Voltage-Gated Ion Channel Compensatory Effect in DEE: Implications for Future Therapies.

Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies (DEEs) represent a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of rare and severe epilepsies. DEEs commonly begin early in infancy with frequent seizures of various types associated with intellectual disability and leading to a neurodevelopmental delay or regression. Disease-causing genomic variants have been identified in numerous genes and are implicated in over 100 types of DEEs.

Cuticular hydrocarbons promote desiccation resistance by preventing transpiration in Drosophila melanogaster.

Desiccation is a fundamental challenge confronted by all terrestrial organisms, particularly insects. With a relatively small body size and large surface-to-volume ratio, insects are susceptible to rapid evaporative water loss and dehydration. To counter these physical constraints, insects have acquired specialized adaptations, including a hydrophobic cuticle that acts as a physical barrier to transpiration.

The gene "degrees of kevin bacon" (dokb) regulates a social network behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster.

Social networks are a mathematical representation of interactions among individuals which are prevalent across various animal species. Studies of human populations have shown the breadth of what can spread throughout a social network: obesity, smoking cessation, happiness, drug use and divorce. 'Betweenness centrality' is a key property of social networks that indicates an individual's importance in facilitating communication and cohesion within the network.

Survival of retained permanent canines after autotransplantation: A retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: After third molars, canines are the teeth most commonly affected by displacement and impaction. Although orthodontic surgical treatment represents the standard method for realignment of canines, autotransplantation (autoTX) functions as the second-line therapy if orthodontic alignment does not succeed in treating impaction and severe displacement. This retrospective cohort study aimed to identify clinical predictors for postoperative survival and endodontic treatment needs after autoTX of severely displaced and impacted canines.

Reflecting upon the Long-term Impact of COVID-19 on Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Education.

As we enter a new year, this article serves as an opportunity to ponder on the impact of a worldwide pandemic on physicians and the field of plastic surgery, which began 4 years ago in January 2020. When looking at the data in the general-surgery and reconstructive literature, the surgical treatment of patients with COVID-19 appears safest 8 weeks after infection. It was also found that the so-called Zoom-boom crush of cosmetic surgery cases following pandemic lockdown appeared to be largely due to a backlog of cases.

A Novel Approach to Reducing Splash Exposure in Pulsatile Lavage.

Pulsatile lavage is utilized to copiously irrigate contaminated wounds; however, the current devices can cause significant splashing and increase the risk of contaminated fluid exposure to healthcare professionals. To create a larger splash guard for the standard pulsatile lavage device, we use heavy scissors to remove the end of a plastic light handle. We then place the nozzle of the lavage device through the open end to create a larger splash guard.

Split luciferase-based assay to detect botulinum neurotoxins using hiPSC-derived motor neurons.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) have been widely used clinically as a muscle relaxant. These toxins target motor neurons and cleave proteins essential for neurotransmitter release like Synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25). In vitro assays for BoNT testing using rodent cells or immortalized cell lines showed limitations in accuracy and physiological relevance.

UBR4/POE facilitates secretory trafficking to maintain circadian clock synchrony.

Ubiquitin ligases control the degradation of core clock proteins to govern the speed and resetting properties of the circadian pacemaker. However, few studies have addressed their potential to regulate other cellular events within clock neurons beyond clock protein turnover. Here, we report that the ubiquitin ligase, UBR4/POE, strengthens the central pacemaker by facilitating neuropeptide trafficking in clock neurons and promoting network synchrony.

BoNT/A1 Secondary Failure for the Treatment of Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity: An Ex Vivo Functional Study.

Management of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) remains a clinical priority to improve patients' quality of life and prevent dramatic urological complications. Intradetrusor injection of onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNT/A1, botulinum neurotoxin A1) is approved as second therapeutic line in these patients, demonstrating a good efficacy. However, a loss of its efficacy over time has been described, with no clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms.

Breast Reconstruction in Inflammatory Breast Cancer: An Analysis of Predictors, Trends, and Survival from the National Cancer Database.

Introduction: Survival for women diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) has improved with advances in multimodal therapy. This study was performed to evaluate trends, predictors, and survival for reconstruction in IBC patients in the United States.

Methods: Women who underwent mastectomy with or without reconstruction for IBC between 2004 and 2016 were included from the National Cancer Database.

Timing of Gastrografin administration in the management of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO): Does it matter?

Background: Gastrografin challenge is increasingly used as a diagnostic tool to predict patients who may benefit from nonoperative management in adhesive small bowel obstruction. This study explores the optimal timing of Gastrografin in the management of adhesive small bowel obstruction by comparing early versus late Gastrografin challenge.

Methods: A retrospective chart review from January 2016 to January 2018 identified patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction who underwent Gastrografin challenge.

hiPSC-Derived Neurons Provide a Robust and Physiologically Relevant Platform to Test Botulinum Neurotoxins.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are zinc metalloproteases that block neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Their high affinity for motor neurons combined with a high potency have made them extremely effective drugs for the treatment of a variety of neurological diseases as well as for aesthetic applications. Current assays used for testing and developing BoNT therapeutics include primary rodent cells and immortalized cell lines.

Early postoperative outcomes in implant, pedicled, and free flap reconstruction for breast cancer: an analysis of 23,834 patients from the ACS-NSQIP datasets.

Introduction: Many patients seek breast reconstruction following mastectomy. Debate exists regarding the best reconstructive option. The authors evaluate outcomes comparing implant, free flap, and pedicled flap reconstruction.

The gut microbiome defines social group membership in honey bee colonies.

In the honey bee, genetically related colony members innately develop colony-specific cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, which serve as pheromonal nestmate recognition cues. Yet, despite high intracolony relatedness, the innate development of colony-specific chemical signatures by individual colony members is largely determined by the colony environment, rather than solely relying on genetic variants shared by nestmates. Therefore, it is puzzling how a nongenic factor could drive the innate development of a quantitative trait that is shared by members of the same colony.

Meta-Analyses of Fraternal and Sororal Birth Order Effects in Homosexual Pedophiles, Hebephiles, and Teleiophiles.

This study investigated the relations between numbers of older brothers, numbers of older sisters, and the odds of homosexuality in later-born males, including males who are most attracted sexually to prepubescent or early pubescent children (pedohebephiles) and males who are most attracted sexually to adults (teleiophiles). The authors meta-analyzed data from 24 samples of homosexual and heterosexual men, originally reported in 18 studies, and totaling 18,213 subjects. The results confirmed that older brothers increase the odds of same-sex preference in pedohebephiles as they do in teleiophiles.

[The Measurement of Psychological Mindedness: a validation study of the German version of the Balanced Index of Psychological Mindedness (BIPM)].

The aim of the study is to examine central measurement properties of the translated Balanced Index of Psychological Mindedness (BIPM) within a sample of German native speakers. Factor structure, validity and reliability of the BIPM was examined using data from a community sample of 399 participants. Additionally, associations between BIPM and socio-demographic variables were tested.

A method yielding comparable estimates of the fraternal birth order and female fecundity effects in male homosexuality.

The fraternal birth order effect (FBOE) is the finding that older brothers increase the probability of homosexuality in later-born males, and the female fecundity effect (FFE) is the finding that the mothers of homosexual males produce more offspring than the mothers of heterosexual males. In a recent paper, Khovanova proposed a novel method for computing independent estimates of these effects on the same samples and expressing the magnitude and direction of the effects in the same metric. In her procedure, only families with one or two sons are examined, and daughters are ignored.

Observational stepped-wedge analysis of a community health worker-led intervention for diabetes and hypertension in rural Mexico.

Objectives: There is emerging interest and data supporting the effectiveness of community health workers (CHWs) in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low/middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to determine whether a CHW-led intervention targeting diabetes and hypertension could improve markers of clinical disease control in rural Mexico.

Design And Setting: A prospective observational stepped-wedge study was conducted across seven communities in rural Chiapas, Mexico from March 2014 to April 2018.

Desiccation resistance is an adaptive life-history trait dependent upon cuticular hydrocarbons, and influenced by mating status and temperature in D. melanogaster.

Terrestrial insects are susceptible to desiccation and conserve internal water stores by preventing the loss of water due to transpiration across the cuticle. The epicuticle, a thin waxy layer on the outer surface of the insect cuticle is comprised primarily of a complex blend of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) and is integral to preventing cuticular water loss. How the composition of epicuticular lipids (quantity and quality of the specific hydrocarbons) relates to desiccation resistance, however, has been difficult to determine.

A Theoretical Model Describing the Dynamics of Venous Flow in the DIEP Flap.

Background:  The deep inferior epigastric artery flap is an integral component of autologous breast reconstruction. The technical aspects of performing the flap have been well-established. A prior mathematical model suggested using the largest perforator and concluded that the inclusion of additional perforators may decrease resistance and increase flow, but at the downside of increased tissue trauma.

Iron-Sulfur Cluster Repair Contributes to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Survival within Deep Tissues.

To successfully colonize host tissues, bacteria must respond to and detoxify many different host-derived antimicrobial compounds, such as nitric oxide (NO). NO has direct antimicrobial activity through attack on iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster-containing proteins. NO detoxification plays an important role in promoting bacterial survival, but it remains unclear if repair of Fe-S clusters is also important for bacterial survival within host tissues.