A Multidisciplinary Approach That Considers Occurrence, Geochemistry, Bioavailability, and Toxicity to Prioritize Critical Minerals for Environmental Research.

Critical minerals (or critical elements) are minerals or elements that are essential to global security and development and have supply chains vulnerable to disruption. In general, knowledge of the environmental behavior and health effects of critical elements is needed to support the development of safe and environmentally responsible supplies. This knowledge includes identifying potential consequences of increased critical element production and use, alternative critical element sources such as mine wastes, and adverse effects of critical elements on ecosystem condition and organismal health.

Antimicrobial Use among Adult Inpatients in Northern Canada, 2019-2021.

Background: Antimicrobial use data from inpatients in northern Canada suitable to inform stewardship programs are limited.

Objective: As a special project of the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program, to describe antimicrobial use for inpatients in northern Canadian acute care hospitals.

Methods: Participating acute care hospitals serving adult or mixed adult and pediatric populations in northern Canada submitted annual data on the use of all systemic antimicrobials from 2019 to 2021.

Outcomes of Cardio-Cerebral Infarction Patients: A Single-Centre Retrospective Study.

Background Cardio-cerebral infarction (CCI) belongs to an area of growing interest within cerebrovascular medicine as it refers to the concurrence of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) usually within 72 hours. A scenario where both the heart and brain sustain a catastrophic ischaemic insult can be devastating. We describe the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of CCI patients from a North London Hyper-Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) over two years and propose a potential treatment algorithm for the treatment of CCI.

ZW sex chromosome structure in Amborella trichopoda.

Sex chromosomes have evolved hundreds of times across the flowering plant tree of life; their recent origins in some members of this clade can shed light on the early consequences of suppressed recombination, a crucial step in sex chromosome evolution. Amborella trichopoda, the sole species of a lineage that is sister to all other extant flowering plants, is dioecious with a young ZW sex determination system. Here we present a haplotype-resolved genome assembly, including highly contiguous assemblies of the Z and W chromosomes.

Cyclic peptides targeting the SARS-CoV-2 programmed ribosomal frameshifting RNA from a multiplexed phage display library.

RNA provides the genetic blueprint for many pathogenic viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The propensity of RNA to fold into specific tertiary structures enables the biomolecular recognition of cavities and crevices suited for the binding of drug-like molecules. Despite increasing interest in RNA as a target for chemical biology and therapeutic applications, the development of molecules that recognize RNA with high affinity and specificity represents a significant challenge.

A giant planet transiting a 3-Myr protostar with a misaligned disk.

Astronomers have found more than a dozen planets transiting stars that are 10-40 million years old, but younger transiting planets have remained elusive. The lack of such discoveries may be because planets have not fully formed at this age or because our view is blocked by the protoplanetary disk. However, we now know that many outer disks are warped or broken; provided the inner disk is depleted, transiting planets may thus be visible.

Employing innovation to enhance the safety and reliability of restorative surgical techniques for patients with familial adenomatous polyposis at a national referral centre.

Introduction: Restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) and total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (TC-IRA) are traditional surgical options for individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Re-appraisal and modification to these techniques, such as near-total colectomy with ileo-distal sigmoid anastomosis (NT-IDSA) and RPC with robotic intracorporeal single-stapled anastomosis (RPC-RiSSA), have been implemented in recent years. This study aimed to evaluate the early postoperative outcomes associated with novel techniques employed in a single centre for restorative surgery in patients with FAP.

Crisis prevention and response in Ryan white-funded HIV clinics.

The high prevalence of trauma among people with HIV (PWH) and its negative impact on HIV outcomes underscore the need for Ryan White-funded HIV clinics (RWCs) to implement trauma-informed care (TIC) inclusive of crisis prevention and response. As part of a mixed-methods study of TIC practices employed by RWCs, we conducted qualitative interviews with 36 administrators, providers, and staff from Southeastern RWCs exploring crisis prevention and response strategies. Interviews were guided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration TIC framework and analyzed using a framework-driven, qualitative thematic approach.

Knotty is nice: Metabolite binding and RNA-mediated gene regulation by the preQ riboswitch family.

Riboswitches sense specific cellular metabolites, leading to messenger RNA conformational changes that regulate downstream genes. Here, we review the three known prequeosine (preQ) riboswitch classes, which encompass five gene-regulatory motifs derived from distinct consensus models of folded RNA pseudoknots. Structural and functional analyses reveal multiple gene-regulation strategies ranging from partial occlusion of the ribosome-binding Shine-Dalgarno sequence (SDS), SDS sequestration driven by kinetic or thermodynamic folding pathways, direct preQ recognition by the SDS, and complete SDS burial with in the riboswitch architecture.

Factors Associated with Behavioral Health Outcomes in Veterinarians Involved in Disaster Responses.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine what factors are associated with behavioral health in veterinary disaster responders.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was distributed via snowball sampling. Results were analyzed using chi-square analyses.

Mixed and membrane-separated culturing of synthetic cyanobacteria-yeast consortia reveals metabolic cross-talk mimicking natural cyanolichens.

Metabolite exchange mediates crucial interactions in microbial communities, significantly impacting global carbon and nitrogen cycling. Understanding these chemically-mediated interactions is essential for elucidating natural community functions and developing engineered synthetic communities. This study investigated membrane-separated bioreactors (mBRs) as a novel tool to identify transient metabolites and their producers/consumers in mixed microbial communities.

Fish Health Altered by Contaminants and Low Water Temperatures Compounded by Prolonged Regional Drought in the Lower Colorado River Basin, USA.

The goal of this study was to assess health of male Common Carp (carp, ) at four sites with a wide range in environmental organic contaminant (EOC) concentrations and water temperatures in Lake Mead National Recreation Area NV/AZ, US, and the potential influence of regional drought. Histological and reproductive biomarkers were measured in 17-30 carp at four sites and 130 EOCs in water per site were analyzed using passive samplers in 2010. Wide ranges among sites were noted in total EOC concentrations (>10Xs) and water temperature/degree days (10Xs).

Ultrasound normalized local variance to assess metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Purpose: Increased prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) highlights a desire for screening with liver ultrasound normalized local variance (NLV). We aimed to assess variations in NLV values measured at different sampling depths and discuss common technical considerations in measuring liver NLV.

Methods: We retrospectively measured liver NLVs at variable depths on ultrasound images pre-recorded in 116 participants who underwent liver magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) and ultrasound to screen for MASLD.

Osseous tumors of the foot, ankle, and lower leg: a cross-sectional observational study analysing 288 cases.

Background: Osseous tumors of the foot and ankle are rarely encountered in general orthopaedic practice and represent only 3 % of osseous neoplasms. It can be difficult to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, leading to misdiagnosis. Delays in diagnosis are the main cause of litigation in sarcoma of the extremities.

Two riboswitch classes that share a common ligand-binding fold show major differences in the ability to accommodate mutations.

Riboswitches are structured RNAs that sense small molecules to control expression. Prequeuosine1 (preQ1)-sensing riboswitches comprise three classes (I, II and III) that adopt distinct folds. Despite this difference, class II and III riboswitches each use 10 identical nucleotides to bind the preQ1 metabolite.

Recurrent Neurodevelopmentally Associated Variants of the Pre-mRNA Splicing Factor U2AF2 Alter RNA Binding Affinities and Interactions.

mutations affecting the pre-mRNA splicing factor U2AF2 are associated with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities, yet the molecular basis is unknown. Here, we demonstrated by fluorescence anisotropy RNA binding assays that recurrent missense mutants (Arg149Trp, Arg150His, or Arg150Cys) decreased the binding affinity of U2AF2 for a consensus splice site RNA. Crystal structures at 1.

Soft tissue tumors of the lower leg, foot and ankle: A cross-sectional observational study analysing 376 cases.

Fewer than 5 % of soft tissue sarcomas arise in the foot and ankle. It can be difficult to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions which leads to a delay in diagnosis. Initial inappropriate procedures limit options for limb salvage and increasing rates of local recurrence.