Analysis of a shark reveals ancient, Wnt-dependent, habenular asymmetries in vertebrates.

The mode of evolution of left-right asymmetries in the vertebrate habenulae remains largely unknown. Using a transcriptomic approach, we show that in a cartilaginous fish, the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula, habenulae exhibit marked asymmetries, in both their medial and lateral components. Comparisons across vertebrates suggest that those identified in lateral habenulae reflect an ancestral gnathostome trait, partially conserved in lampreys, and independently lost in tetrapods and neopterygians.

Predicting Additional Metastases in Axillary Lymph Node Dissection After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Ratio of Positive/Total Sentinel Nodes.

Background/objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the clinical value of the sentinel lymph node ratio (SLN-R) in predicting additional positive lymph nodes during axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at a single institution evaluating data from 1521 BC patients. Inclusion criteria comprised cT1/cT4, cN0/cN1 status with positive post-NAC axillary staging by SLN/TAD, respectively, and subsequent ALND.

Association between social determinants of health and select neurosurgical procedures in the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry.

Objective: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a lifelong condition requiring complex multidisciplinary management. Using the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR), the authors tested the association between sociodemographic variables and odds of undergoing neurosurgical procedures.

Methods: The authors extracted sociodemographic, clinical, and neurosurgical procedure data on participants with MMC aged ≥ 1 year who visited an NSBPR clinic between 2009 and 2020.

Surgical Management and Its Impact on Adjuvant Treatment in Recurrent Ipsilateral Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Breast cancer (BC) recurrence, defined as the reappearance of cancer in the ipsilateral breast after primary treatment, poses significant challenges in clinical management. Despite advances in treatment, recurrence rates persist, ranging from 0.6 to 1.

Analysis of a newly developed multidisciplinary program in the Middle East informed by the recently revised spina bifida guidelines.

Purpose: This paper describes the development and characteristics of a multi-disciplinary spina bifida clinic in Qatar considering the recently revised and globally available Guidelines for the Care of People with Spina Bifida (GCPSB).

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on individuals in Sidra's multidisciplinary spina bifida clinic database from January 2019 to June 2020. Their electronic health records were reviewed for demographics, as well as neurosurgical, urologic, rehabilitation, and orthopedic interventions.

Thermal and structural changes of a starch flexible film and cellulosic semi-rigid tray during the biodegradation process under controlled composting conditions.

Biopolymers used to mitigate the environmental impact needed establish biodegradation percentage. The thermal and structural changes of two plastic materials, a flexible film based on cassava starch - Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and a semi-rigid cassava flour-stay cellulose fique fiber, were evaluated biodegradation under ISO 4855-1 standard. The tests were carried out for four weeks at constant temperature and flow of 58 °C ± 2 °C and 250 mL/h, using a mature compost as inoculum.

Health care transition models in spina bifida care: evidence-based lessons in support of neurosurgical practice.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct a literature review on transition programs from pediatric to adult care and the role of neurosurgery as individuals with spina bifida (SB) transition, and to provide a framework for neurosurgical providers to assist in the transition to adult-centered care.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement, with a search in Medline and Embase to identify US clinical programs reporting on their experiences establishing a transition program for adolescents and young adults with SB. Data were collected for authors, year, transition clinic location, model of care for transition clinic, ages served, and specialty clinical team.

Assessment of Ventricular Size and Neurocognitive Outcomes in Children with Postnatal Closure of Myelomeningocele.

Objective: To assess if ventricular size before shunting is correlated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with postnatal myelomeningocele closure.

Study Design: This retrospective review included children with postnatal surgical closure of myelomeningocele and neuropsychological testing between 2018 and 2023 at the University of California, San Francisco. Frontal-occipital horn ratio (FOHR) was measured immediately before shunt placement or on the first study that reported ventricular stability for nonshunted patients.

Drug-facilitated sexual assault in youth nightlife contexts in Spain.

Objectives: This study aimed to provide epidemiological information on drug-facilitated sexual assault in Spanish youth partying, with a focus on prevalence rates and associated sociodemographic factors.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Quota sampling was used to recruit 1601 young people aged 18-35 years in Spain from a digital panel.

Nasal resistance and inflammation: mechanisms for obstructive sleep apnea from chronic rhinosinusitis.

Study Objectives: We have previously estimated that the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers is 75% and identified that having symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an independent risk factor for OSA in this population. Nasal inflammation and/or elevated awake nasal resistance that carried over into sleep could explain this association. To understand the mechanism(s) for the elevated risk of OSA observed in World Trade Center responders with CRS symptoms we examined if elevated awake supine nasal resistance was associated with OSA, CRS and/or nasal inflammatory biomarkers.

Xenopus tropicalis osteoblast-specific open chromatin regions reveal promoters and enhancers involved in human skeletal phenotypes and shed light on early vertebrate evolution.

While understanding the genetic underpinnings of osteogenesis has far-reaching implications for skeletal diseases and evolution, a comprehensive characterization of the osteoblastic regulatory landscape in non-mammalian vertebrates is still lacking. Here, we compared the ATAC-Seq profile of Xenopus tropicalis (Xt) osteoblasts to a variety of non mineralizing control tissues, and identified osteoblast-specific nucleosome free regions (NFRs) at 527 promoters and 6747 distal regions. Sequence analyses, Gene Ontology, RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq against four key histone marks confirmed that the distal regions correspond to bona fide osteogenic transcriptional enhancers exhibiting a shared regulatory logic with mammals.

Evolution of breast conserving surgery-current implementation of oncoplastic techniques in breast conserving surgery: a literature review.

Background And Objective: De-escalation in breast cancer surgery has been a natural evolution since breast conserving surgery (BCS) was introduced in the early 1980s. From Halsted mastectomies to wide local excisions, we are facing nowadays the next trend in form of oncoplastic breast surgery. Oncoplastic breast surgery combines oncological principles with plastic surgery techniques to preserve the breast shape and appearance.

Comparing binary & ordinal definitions of urinary & stool continence outcomes: Data from the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry.

Introduction: The National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR) assesses bladder and bowel incontinence using ordinal categories, but prior NSBPR analyses employed binary classification. Our aims were to 1) perform the first NSBPR analysis of bladder and bowel incontinence as ordinal outcomes to compare to the binary definition and subject variables; 2) explore the correlation of incontinence with undergarment usage, and 3) assess incontinence status following continence surgeries.

Methods: Data from NSBPR participants' most recent clinic visit from 2013 to 2020 were analyzed.

Oleic acid differentially affects lipid droplet storage of synthesized lipids in hepatocytes and adipocytes.

Lipogenesis is a vital but often dysregulated metabolic pathway. Here we use optical photothermal infrared imaging to quantify lipogenesis rates of isotopically labelled oleic acid and glucose concomitantly in live cells. In hepatocytes, but not adipocytes, we find that oleic acid feeding at 60 μM increases the number and size of lipid droplets (LDs) while simultaneously inhibiting storage of synthesized lipids in LDs.

Ambulation after in-utero fetoscopic or open neural tube defect repair: predictors for ambulation at 30 months.

Objectives: To compare the ambulatory status of a cohort of children who had undergone prenatal repair of an open neural tube defect (ONTD) using one of two different methods (fetoscopic or open hysterotomy) with that of a cohort who had undergone postnatal repair, and to identify the best predictors of ambulation at 30 months of age.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of a cohort of children who underwent ONTD repair either prenatally (n = 110), by fetoscopic surgery (n = 73) or open hysterotomy surgery (n = 37), or postnatally (n = 51), in a single tertiary hospital between November 2011 and May 2023. The cohort comprised a consecutive sample of cases who had undergone ONTD repair in-utero following Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) trial criteria and cases who had undergone postnatal repair, meeting the same criteria, which were also followed up after birth at the same institution.

Molecular characterization of Sarcoptes scabiei causing severe mange in two Andean foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus) from Peru.

Cases of sarcoptic mange in the wildlife population have been increasing around the world in recent years. In this study, we report the first case of severe sarcoptic mange in two Andean foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus) and molecularly analyze the collected mites. The National Forestry and Wildlife Service of Lima, Peru, found an adult male Andean fox in the province of Callao in August 2022.

From prenatal care to spina bifida related mortality: The lifespan is marked by transitions experienced by increasing immigrant and international populations.

Whether it is for collaboration on folic acid fortification or the standardization of care efforts concerning neurogenic bowel dysfunction, a global forum on neural tube defects related issues is needed. Propitiously, the 2023 Spina Bifida World Congress sponsored by the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) was a catalyst for transnational dialog in the field of spina bifida (SB) research. Concurrently, the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine (JPRM) provides a platform for both international research as well as numerous clinical and educational projects, such as The Lifespan Bowel Management Protocol, and social interventions taught through the American Academy of Pediatrics' Spina Bifida Transition ECHO.

Addressing social determinants of health through customization: Quality improvement, telemedicine, and care coordination to serve immigrant families.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to establish a pathway for electronic medical record (EMR) customization, utilizing quality improvement methodology, to both identify and address adverse social determinants of health (SDOH) among a diverse spina bifida (SB) population.

Methods: Starting in September 2020, the four fundamental steps were to (1) facilitate an advisory committee to safeguard the standard clinical protocols, (2) characterize barriers to implementation, (3) evaluate workflow to sustain data entry capture, and (4) manage the technology platform for seamless integration. The SB clinic was the first clinic within the enterprise to rollout the use of an adverse SDOH mitigation activity.

Spina Bifida Global Learning Collaborative: Educating the next generation of clinicians, researchers, and advocates.

Purpose: This project aimed to launch an international learning community to guide the development of a spina bifida (SB) curriculum for global health trainees.

Methods: Using a descriptive study design, a convenience sample of SB curricula were identified in 2022-23 by members of the Spina Bifida World Congress Outreach Committee and evaluated during a series of monthly Zoom calls to discuss SB education in a global health context. Participants included (1) leadership from the ReachAnother Foundation, (2) invited panelists from the Spina Bifida World Congress Global Health Symposium, and (3) global health students and preceptors.

Use of a microgravity analog to explore the effects of simulated microgravity on the development of K12 biofilms.

The rapid development of space technologies and the increase of human presence in space has brought the discussion of the effects of microgravity on cells into the undergraduate classroom. This paper proposes an idea to simulate microgravity on a bacterial culture, suitable for an introductory microbiology laboratory. For this purpose, we show the use of a 2D clinostat designed for microbial studies, along with traditional microbiology techniques such as optical density, plate counts, and biofilm biomass measurement to test the effect of simulated microgravity on the growth of K12.

Causes of death among people with myelomeningocele: A multi-institutional 47-year retrospective study.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze organ system-based causes and non-organ system-based mechanisms of death (COD, MOD) in people with myelomeningocele (MMC), comparing urological to other COD.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 16 institutions in Canada/United States of non-random convenience sample of people with MMC (born > = 1972) using non-parametric statistics.

Results: Of 293 deaths (89% shunted hydrocephalus), 12% occurred in infancy, 35% in childhood, and 53% in adulthood (documented COD: 74%).

Simple Model for Dynamic Heterogeneity in Glass-Forming Liquids.

Liquids near the glass transition exhibit dynamical heterogeneity, i.e., local relaxation rates fluctuate strongly over space and time.

Molecular survey of hemoplasmas in asymptomatic vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) from the Pampa Galeras Bárbara D'Achille National Reserve in Peru.

Hemotrophic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are epierythrocytic bacteria that infect wild and domestic animals, and can cause anemia in some of them. They are considered emerging and zoonotic pathogens, causing serious health problems in wildlife. Candidatus Mycoplasma haemolamae is the only species of hemoplasma that infects domestic South American camelids (alpacas and llamas), with limited studies in wild camelids.