Microelectronic Structure and Doping Nonuniformity of Phosphorus-Doped CdSeTe Solar Cells.

Optimizing group-V doping and Se alloying are two main focuses for advancing CdTe photovoltaic technology. We report on nanometer-scale characterizations of microelectronic structures of phosphorus (P)-doped CdSeTe devices using a combination of two atomic force microscopy-based techniques, namely, Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM). KPFM on device cross-section images distribution of the potential drop across the device.

Development of 6-amido-4-aminoisoindolyn-1,3-diones as p70S6K1 inhibitors and potential breast cancer therapeutics.

Introduction: Many breast cancer therapeutics target the PI3K/AKT/mTOR oncogenic pathway. Development of resistance to the therapeutics targeting this pathway is a frequent occurrence. Therapeutics targeting p70S6K1, a downstream member of this pathway, have recently gained importance due to its critical role in all types of breast cancer and its status as a prognostic marker.

Balance between photoreduction efficiency, cofactor affinity, and allosteric coupling of halogenase flavoenzymes.

Flavin-dependent halogenases (FDHs) are promising candidates for the sustainable production of halogenated organic molecules by biocatalysis. FDHs require only oxygen, halide and a fully reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADH) cofactor to generate the reactive HOX that diffuses 10 Å to the substrate binding pocket and enables regioselective oxidative halogenation. A key challenge for the application of FDHs is the regeneration of the FADH.

Comparative Effectiveness of Buprenorphine Adherence with Telemedicine versus In-person for Rural and Urban Patients.

Background: Policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed buprenorphine to be prescribed for opioid use disorder (OUD) via telemedicine without an in-person visit. A recently proposed change will limit buprenorphine access to 30 days without an in-person visit. Given that people living in rural areas may be disproportionally impacted by this change, we sought to better understand how buprenorphine adherence may be impacted by requiring in-person visits.

Developing a Charlson Comorbidity Index for the American Indian Population Using the Epidemiologic Data from the Strong Heart Study.

Background: The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) is a frequently used mortality predictor based on a scoring system for the number and type of patient comorbidities health researchers have used since the late 1980s. The initial purpose of the CCI was to classify comorbid conditions, which could alter the risk of patient mortality within a 1-year time frame. However, the CCI may not accurately reflect risk among American Indians because they are a small proportion of the US population and possibly lack representation in the original patient cohort.

Adapting the Role of Doulas to Enhance Supports for Perinatal People with Substance Use Disorders.

Purpopse: There is a gap in the current literature regarding how doula care may be implemented into existing systems in Montana to best address the needs of individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) during the perinatal period. Doulas may be particularly well positioned to reach a diverse range of patients, allowing them to feel supported and advocated for within the medical system. This study aims to illustrate the perspectives and experiences of doulas, individuals who have experienced perinatal SUDs, and maternal and mental health providers.

Deciphering Colorectal Cancer-Hepatocyte Interactions: A Multiomic Platform for Interrogation of Metabolic Crosstalk in the Liver-Tumor Microenvironment.

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, enabling tumor cells to adapt to and exploit their microenvironment for sustained growth. The liver is a common site of metastasis, but the interactions between tumor cells and hepatocytes remain poorly understood. In the context of liver metastasis, these interactions play a crucial role in promoting tumor survival and progression.

Right-sizing expectations for hand hygiene observation collection.

Background: Hand Hygiene (HH) monitoring is essential for patient and staff safety, but the optimal number of observations remains elusive. This project aimed to determine a statistically comparable number below the current standard of 100 to 200 per month per unit.

Methods: HH observations from various hospitals were grouped in strata by facility, unit, and month, then resampled into sets of 25, 50, 100, and 150 for comparison with 200.

Response of the ductus arteriosus to acetaminophen or indomethacin in extremely low birth weight infants.

Objective: Acetaminophen and indomethacin are used for medical management of a patent ductus arteriosus. This study compared the efficacy of these agents in ELBW infants.

Study Design: This was a retrospective study of all courses of indomethacin and acetaminophen.

A global comparison of surface and subsurface microbiomes reveals large-scale biodiversity gradients, and a marine-terrestrial divide.

Subsurface environments are among Earth's largest habitats for microbial life. Yet, until recently, we lacked adequate data to accurately differentiate between globally distributed marine and terrestrial surface and subsurface microbiomes. Here, we analyzed 478 archaeal and 964 bacterial metabarcoding datasets and 147 metagenomes from diverse and widely distributed environments.

Regional differences in three-dimensional fiber organization, smooth muscle cell phenotype, and contractility in the pregnant mouse cervix.

The orientation and function of smooth muscle in the cervix may contribute to the important biomechanical properties that change during pregnancy. Thus, this study examined the three-dimensional structure, smooth muscle phenotype, and mechanical and contractile functions of the upper and lower cervix of nongravid (not pregnant) and gravid (pregnant) mice. In gravid cervix, we uncovered region-specific changes in the structure and organization of fiber tracts.

AXL-TBK1 driven AKT3 activation promotes metastasis.

The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL promotes tumor progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance through the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here, we found that activation of AXL resulted in the phosphorylation of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and the downstream activation of AKT3 and Snail, a transcription factor critical for EMT. Mechanistically, we showed that TBK1 directly bound to and phosphorylated AKT3 in a manner dependent on the multiprotein complex mTORC1.

Is It Really a Failure? A Survey About Foster Animal Adoption.

The widespread use of the term "foster fail" in animal rescue suggests that it happens often, but no research has explored the prevalence of volunteers adopting their foster animals or whether the phenomenon is really a "failure". This survey-based study focused on the following questions: 1. How common are foster fails among volunteers on shelter and rescue lists and why do they occur? 2.

Alcohol use as a risk factor for Clostridioides difficile.

Background: Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is a pathogen of concern. Several risk factors are known, but patients without these risk factors continue to develop the disease.

Intrinsic-dimension analysis for guiding dimensionality reduction and data fusion in multi-omics data processing.

Multi-omics data have revolutionized biomedical research by providing a comprehensive understanding of biological systems and the molecular mechanisms of disease development. However, analyzing multi-omics data is challenging due to high dimensionality and limited sample sizes, necessitating proper data-reduction pipelines to ensure reliable analyses. Additionally, its multimodal nature requires effective data-integration pipelines.

Acceptability of an organ inventory for cancer screening across gender identity and intersex status.

Objectives: To evaluate the acceptability and performance of an organ inventory as an alternative to asking about gender and/or sex assigned at birth in cancer screening.

Methods: We fielded an online, self-administered survey to a convenience sample of English- or Spanish-speaking transgender and gender-diverse (TGD), intersex, and cisgender people (>/=15 years) in the US. The survey contained an organ inventory developed with community input and questions regarding acceptability.

Quantifying articulatory variations across phonological environments: An atlas-based approach using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.

Identification and quantification of speech variations in velar production across various phonological environments have always been an interesting topic in speech motor control studies. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging has become a favorable tool for visualizing articulatory deformations and providing quantitative insights into speech activities over time. Based on this modality, it is proposed to employ a workflow of image analysis techniques to uncover potential deformation variations in the human tongue caused by changes in phonological environments by altering the placement of velar consonants in utterances.

The role of early temperament on oral language development of New Zealand children speaking Mandarin or Cantonese.

This study investigated the role of temperament in oral language development in over 200 Mandarin and Cantonese speakers in the pre-birth longitudinal cohort study. Mothers assessed infant temperament at nine months using a five-factor Infant Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised Very Short Form. They also reported on children's vocabulary and word combinations at age two using adapted MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory short forms.

Development of Prediction Models for Severe Pain and Urinary Symptoms After Ureteroscopy With Ureteral Stent Placement: Results From the STENTS Study and Initial Validation of Pain Interference.

Purpose: We developed prediction models for severe pain and urinary symptoms after ureteroscopy with ureteral stent placement.

Materials And Methods: The development cohort included 424 adults and adolescents enrolled in the multicenter STENTS prospective cohort study who underwent ureteroscopy with stent placement for urinary stones. The validation cohort was an independent prospective cohort of 115 adults.

Correlation of Anti-Müllerian hormone serum concentration measured in proestrus and estrus with the litter size as a fertility marker in bitches.

The use of the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) serum concentration as a fertility marker has been shown in cows, sheep and mares and has been indicated in one study in female dogs. The aim of this study was to investigate the connection between the AMH serum concentration, taken at two defined time points during the bitch`s heat, and the litter size to investigate whether AMH can be used as a practical measurement for the individual breeding bitch to predict litter size. The study was carried out on 27 healthy female dogs presented for pre-breeding examination, considering all previously known influencing factors on AMH in the bitch such as age, body weight and estrous cycle phase at the time the sample was taken.

FIRST REPORT OF ANISANDRUS MAICHE (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE: SCOLYTINAE) INFESTING APPLE TREES.

Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are among the most devastating pests of orchards, nurseries, and forest ecosystems. Anisandrus maiche (Kurentzov) has been regularly captured in ethanol-baited traps along woody edges of apple (Malus domestica (Suckow) Borkh.) orchards in western New York alongside a known apple pest, Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford).

[Flushing the canine prepuce before mating, useful or not?].

Objective: Various facultative pathogenic bacteria have been detected in the dog's prepuce. To prevent the transmission of these bacteria, some breeders flush the prepuce of their stud dogs before mating. The purpose of this study is to find out whether preputial flushing is medically useful before mating.