pathways and gene expression, largely due to differences in scale, variability, and noise between untargeted metabolomics and sequencing-based technologies. To address these challenges, we developed a multi-omics framework comprising a machine learning-based protocol for data processing, a semi-supervised network inference approach, and network-guided analysis of complex traits.

Trans-ancestry genome-wide association study of childhood body mass index identifies novel loci and age-specific effects.

Over the past 30 years, obesity prevalence has markedly increased globally, including among children. Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified over 1,000 genetic loci associated with obesity-related traits in adults, the genetic architecture of childhood obesity is less well characterized. Moreover, most childhood obesity GWASs have been restricted to severely obese children, in relatively small sample sizes, and in primarily European-ancestry populations.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Accelerated Epigenetic Aging in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos: Nativity as an Effect Modifier.

Background: Whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with accelerated epigenetic aging over time among the Hispanic/Latino population remains unknown. This study examined the longitudinal association between ACEs and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), as well as potential effect modifiers, among a sample of Hispanic/Latino adults.

Methods: We analyzed 960 Hispanic/Latino adults with DNA methylation (DNAm) profile data from two visits (approximately six years apart) sampled from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Laboratory demonstration of image plane self-calibration in interferometry.

We demonstrate the shape-orientation-size conservation principle for a three-element interferometer using aperture plane masking at the ALBA visible synchrotron radiation light source. We then use these data to demonstrate image plane self-calibration.

The Association between Proteomic Aging Clocks and the Risk of Cancer in Midlife Individuals.

Background: To measure the aging process before a cancer diagnosis, we developed the first cancer-specific proteomic aging clock (CaPAC) and examined its association with cancer risk in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) studies.

Methods: Using the SomaScan assay, ARIC measured 4,712 proteins in plasma samples collected in 1990-92 from 3,347 participants who developed cancer over follow-up until 2015 and 7,487 who remained cancer-free, all aged 46-70. We constructed CaPAC0 using elastic net regression among two-thirds randomly selected cancer-free participants (N=4,991, training set) and calculated age acceleration for CaPAC0 (CaPAA0) as residuals of CaPAC0 on chronological age in all remaining ARIC participants.

Cancer Incidence in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) - The Onco-SOL Ancillary Study.

Background: Few studies have examined how cancer incidence varies by country of origin among United States Hispanic/Latino adults. Herein, we describe the incidence rates of cancer overall and for screen-detectable, tobacco-related, and obesity-related cancers among 16,415 participants in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), an ongoing population-based cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults from diverse backgrounds.

Methods: Cohort participant records were linked to the state cancer registries in New York, Florida, California, and Illinois to ascertain cancer incidence from baseline (2008-2011) through 2021.

Catalytic Reduction of Imines with Silylformates: Formation of Silyl Carbamates through CO Insertion.

Silylformates are emerging surrogates of hydrosilanes, able to reduce carbonyl groups in transfer hydrosilylation reactions, with the concomitant release of CO. In this work, a new reactivity is revealed for silylformates, in the presence of imines. Using ruthenium catalysts, and lithium iodide as a co-catalyst, imines are shown to undergo hydrocarboxysilylation by formal insertion of CO to the N-Si bond of silyl amine to yield silyl carbamates in excellent yields.

Endocytosis of Wnt ligands from surrounding epithelial cells positions microtubule nucleation sites at dendrite branch points.

Microtubule nucleation is important for microtubule organization in dendrites and for neuronal injury responses. The core nucleation protein, γTubulin (γTub), is localized to dendrite branch points in Drosophila sensory neurons by Wnt receptors and scaffolding proteins on endosomes. However, whether Wnt ligands are important is unknown.

Persistent organic pollutants and endogenous sex-related hormones in Hispanic/Latino adults: The Hispanic Community health study/study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated associations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with sex-related hormones; however, findings were inconsistent. Sex-specific impacts and pathways through which adiposity influences associations are not completely understood. We sought to evaluate sex-specific associations of POPs serum concentration with sex-related hormones and to explore pathways through which adiposity may modify associations.

Anticancer Effects of Arsenic Compounds in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common and prevalent subtype of lung cancer and continues to be one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite various treatment options, a majority of NSCLC patients continue to experience disease progression and associated side effects, which are largely attributed to drug resistance, indicating the need for alternative strategies to combat this deadly disease. Among various applicable alternative approaches, repurposed drugs such as arsenic compounds have been shown to exert anticarcinogenic properties against NSCLC and possess the ability to overcome drug resistance mechanisms.

Relevance of the Platelet-activating factor system in chemical warfare agents-induced effects.

The threats to chemical warfare-associated agents (CWA), including nitrogen mustard, are increasing, and no direct antidote is currently available to mitigate the deleterious cutaneous and systemic responses to prevent mortality. Though most of these agents act as alkylating agents, a significant knowledge gap exists in the molecular mechanisms of how these vesicants cause toxic effects. Studies, including ours, have shown that exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating stimuli, including alkylating chemotherapeutic agents, and thermal burn injuries with ethanol produce the potent family of lipid mediators, Platelet-activating factor (PAF) agonists that induce local inflammation, and multi-system organ dysfunction (MOD).

Complete genome sequence of strain ARDL2 from human blood infection.

This paper describes the genome assembly of a strain ARDL2 isolated from a human blood infection. The genome assembly comprised one circular chromosome with the length of 2,439,195 bp with a G+C content of 34.81%.

Development of a novel transcriptomic measure of aging: Transcriptomic Mortality-risk Age (TraMA).

Increasingly, research suggests that aging is a coordinated multi-system decline in functioning that occurs at multiple biological levels. We developed and validated a transcriptomic (RNA-based) aging measure we call Transcriptomic Mortality-risk Age (TraMA) using RNA-seq data from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study using elastic net Cox regression analyses to predict 4-year mortality hazard. In a holdout test sample, TraMA was associated with earlier mortality, more chronic conditions, poorer cognitive functioning, and more limitations in activities of daily living.

Estimation of remaining useful life (RUL) for pneumatic actuator without apriori RUL history: A hybrid prognostic approach.

Predicting the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of an industrial pneumatic actuator is crucial for enhancing maintenance strategies, reducing downtime and optimizing resource allocation. However, estimation becomes challenging when no historical RUL data is available for modeling. In this paper, a novel hybrid prognostic approach that combines Dynamic Time Warping (DTW), Exponential Degradation Model (EDM) and Random Forest Regressor (RFR) is proposed to estimate the RUL of pneumatic actuators under the absence of apriori RUL history.

National partnerships address critical needs in infection prevention and control.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in infection control knowledge and practice across health settings nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with funding through the American Rescue Plan, developed Project Firstline. Project Firstline is a national collaborative aiming to reach all aspects of the health care frontline.

Genome-wide association study reveals shared and distinct genetic architecture of fatty acids and oxylipins in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Bioactive fatty acid-derived oxylipin molecules play key roles mediating inflammation and oxidative stress. Circulating levels of fatty acids and oxylipins are influenced by environmental and genetic factors; characterizing the genetic architecture of bioactive lipids could yield new insights into underlying biology. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 81 fatty acids and oxylipins in 11,584 Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) participants with genetic and lipidomic data measured at study baseline (58.

Novel indigenous low cost (NICA) model for hands on training of surgical interns in incision and drainage procedure for superficial skin abscess.

Background: Surgical education necessitates hands-on training, which poses ethical challenges when practicing on real patients. Simulation training emerges as a pivotal solution, offering a safe and effective environment for skill acquisition. However, existing simulation models often overlook common surgical conditions like superficial skin abscesses.

The Effectiveness of the Pitstop Method of Teaching Among Phase II Medical Students.

Background and objectives The pitstop method of teaching involves short educational videos that entail a stepwise approach to augment knowledge retention and understanding. Short videos stimulate both visual and auditory pathways, thereby improving learner's experiences, knowledge retention, and understanding of the concept, which will help with long-term memory. In this study, we aimed to compare the pitstop method of teaching with the didactic lecture technique based on assessment and feedback.