The Lumbar Artery Perforator Free Flap as an Alternative Option for Breast Reconstruction in Low BMI Patients: Analysis of CT Angiography of Donor Sites Across BMI.

Background:  In patients with a low body mass index (BMI), the options for autologous breast reconstruction are limited. With the hypothesis that adipose tissue deposition favors the lumbar region over the abdominal wall, this study sought to investigate the lumbar artery perforator (LAP) flap as an alternative reconstructive option in patients with deficient autologous donor sites consequent to a low BMI.

Methods:  A retrospective cohort analysis was performed, from a prospectively maintained database, of all consecutive deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap breast reconstructions performed in our unit.

Microbial community interactions on a chip.

Multispecies microbial communities drive most ecosystems on Earth. Chemical and biological interactions within these communities can affect the survival of individual members and the entire community. However, the prohibitively high number of possible interactions within a microbial community has made the characterization of factors that influence community development challenging.

Co-zorbs: Motile, multispecies biofilms aid transport of diverse bacterial species.

Biofilms are three-dimensional structures containing one or more bacterial species embedded in extracellular polymeric substances. Although most biofilms are stationary, forms a motile spherical biofilm called a zorb, which is propelled by its base cells and contains a polysaccharide core. Here, we report formation of spatially organized, motile, multispecies biofilms, designated "co-zorbs," that are distinguished by a core-shell structure.

Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes.

Studies have shown cerebrovascular dysfunction in offspring with full-gestational electronic cigarette (Ecig) exposure, but little is known about how individual trimester exposure impacts offspring health. This study aimed to determine if there is a critical window during gestation that contributes to vascular and anxiety-like behavioural changes seen with full-term exposure. To test this, rats were time-mated, and the pregnant dams were randomly assigned to Ecig exposure during first trimester (gestational day, GD2-7), second trimester (GD8-14), third trimester (GD15-21) or full-term gestation (GD2-21).

Her2 amplification, Rel-A, and Bach1 can influence APOBEC3A expression in breast cancer cells.

APOBEC-induced mutations occur in 50% of sequenced human tumors, with APOBEC3A (A3A) being a major contributor to mutagenesis in breast cancer cells. The mechanisms that cause A3A activation and mutagenesis in breast cancers are still unknown. Here, we describe factors that influence basal A3A mRNA transcript levels in breast cancer cells.

Irish Property Price Estimation Using A Flexible Geo-spatial Smoothing Approach: What is the Impact of an Address?

Accurate and efficient valuation of property is of utmost importance in a variety of settings, such as when securing mortgage finance to purchase a property, or where residential property taxes are set as a percentage of a property's resale value. Internationally, resale based property taxes are most common due to ease of implementation and the difficulty of establishing site values. In an Irish context, property valuations are currently based on comparison to recently sold neighbouring properties, however, this approach is limited by low property turnover.

Surface colonization by promotes its survival in a model microbial community.

Unlabelled: is a ubiquitous soil and rhizosphere bacterium, but despite its abundance, the factors contributing to its success in communities are poorly understood. Using a model microbial community, he itchhikers f the hizosphere (THOR), we determined the effects of colonization on the fitness of in the community. Insertion sequencing, a massively parallel transposon mutant screen, on sterile sand identified 25 genes likely to be important for surface colonization.

Critical Thinking: A Program Review of Doctor of Audiology Students.

Purpose: Critical thinking is a crucial component of health care, and its importance has been recognized in training medical professionals. This study reports critical thinking skills for entering doctor of audiology (AuD) students and the trajectory of the change in critical thinking skills measured 2 times over a period of 3 years.

Method: This longitudinal, descriptive, and exploratory design was implemented for programmatic review.

Speg interactions that regulate the stability of excitation-contraction coupling protein complexes in triads and dyads.

Here we show that striated muscle preferentially expressed protein kinase α (Spegα) maintains cardiac function in hearts with Spegβ deficiency. Speg is required for stability of excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) complexes and interacts with esterase D (Esd), Cardiomyopathy-Associated Protein 5 (Cmya5), and Fibronectin Type III and SPRY Domain Containing 2 (Fsd2) in cardiac and skeletal muscle. Mice with a sequence encoding a V5/HA tag inserted into the first exon of the Speg gene (HA-Speg mice) display a >90% decrease in Spegβ but Spegα is expressed at ~50% of normal levels.

Alcohol Dependence and Rib Fracture Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Chronic alcohol use has been associated with impaired pulmonary function, increased risk of pneumonia and poor outcomes after trauma. With a high incidence of rib fractures in this population, the clinical and physiological factors associated with alcohol dependence may influence how these patients recover from thoracic injuries. Therefore, the aim of the systematic review was to examine the effect of alcohol dependence on rib fracture outcomes.

expansion of gene-targeted hepatocytes through transient inhibition of an essential gene.

Homology Directed Repair (HDR)-based genome editing is an approach that could permanently correct a broad range of genetic diseases. However, its utility is limited by inefficient and imprecise DNA repair mechanisms in terminally differentiated tissues. Here, we tested "Repair Drive", a novel method for improving targeted gene insertion in the liver by selectively expanding correctly repaired hepatocytes .

Frequency of inter-specialty consensus decisions and adherence to advice following discussion at a weekly neurovascular multidisciplinary meeting.

Background/aims: Data are limited on the frequency of 'consensus decisions' between sub-specialists attending a neurovascular multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) regarding management of patients with extracranial carotid/vertebral stenoses and post-MDM 'adherence' to such advice.

Methods: This prospective audit/quality improvement project collated prospectively-recorded data from a weekly Neurovascular/Stroke Centre MDM documenting the proportion of extracranial carotid/vertebral stenosis patients in whom 'consensus management decisions' were reached by neurologists, vascular surgeons, stroke physicians-geriatricians and neuroradiologists. Adherence to MDM advice was analysed in asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS), symptomatic carotid stenosis (SCS), 'indeterminate symptomatic status stenosis' (ISS) and vertebral artery stenosis (VAS) patients, including intervals between index event to MDM + / - intervention.

Adeno-Associated virus 8 delivers an immunomodulatory peptide to mouse liver more efficiently than to rat liver.

Targeting the Kv1.3 potassium channel has proven effective in reducing obesity and the severity of animal models of autoimmune disease. Stichodactyla toxin (ShK), isolated from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus, is a potent blocker of Kv1.

Induction to neonatal resuscitation: A UK-wide survey on practice.

Aim: To assess the perceived quality, and variation in quality, of Neonatal Induction Programmes in preparing medical staff to attend deliveries and deliver neonatal resuscitation if required. To delineate the components of an induction programme and the systems processes that would optimise medical staff training in delivering neonatal resuscitation.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide (United Kingdom [UK]) survey of all junior doctors working within paediatric/neonatal posts as well as the persons responsible for organising their local Neonatal Induction Programme.

Incidence and development of cholestasis in surgical neonates receiving an intravenous mixed-oil lipid emulsion.

Background: Intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), initially manifesting as cholestasis, is a complication in neonates receiving parenteral nutrition (PN). Soybean oil lipid emulsion (SOLE), though implicated in IFALD, was the only US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved initial intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) for infants and children in the United States. A mixed-oil lipid emulsion (MOLE) gained popularity in patients at risk for IFALD and was recently FDA approved as an initial ILE in children.

Microbiome composition modulates secondary metabolism in a multispecies bacterial community.

Bacterial secondary metabolites are a major source of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds. In microbial communities, these molecules can mediate interspecies interactions and responses to environmental change. Despite the importance of secondary metabolites in human health and microbial ecology, little is known about their roles and regulation in the context of multispecies communities.

Dermoscopy as an adjunct to surgical excision of nonmelanoma Skin lesions: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) have an incidence of 152,000 cases per year in the United Kingdom (UK), which continues to rise. Incomplete excision rates for NMSC are estimated to be around 10 percent and result in patients having a higher risk of recurrence or having to undergo further treatment.

Objective: The objective of our study was to determine whether the use of dermoscopy as an adjunct to clinical examination could improve the rates of incomplete excision in NMSC lesions.

Adaptation and Testing of a Military Version of the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals.

Background: Moral distress is well-documented among civilian critical care nurses and adversely affects patient outcomes, care delivery, and retention of health care providers. Despite its recognized significance, few studies have addressed moral distress in military critical care nurses.

Objectives: To refine and validate an instrument to assess moral distress in military critical care nurses.

Temporal relations between peripheral and central arousals in good and poor sleepers.

Good sleepers and patients with insomnia symptoms (poor sleepers) were tracked with two measures of arousal; conventional polysomnography (PSG) for electroencephalogram (EEG) assessed cortical arousals, and a peripheral arterial tonometry device was used for the detection of peripheral nervous system (PNS) arousals associated with vasoconstrictions. The relationship between central (cortical) and peripheral (autonomic) arousals was examined by evaluating their close temporal dynamics. Cortical arousals almost invariably were preceded and followed by peripheral activations, while large peripheral autonomic arousals were followed by cortical arousals only half of the time.

Addressing the need for interactive, efficient, and reproducible data processing in ecology with the datacleanr R package.

Ecological research, just as all Earth System Sciences, is becoming increasingly data-rich. Tools for processing of "big data" are continuously developed to meet corresponding technical and logistical challenges. However, even at smaller scales, data sets may be challenging when best practices in data exploration, quality control and reproducibility are to be met.

THOR's Hammer: the Antibiotic Koreenceine Drives Gene Expression in a Model Microbial Community.

Microbial interactions dictate the structure and function of microbiomes, but the complexity of natural communities can obscure the individual interactions. Model microbial communities constructed with genetically tractable strains known to interact in natural settings can untangle these networks and reveal underpinning mechanisms. Our model system, he itchhikers f the hizosphere (THOR), is composed of three species-Bacillus cereus, Flavobacterium johnsoniae, and Pseudomonas koreensis-that co-isolate from field-grown soybean roots.

Treating Cardiovascular Disease with Liver Genome Engineering.

Purpose Of Review: This review examines recent progress in somatic genome editing for cardiovascular disease. We briefly highlight new gene editing approaches, delivery systems, and potential targets in the liver.

Recent Findings: In recent years, new editing and delivery systems have been applied successfully in model organisms to modify genes within hepatocytes.