Disorder within order: identification of the disordered loop of STAS domain as the inhibitory domain in SLC26A9 chloride channel.

The chloride transporter-channel SLC26A9 is mediated by a reciprocal regulatory mechanism through the interaction between its cytoplasmic STAS domain and the R domain of CFTR. In vertebrate Slc26a9s, the STAS domain structures are interrupted by a disordered loop which is conserved in mammals but is variable in non-mammals. Despite the numerous studies involving the STAS domains in SLC26 proteins, the role of the disordered loop region has not been identified.

Differences in Management and Outcomes in Atraumatic Splenic Rupture Compared to Traumatic Injury Following Blunt Abdominal Trauma.

: To evaluate the differences in treatment and outcomes between traumatic and atraumatic splenic lacerations. : This retrospective study included all patients with a diagnosis of splenic lacerations confirmed by computed tomography that presented from 01/2010 to 03/2023 at one tertiary hospital. The exclusion criteria included missing image data and death in the first 24 h due to extensive trauma.

Neutrophils drive sexual dimorphism in experimental periodontitis.

The motivating premise of this study is to improve the treatment of periodontal disease by elucidating sex-specific mechanisms of periodontal disease progression. Men and women experience inflammation in fundamentally different ways and understanding the sex-specific biology leading to inflammation and bone loss in the periodontium will inevitably improve patient outcomes. We therefore examined clinical and immunological differences in the progression of periodontal disease using the ligature-induced periodontitis model.

Defining within-host SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral load kinetics during acute COVID-19 infection within different respiratory compartments and their respective associations with host infectiousness: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Understanding how RNA viral load changes (viral load kinetics) during acute infection in SARS-CoV-2 can help to identify when and which patients are most infectious. We seek to summarise existing data on the longitudinal RNA viral load kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 sampled from different parts of the respiratory tract (nose, nasopharynx, oropharynx, saliva and exhaled breath) and how this may vary with age, sex, ethnicity, immune status, disease severity, vaccination, treatment and virus variant.

Methods And Analysis: We will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis, using studies identified through MEDLINE and EMBASE (via Ovid).

A dose escalation study to evaluate the safety of an aerosol BCG infection in previously BCG-vaccinated healthy human UK adults.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death worldwide from a single infectious agent. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), the only licensed vaccine, provides limited protection. Controlled human infection models (CHIMs) are useful in accelerating vaccine development for pathogens with no correlates of protection; however, the need for prolonged treatment makes an unethical challenge agent.

Radiomics Feature Stability in True and Virtual Non-Contrast Reconstructions from Cardiac Photon-Counting Detector CT Datasets.

: Virtual non-contrast (VNC) series reconstructed from contrast-enhanced cardiac scans acquired with photon counting detector CT (PCD-CT) systems have the potential to replace true non-contrast (TNC) series. However, a quantitative comparison of the image characteristics of TNC and VNC data is necessary to determine to what extent they are interchangeable. This work quantitatively evaluates the image similarity between VNC and TNC reconstructions by measuring the stability of multi-class radiomics features extracted in intra-patient TNC and VNC reconstructions.

Validation of hemispherectomy outcome prediction scale in treatment of medically intractable epilepsy.

The Hemispherectomy Outcome Prediction Scale (HOPS) was developed to aid both clinicians and patients in determining the chance of success after hemispheric surgery for medically refractory epilepsy. The original study generating HOPS had a multi-institutional, large cohort format yielding near perfect patient stratification. Evidence suggests that methodologies utilized to create such predictive models, including cross-validation as well as stratification utilizing the same data employed for model generation, may be at risk of an undesirable modeling phenomenon known as overfitting.

Cost-effectiveness of ultrahigh-resolution photon-counting detector coronary CT angiography for the evaluation of stable chest pain.

Background: The increased specificity of ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT over energy-integrating detector (EID)-CT for coronary CT angiography (CCTA) could defer unwarranted downstream tests. The objective of the study was to simulate the cost-effectiveness of UHR CCTA in stable chest pain patients with coronary calcifications.

Methods: A decision and simulation model was developed using Monte Carlo simulations with 1000 bootstrap resamples to estimate the costs associated with PCD-CT in lieu of EID-CT for CCTA and the referral for subsequent testing.

Utilizing the Delphi Method to Develop Undergraduate Medical Education Learning Objectives to Address Medical Care of Gender and Sexually Diverse Individuals.

Introduction Gender and sexually diverse (GSD) individuals disproportionately experience worse outcomes, bias, discrimination, and inequities in their care. Many avoid seeking healthcare due to fear of discrimination and mistreatment. One method for improvement focuses on specific GSD medical care training for undergraduate medical education (UME) learners.

Mobile Spatiotemporal Gait Segmentation Using an Ear-Worn Motion Sensor and Deep Learning.

Mobile health technologies enable continuous, quantitative assessment of mobility and gait in real-world environments, facilitating early diagnoses of gait disorders, disease progression monitoring, and prediction of adverse events like falls. Traditionally, mobile gait assessment predominantly relied on body-fixed sensors positioned at the feet or lower trunk. Here, we investigate the potential of an algorithm utilizing an ear-worn motion sensor for spatiotemporal segmentation of gait patterns.

Classifying intervention components used in sleep duration interventions for children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) is a three-phase iterative framework that could accelerate the development of behavioral interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted within the MOST preparation phase and aimed to classify components included in pediatric sleep duration interventions, using the Behavior Change Technique (BCT) Taxonomy. Across 37 interventions, 46 out of 93 BCTs have been used, with an average of 8 techniques used per study.

High-Throughput and Accurate 3D Scanning of Cattle Using Time-of-Flight Sensors and Deep Learning.

We introduce a high-throughput 3D scanning system designed to accurately measure cattle phenotypes. This scanner employs an array of depth sensors, i.e.

Radiomics signature for automatic hydronephrosis detection in unenhanced Low-Dose CT.

Purpose: To investigate the diagnostic performance of an automatic pipeline for detection of hydronephrosis on kidney's parenchyma on unenhanced low-dose CT of the abdomen.

Methods: This retrospective study included 95 patients with confirmed unilateral hydronephrosis in an unenhanced low-dose CT of the abdomen. Data were split into training (n = 67) and test (n = 28) cohorts.

Multiplanar reconstructions of the thoracic spine in a photon counting dual-source CT scanner: comparison to EID-CT.

Background: Photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT) is a groundbreaking technology with promising results for visualization of small bone structures.

Purpose: To analyze the delineation of the thoracic spine in multiplanar reconstructions (MPR) on PCD-CT compared to energy-integrating detector (EID)-CT.

Material And Methods: Two euthanized mice were examined using different scanners: (i) 20-slice EID-CT and (ii) dual-source PCD-CT at various CTDI values.

Tuning tRNAs for improved translation.

Transfer RNAs have been extensively explored as the molecules that translate the genetic code into proteins. At this interface of genetics and biochemistry, tRNAs direct the efficiency of every major step of translation by interacting with a multitude of binding partners. However, due to the variability of tRNA sequences and the abundance of diverse post-transcriptional modifications, a guidebook linking tRNA sequences to specific translational outcomes has yet to be elucidated.

Host and pathogen factors that influence variability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipid body content in sputum from patients with tuberculosis: an observational study.

Background: High proportions of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells in sputum containing triacylglycerol-rich lipid bodies have been shown to be associated with treatment failure or relapse following antituberculous chemotherapy. Although lipid body determination is a potential biomarker for supporting clinical trial and treatment decisions, factors influencing variability in sputum frequencies of lipid body-positive (%LB) M tuberculosis in patients are unknown. We aimed to test our hypothesis that exposure to host-generated NO and M tuberculosis strains are factors associated with differences in sputum %LB.