Analysis of natural structures and chemical mapping data reveals local stability compensation in RNA.

RNA molecules adopt complex structures that perform essential biological functions across all forms of life, making them promising candidates for therapeutic applications. However, our ability to design new RNA structures remains limited by an incomplete understanding of their folding principles. While global metrics such as the minimum free energy are widely used, they are at odds with naturally occurring structures and incompatible with established design rules.

International prevalence patterns of low eGFR in adults aged 18-60 without traditional risk factors from a population-based cross-sectional disadvantaged populations eGFR epidemiology (DEGREE) study.

The disadvantaged populations eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) epidemiology (DEGREE) study was designed to gain insight into the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of undetermined cause (CKDu) using standard protocols to estimate the general-population prevalence of low eGFR internationally. Therefore, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of eGFR under 60 ml/min per 1.73m in adults aged 18-60, excluding participants with commonly known causes of CKD; an ACR (albumin/creatinine ratio) over 300 mg/g or equivalent, or self-reported or measured (HT) hypertension or (DM) diabetes mellitus, stratified by sex and location.

Nonsense Variant PRDM16-Q187X Causes Impaired Myocardial Development and TGF-β Signaling Resulting in Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy in Humans and Mice.

Background: PRDM16 plays a role in myocardial development through TGF-β (transforming growth factor-beta) signaling. Recent evidence suggests that loss of PRDM16 expression is associated with cardiomyopathy development in mice, although its role in human cardiomyopathy development is unclear. This study aims to determine the impact of PRDM16 loss-of-function variants on cardiomyopathy in humans.

Urine-mediated suppression of mucoidy is counteracted by spontaneous Wzc variants altering capsule chain length.

is a hospital-associated pathogen primarily causing urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and septicemia. Two challenging lineages include the hypervirulent strains, causing invasive community-acquired infections, and the carbapenem-resistant classical strains, most frequently isolated from UTIs. While hypervirulent strains are often characterized by a hypermucoid phenotype, classical strains usually present with low mucoidy.

Deletion Is Associated With Sex-dependent Cardiomyopathy and Cardiac Mortality: A Translational, Multi-Institutional Cohort Study.

Background: 1p36 deletion syndrome can predispose to pediatric-onset cardiomyopathy. Deletion breakpoints are variable and may delete the transcription factor . Early studies suggest that deletion of may underlie cardiomyopathy in patients with 1p36 deletion; however, the prognostic impact of loss is unknown.

Global Preconception and Contraception Care: Using a Life-Course Approach to Improve Health Outcomes in Lower-Resource Settings.

A life-course approach incorporating appropriate preconception and contraception care is key to achieving optimal maternal, neonatal, and child health outcomes. In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), there is a large unmet need for contraception and an estimated 49% of pregnancies are unintended. In this article, we discuss preconception and contraception care in LMIC settings including key recommendations for content and service delivery.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Intrauterine Contraception and Tubal Ligation.

Background: Tubal ligation remains common in the USA, especially among low-income patients.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of intrauterine contraceptives (IUC) to laparoscopic tubal ligation for Medicaid clients.

Design: We partnered with patient and clinician stakeholders to conduct a retrospective cohort study using California Medicaid claims for patients who had an IUC placed or laparoscopic tubal ligation performed in 2008-2014, excluding procedures performed within 42 days of a birth.

Patient-Centered Safety Outcomes After Hysteroscopic Compared With Laparoscopic Sterilization.

Objective: To evaluate the real-world safety of hysteroscopic compared with laparoscopic surgical sterilization.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of Medicaid claims for hysteroscopic or laparoscopic sterilization procedures performed in California, 2008-2014, among women aged 18-50 years. After excluding postpartum procedures, we applied log-linear (Poisson) event-history regression models for clustered person-period data, weighted for propensity to receive either sterilization procedures, and adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics that may affect outcomes of interest to patients and physicians.

Apparent digestibility, fecal particle size, and mean retention time of reduced lignin alfalfa hay fed to horses.

Reduced lignin alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has the potential to provide a higher-quality forage source for livestock by improving forage digestibility. This study was conducted to evaluate apparent digestibility when feeding reduced lignin and nonreduced lignin alfalfa hay to adult horses, and to examine mean fecal particle size (MFPS) and mean retention time (MRT) between alfalfa forage types.

A Web-Based Interactive Map to Promote Health-Care Facility Flood Preparedness.

Objectives: Little is known about how flood risk of health-care facilities (HCFs) is evaluated by emergency preparedness professionals and HCFs administrators. This study assessed knowledge of emergency preparedness and HCF management professionals regarding locations of floodplains in relation to HCFs. A Web-based interactive map of floodplains and HCF was developed and users of the map were asked to evaluate it.

Changes in Pain and Psychosocial Functioning and Transition to Chronic Pain in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: A Cohort Follow-up Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to: (1) examine changes in pain, psychosocial functioning, and health care utilization among children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) over a 2-year period and (2) identify baseline biopsychosocial variables associated with the development and maintenance of chronic SCD pain at follow-up.

Materials And Methods: Forty-two youth (8 to 18 y old) with SCD completed a battery of self-report measures at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translational Innovations Opportunities and Networks and American Pain Society Pain Taxonomy (AAPT) diagnostic criteria were used to categorize patients into pain frequency groups at both timepoints: chronic (pain on most [≥15] d/mo for the past 6 mo, per AAPT diagnostic criteria), episodic (pain on 1 to 14 d/mo), or asymptomatic (0 d/mo).

Using Web-Based Surveys to Explore Equine Industry Practices and Future Research Needs.

Social media are an ever-present part of daily life and for researchers and may be a useful platform to increase potential participant pools for Web-based surveys. Although survey usage to evaluate practices in the equine community is not new, the use of social media to advertise and enhance the usage of Web-based surveys is novel. In 2018, the University of Minnesota (UMN) equine Extension program developed and administered two Web-based surveys through the UMN equine Extension Facebook page and monthly e-newsletter.

The Effect of Goldfish (Carassius auratus) on Water Quality in Horse Stock Tanks.

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) have been reported as a method to keep water tanks clean; however, little information exists on this approach. The objectives were to evaluate the efficacy of goldfish on maintaining water quality in tanks and to evaluate the frequency that this method is used. The first objective was completed during June through October 2017 in St.

Glucose and Insulin Response of Horses Grazing Alfalfa, Perennial Cool-Season Grass, and Teff Across Seasons.

Elevated nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) values in pasture forages can cause adverse health effects in some horses (Equus caballus L.). The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of different forage species on blood glucose and insulin concentrations of horses throughout the grazing season.

Estimation of Actual and Ideal Bodyweight Using Morphometric Measurements of Miniature, Saddle-Type, and Thoroughbred Horses.

Adding breed type, height, and neck circumference to body length and girth circumference improves bodyweight (BW) estimation in different breeds of horses; however, equations have not been developed for all breed types. The objectives were to develop BW estimation equations for Miniature, saddle-type, and Thoroughbred horses using morphometric measurements. Measurements were collected on adult (≥3 years, nonpregnant) saddle-type (n = 209), adult (n = 249) and juvenile (<3 years, n = 61) Miniatures, and adult Thoroughbreds (n = 100).

Plasma Amino Acid Concentrations of Horses Grazing Alfalfa, Cool-Season Perennial Grasses, and Teff.

The impact of forage species on plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations of grazing horses (Equus caballus L.) is unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of different forage species on plasma AA concentrations and protein synthesis.

Glucose and Insulin Response of Aged Horses Grazing Alfalfa, Perennial Cool-Season Grass, and Teff During the Spring and Late Fall.

Spring and late fall grazing can lead to metabolic problems in horses (Equus caballus L.) as a result of elevated nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) in pastures. Therefore, the objectives were to determine the impact of different forage species on blood glucose and insulin concentrations of horses during the spring and late fall.

Minigrants to Local Health Departments: An Opportunity to Promote Climate Change Preparedness.

Context: Human health is threatened by climate change. While the public health workforce is concerned about climate change, local health department (LHD) administrators have reported insufficient knowledge and resources to address climate change. Minigrants from state to LHDs have been used to promote a variety of local public health initiatives.

Cultured equine satellite cells as a model system to assess leucine stimulated protein synthesis in horse muscle.

Leucine has been shown to stimulate the mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway which plays numerous key regulatory roles in cell growth, survival, and metabolism including protein synthesis in a number of species. However, previous work with equine satellite cells has suggested distinct species differences in regards to physiological effects and the magnitude of responses to growth factors and regulators. Because there is limited research available regarding the role of leucine in regulating equine skeletal muscle protein synthesis, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of leucine on the mTOR signaling pathway in cultured equine satellite.

Women's perceptions and treatment patterns related to contraception: results of a survey of US women.

Objectives: The aim of this survey was to understand US women's contraception journey from her first prescribed method to her current one including reasons for choosing and stopping/switching methods, healthcare provider relationships, and bleeding preferences.

Study Design: We administered a nationally-representative, web-based survey of US women aged 16 to 50 years currently using (N=1656) or had previously used (N=1448) prescription contraception, or who had never used it but would consider using it in the future (N=103). Statistical analyses were based on overlap formulae with sample weights adjusted to 2010 US census demographic benchmarks.