Association of care fragmentation and hospital cancer designation with survival in gastroesophageal junction cancer: a statewide study.

Background: Fragmentation of care (FC) refers to healthcare provided by different providers and facilities. FC has been associated with inferior outcomes. However, it improves access to specialized cancer care.

The molecular and cellular landscape of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotypes: transition from obstructive to end-stage heart failure.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a myocardial disorder which commonly presents as an obstructive or end-stage disease. This study aims to investigate the transcriptomic changes related to cardiac cell-specific expression profiles that underpin the molecular transition between the HCM phenotypes. This study utilizes bioinformatics meta-analysis to integrate independent datasets to generate a comprehensive gene expression profile of obstructive HCM and end-stage HCM phenotypes compared to donor hearts.

Towards optimizing diversifying base editors for high-throughput studies of single- nucleotide variants.

Determining the phenotypic effects of single nucleotide variants is critical for understanding the genome and interpreting clinical sequencing results. Base editors, including diversifying base editors that create C>N mutations, are potent tools for installing point mutations in mammalian genomes and studying their effect on cellular function. Numerous base editor options are available for such studies, but little information exists on how the composition of the editor (deaminase, recruitment method, and fusion architecture) affects editing.

The pathogenicity of PSEN2 variants is tied to Aβ production and homology to PSEN1.

Introduction: Though recognized as a potential cause of autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease, the pathogenicity of many PSEN2 variants remains uncertain. We compared amyloid beta (Aβ) production across all missense PSEN2 variants in the AlzForum database and, when possible, to corresponding PSEN1 variants.

Methods: We expressed 74 PSEN2 variants, 21 of which had known, homologous PSEN1 pathogenic variants with the same amino acid substitution, in HEK293 cells lacking presenilin 1/2.

Attitudes and perceptions of medical researchers towards the use of artificial intelligence chatbots in the scientific process: an international cross-sectional survey.

Chatbots are artificial intelligence (AI) programs designed to simulate conversations with humans that present opportunities and challenges in scientific research. Despite growing clarity from publishing organisations on the use of AI chatbots, researchers' perceptions remain less understood. In this international cross-sectional survey, we aimed to assess researchers' attitudes, familiarity, perceived benefits, and limitations related to AI chatbots.

Unexpected Delayed Incursion of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (Clade 2.3.4.4b) Into the Antarctic Region.

The current highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 panzootic is having substantial impacts on wild birds and marine mammals. Following major and widespread outbreaks in South America, an incursion to Antarctica occurred late in the austral summer of 2023/2024 and was confined to the region of the Antarctic Peninsula. To infer potential underlying processes, we compiled H5N1 surveillance data from Antarctica and sub-Antarctic Islands prior to the first confirmed cases.

Learning traps and change blindness in dynamic environments.

Learning traps arise when early experience leads to a false belief about the reward structure of the environment which, in turn, leads to avoidance of rewarding options. Previous work on the negative effects of such traps has focused on static learning environments. The current work examines an additional negative effect of learning traps in dynamic environments-blindness to change in the features that predict decision outcomes.

CRISPR-Cas9 screens reveal regulators of ageing in neural stem cells.

Ageing impairs the ability of neural stem cells (NSCs) to transition from quiescence to proliferation in the adult mammalian brain. Functional decline of NSCs results in the decreased production of new neurons and defective regeneration following injury during ageing. Several genetic interventions have been found to ameliorate old brain function, but systematic functional testing of genes in old NSCs-and more generally in old cells-has not been done.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibition increases retinal pigment epithelial cell fatty acid flux and restricts apolipoprotein efflux.

Lipid-rich deposits called drusen accumulate under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the eyes of patients with age-related macular degeneration and Sorsby's fundus dystrophy (SFD). Drusen may contribute to photoreceptor degeneration in these blinding diseases. Stimulating β-oxidation of fatty acids could decrease the availability of lipid with which RPE cells generate drusen.

Cystatin C and Kidney Function Recovery in Patients Requiring Continuous KRT for Acute Kidney Injury.

Key Points: Plasma cystatin C is decreased in participants with AKI requiring continuous KRT (CKRT) with early kidney function recovery. Despite being cleared by CKRT, plasma cystatin C in the first 3 days of CKRT may be a useful clinical tool to help predict the prognosis of AKI requiring CKRT.

Background: Plasma cystatin C is a reliable marker to estimate kidney function; however, it is unknown whether this remains true in patients receiving continuous KRT (CKRT).

Revascularization techniques for complete portomesenteric venous occlusion in patients undergoing pancreatic resection.

Introduction: Pancreatic pathologies causing portomesenteric occlusion complicate extirpative pancreatic resection due to portomesenteric hypertension and collateral venous drainage.

Methods: Patients with portomesenteric occlusion undergoing pancreatectomy were identified between 2007 and 2020 at Stanford University Hospital. Demographic and clinical data, technique and perioperative factors, and post-operative outcomes were analyzed.

State- and Circuit-Dependent Opponent Processing of Fear.

The presence of valence coding neurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) that form distinct projections to other brain regions implies functional opposition between aversion and reward during learning. However, evidence for opponent interactions in fear learning is sparse and may only be apparent under certain conditions. Here we test this possibility by studying the roles of the BLA→central amygdala (CeA) and BLA→nucleus accumbens (Acb) pathways in fear learning in male rats.

The Potential Clinical Benefits of Direct Surgical Transgastric Pancreatic Necrosectomy for Patients With Infected Necrotizing Pancreatitis.

Objective: Surgical transgastric pancreatic necrosectomy (STGN) has the potential to overcome the shortcomings (ie, repeat interventions, prolonged hospitalization) of the step-up approach for infected necrotizing pancreatitis. We aimed to determine the outcomes of STGN for infected necrotizing pancreatitis.

Materials And Methods: This observational cohort study included adult patients who underwent STGN for infected necrosis at two centers from 2008 to 2022.

The pathogenicity of variants is tied to Aβ production and homology to .

Introduction: Though recognized as a potential cause of Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease, the pathogenicity of many variants remains uncertain. We compared Aβ production across all missense variants in the Alzforum database and, when possible, to corresponding variants.

Methods: We expressed 74 variants, 21 of which had homologous variants with the same amino acid substitution, in HEK293 cells lacking PSN1/2.

Several common methods of making vesicles (except an emulsion method) capture intended lipid ratios.

Unlabelled: Researchers choose different methods of making giant unilamellar vesicles in order to satisfy different constraints of their experimental designs. A challenge of using a variety of methods is that each may produce vesicles of different lipid compositions, even if all vesicles are made from a common stock mixture. Here, we use mass spectrometry to investigate ratios of lipids in vesicles made by five common methods: electroformation on indium tin oxide slides, electroformation on platinum wires, gentle hydration, emulsion transfer, and extrusion.