Estimating the energy of dissipative neural systems.

There is, at present, a lack of consensus regarding precisely what is meant by the term 'energy' across the sub-disciplines of neuroscience. Definitions range from deficits in the rate of glucose metabolism in consciousness research to regional changes in neuronal activity in cognitive neuroscience. In computational neuroscience virtually all models define the energy of neuronal regions as a quantity that is in a continual process of dissipation to its surroundings.

Geospatial Modeling of Deep Neural Visual Features for Predicting Obesity Prevalence in Missouri: Quantitative Study.

Background: The global obesity epidemic demands innovative approaches to understand its complex environmental and social determinants. Spatial technologies, such as geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial machine learning, offer new insights into this health issue. This study uses deep learning and spatial modeling to predict obesity rates for census tracts in Missouri.

Pharmacogenetic and microRNA mechanisms of beta blocker use on bone.

Motivated by studies showing an association between beta blocker (BB) use and positive bone outcomes, a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) was performed at the Mayo Clinic which randomized postmenopausal women to placebo, propranolol (40 or 80 mg twice daily), atenolol (50 mg/day), or nebivolol (5 mg/day) to determine changes in bone turnover markers (BTMs) and in bone mineral density (BMD) over 20 weeks. Pharmacogenetic effects and microRNA-mediated mechanisms involving beta adrenergic receptor and related genes have previously been found. We sought to validate these effects and discover new candidates in an ancillary study to the pilot clinical trial.

Selecting High-Risk Patients With Pediatric Crohn's Disease for Top-Down Anti-TNF as per the 2021 ECCO-ESPGHAN Guidelines: A 5-Year Nationwide Retrospective Analysis From Scotland (2016-2020).

Background: The 2021 ECCO-ESPGHAN guideline on the medical management of pediatric Crohn's disease promotes early risk stratification and top-down anti-TNF for patients deemed high risk of severe disease course.

Aims: We aimed to objectively assess the risk-benefit profile of the guideline's risk stratification policy and guidance on top-down anti-TNF in a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Methods: Using a prospectively identified nationwide cohort of all new pediatric patients (<17 years) diagnosed with Crohn's disease in Scotland between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2020 and retrospectively applying the current management algorithm, we explored the guideline's ability to accurately risk stratify patients.

Challenges of Faith Community Nursing in a Midwestern Healthcare System.

Faith community nurses are positioned to play a vital role in addressing whole person health in multiple settings. A steady decline of nurses completing faith community nurse (FCN) training in a midwestern healthcare system sparked the system's hospital leadership to re-evaluate the FCN training and outreach program. To inform future education programs, an online needs assessment survey was deployed to FCNs.