Second Generation DNA Methylation Age Predicts Cognitive Change in Midlife: The Moderating Role of Childhood Socioeconomic Status.

DNA methylation age (DNAmAge) surpasses chronological age in its ability to predict age-related morbidities and mortality. This study analyzed data from 287 middle-aged twins in the Louisville Twin Study (mean age 51.9 years ± 7.

In Obesity, Esophagogastric Junction Fat Impairs Esophageal Barrier Function and Dilates Intercellular Spaces via HIF-2α.

Background & Aims: Dilated intercellular space (DIS) in esophageal epithelium, a sign of impaired barrier function, is a characteristic finding of GERD that also is found in obese patients without GERD. We have explored molecular mechanisms whereby adipose tissue products might impair esophageal barrier integrity.

Methods: We established cultures of visceral fat obtained during foregut surgery from obese and non-obese patients.

Incidence and predictors of readmission following hospitalization for thoracic disc herniation.

Objective: Symptomatic thoracic disc herniations (TDH) are relatively rare and can be discovered incidentally on neuroimaging. Surgical interventions for TDH represent only 4 % of all surgeries performed for intervertebral disc pathologies, which are most commonly indicated for myelopathy and radiculopathy. Given the absence of publications on rates of readmissions following hospitalization for TDH, we aim to establish baseline metrics for the 90-day all-cause readmission rates and pertinent risk factors.

Extended Reality Gaming for Exercise and Mindfulness Throughout Pediatric Cancer Rehabilitation: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Pediatric patients with cancer have limited options to self-manage their health while they are undergoing treatments in the hospital and after they are discharged to their homes. Extended reality (ER) using head-mounted displays has emerged as an immersive method of improving pain and mental health and promoting health-enhancing physical activity among a variety of clinical groups, but there is currently no established protocol for improving both physical and mental health in pediatric cancer rehabilitation.

Objective: This phase I, pilot, feasibility randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the potential effects of a 14-week ER program on physical activity participation and indicators of health among pediatric patients with cancer who undergo bone marrow transplantation.

The Association of Bone Mineral Density with Distal Junctional Kyphosis and Distal Junctional Failure after Multilevel Spine Fusions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Distal junctional kyphosis (DJK) and distal junctional failure (DJF) are known complications of adult multilevel spinal fusion surgery. Previous literature has extensively investigated proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF), but DJK and DJF are relatively under-studied. This study investigates the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and DJK/DJF via a Systematic Review (SR) and Meta-Analysis (MA).

Computational microscopy beyond perfect lenses.

We demonstrate that in situ coherent diffractive imaging (CDI), which leverages the coherent interference between strong and weak beams to illuminate static and dynamic structures, can serve as a highly dose-efficient imaging method. At low doses, in situ CDI can achieve higher resolution than perfect lenses with the point spread function as a delta function. Both our numerical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that combining in situ CDI with ptychography can reduce the required dose by up to two orders of magnitude compared with ptychography alone.

Lifelong Glutathione Deficiency in Mice Increased Lifespan and Delayed Age-Related Motor Declines.

Glutathione (GSH) is a crucial redox scavenger, essential for maintaining cellular redox balance. This study explores the long-term effects of chronic GSH deficiency on lifespan, motor function, cognitive performance, redox status and inflammation. GCLM mice, with a 70-90% reduction in GSH levels, were compared to GCLM controls across their lifespan (5, 10 and 20 months).

Optimal Time for Nevus Sebaceous Excision and Predictors of Surgical Outcomes and Secondary Intralesional Neoplasms: The Mayo Clinic Experience Over 37 Years.

Background: Controversy exists around the optimal timing of resection of nevus sebaceous (NS). The authors aim to determine optimal timing of NS resection and identify predictors of surgical outcomes and secondary intralesional neoplasms.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of all patients with biopsy-proven NS diagnosis treated at the authors' institution between 1987 and 2024.

Imaging Yield, Surgical Findings, and Outcomes Following Surgical Excision of Lateral Brow Dermoid Cysts.

Purpose: To review cases of lateral brow dermoid cysts and gain insight into the utility of preoperative imaging, incidence of intraorbital extension, and recurrence rate.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of all patients who underwent excision of lateral brow dermoid cysts at the authors' academic center over a 37-year period.

Results: A total of 136 patients were included.

Evaluation of Different Levels of Process Energy in Sorghum and Wheat-Based Diets on the Growth Performance of Pacific White Shrimp, .

This research evaluated the effect of different levels of extrusion process energy during the production of wheat and sorghum-based feeds on the growth performance and digestibility of Pacific white shrimp (). Process energy consisted of mechanical and thermal components, which were both modulated via varying preconditioner steam addition. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (36% protein) and isolipidic (8% fat), with three levels of thermal energy (TE) input during preconditioning (high, medium, and low).

A Cadaver Study: The Relationship of Vital Organs of the Thoracolumbar Junction During a far Lateral Approach Using a T-12 Corpectomy Model.

Study Design: Human cadaver study.

Objectives: To provide a qualitative and quantitative evaluation by demonstrating measurements of the proximity of vital structures involved and assessed injuries during a T12-corpectomy and cage implantation via a far lateral approach.

Material And Methods: Six fresh-frozen adult cadaveric specimens were dissected according to standardized protocol.

Automated Analysis of Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Pneumothorax: A Systematic Review.

Automated analysis of lung ultrasound for pneumothorax detection is an emerging technology with potential applications across various clinical settings. This systematic review aims to evaluate the current evidence for the efficacy of automated analysis techniques in diagnosing pneumothorax using lung ultrasound images and videos. A literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), Embase (Excerpta Medica Database), Web of Science, and Scopus databases up to July 5, 2024.

A High-Throughput Workflow to Analyze Sequence-Conformation Relationships and Explore Hydrophobic Patterning in Disordered Peptoids.

Understanding how a macromolecule's primary sequence governs its conformational landscape is crucial for elucidating its function, yet these design principles are still emerging for macromolecules with intrinsic disorder. Herein, we introduce a high-throughput workflow that implements a practical colorimetric conformational assay, introduces a semi-automated sequencing protocol using MALDI-MS/MS, and develops a generalizable sequence-structure algorithm. Using a model system of 20mer peptidomimetics containing polar glycine and hydrophobic -butylglycine residues, we identified nine classifications of conformational disorder and isolated 122 unique sequences across varied compositions and conformations.

A multi-regional human brain atlas of chromatin accessibility and gene expression facilitates promoter-isoform resolution genetic fine-mapping.

Brain region- and cell-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic features are associated with heritability for neuropsychiatric traits, but a systematic view, considering cortical and subcortical regions, is lacking. Here, we provide an atlas of chromatin accessibility and gene expression profiles in neuronal and non-neuronal nuclei across 25 distinct human cortical and subcortical brain regions from 6 neurotypical controls. We identified extensive gene expression and chromatin accessibility differences across brain regions, including variation in alternative promoter-isoform usage and enhancer-promoter interactions.

Expanding School-based Oral Health Programs in the Carolinas: Challenges and Opportunities.

School-based oral health programs are an effective approach to population-based care and a stalwart of public health, especially in rural and underserved communities. Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic have informed contemporary strategies and policies to ensure integration into the delicate dental safety net in the Carolinas.

Factors Associated With Child and Youth Mental Health Readmissions From a US National Database.

Objective: To describe and identify factors associated with mental health (MH) readmission rates for youth ages 5 to 17 years discharged between January 2019 and November 2019.

Method: This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis using the 2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database identified hospitalizations for patients with a primary diagnosis of an MH condition using the Clinical Classification Software groupings, which are based on codes. Various patient characteristics including comorbidities were included in univariate and multivariate analysis to study their association with psychiatric readmission.

Outpatient Prescribing Patterns for Uncomplicated Cystitis in Premenopausal Women With and Without an Allergy to Guideline-Recommended Antimicrobials: A Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: To determine if premenopausal women 18 to 50 years of age with uncomplicated cystitis who have an allergy to a guideline-recommended antimicrobial agent are less likely to receive guideline-preferred treatment compared to women without an allergy.

Methods: An electronic medical record report was used to identify females between the ages of 18-50 with a diagnostic code for acute uncomplicated cystitis at outpatient visits between December 1, 2017, through December 31, 2021. Patients with complicated urinary tract infections or pyelonephritis were excluded.