Publications by authors named "Leon K"

Unlabelled: Ubiquitous in nature, biofilms provide stability in a fluctuating environment and provide protection from stressors. Biofilms formed in industrial processes are exceedingly problematic and costly. While biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the environment are often beneficial because of their capacity to remove toxic metals from water, in industrial pipelines, these biofilms cause a major economic impact due to their involvement in metal and concrete corrosion.

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  • Despite progress in recognizing and diagnosing spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in the last decade, there is still limited understanding of its mechanisms, contributing factors, and effective treatments.
  • The text highlights research gaps in SCAD and suggests strategies like patient advocacy, independent registries, and specialized centers to improve clinical care and research outcomes.
  • Additionally, it presents a patient-centered clinical care and research framework developed by the SCAD Alliance and International SCAD registry as a model to enhance understanding and management of this condition.
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Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors (aGPCRs) are key cell-adhesion molecules involved in numerous physiological functions. aGPCRs have large multi-domain extracellular regions (ECRs) containing a conserved GAIN domain that precedes their seven-pass transmembrane domain (7TM). Ligand binding and mechanical force applied on the ECR regulate receptor function.

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Cryptococcal meningitis is a fungal infection that is typically caused by and most commonly seen in severely immunosuppressed patient. This disease causes severe neurologic disease due to elevated intracranial pressures. In this case report, we describe a patient with newly diagnosed HIV presenting to the hospital with cryptococcal meningitis complicated by sudden vision loss.

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  • Ch1-39 is a microorganism isolated from chili powder in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and is known to thrive in various environments like water, soil, and hospitals, posing a risk as an opportunistic pathogen.
  • The genome of Ch1-39 was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq platform, revealing 72 contigs totaling 5,410,125 base pairs, with over 5,300 protein-coding sequences and a moderate G + C content.
  • The genomic data has been made publicly available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under specific project and sample IDs for further research.
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Introduction: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a pivotal role in regulating blood pressure (BP), with dysregulation of RAAS resulting in hypertension and potentially heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), cardio-renal syndrome, and stroke. RAAS inhibitors, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), have advantages beyond BP control. However, differences between these two drug classes need to be considered when choosing a therapy for preventing cardiovascular events.

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Lipid droplets (LDs) are organelles involved in lipid storage, maintenance of energy homeostasis, protein sequestration, signaling events and inter-organelle interactions. Recently, LDs have been shown to favor the replication of members from different viral families, such as the Flaviviridae and Coronaviridae. In this work, we show that LDs are essential organelles for members of the Arenaviridae family.

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As SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread worldwide, tractable primary airway cell models that recapitulate the cell-intrinsic response to arising viral variants are needed. Here we describe an adult stem cell-derived human airway organoid model overexpressing the ACE2 receptor (ACE2-OE) that supports robust viral replication while maintaining 3D architecture and cellular diversity of the airway epithelium. ACE2-OE organoids were infected with SARS-CoV-2 variants and subjected to single-cell RNA-sequencing.

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Anecdotal reports are appearing in the scientific literature about cases of brain tumors in interventional physicians who are exposed to ionizing radiation. In response to this alarm, several designs of leaded caps have been made commercially available. However, the results reported on their efficacy are discordant.

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Introduction: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a nonatherosclerotic cause of myocardial infarction. Migraine headache has been reported to be common among patients with SCAD, but the degree of migraine-related disability has not been quantified.

Methods: Clinical data and headache variables were obtained from the baseline assessment of the prospective, multicenter iSCAD Registry.

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Objectives: Given well-documented disparities in rural and minority communities, alternative service delivery models that help improve access to hearing care are needed. This article reports on a study of older Latino adults with hearing loss who received hearing aid services with Community Health Workers (CHWs) providing support via teleaudiology. The present study used qualitative data to explore perceptions of this novel service delivery model.

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  • Adhesion G Protein-coupled receptors (aGPCRs), like ADGRG6/GPR126, are essential for various developmental processes, such as axon myelination and heart development, and are linked to certain diseases and cancers.
  • The study focused on the behavior of the CUB domain at the end of the aGPCR's extracellular region, finding that its presence is crucial for proper signaling and receptor conformation.
  • Mutations in the CUB domain can either disrupt or enhance receptor signaling, highlighting its key role in guiding conformational changes necessary for ADGRG6 function.
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  • Myocardial infarction from spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) can lead to significant psychological issues, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), affecting many patients' quality of life.
  • In a study involving 1,156 SCAD patients, nearly 35% had experienced probable PTSD at some point, but a significant portion had not sought treatment for their symptoms.
  • Factors such as younger age at first SCAD, being single, and having a history of anxiety were linked to higher PTSD symptom severity, highlighting the need for better screening and treatment connections for affected individuals.
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  • Research highlights the importance of social networks in helping individuals cope with illness, moving beyond the traditional view of strong and weak ties to explore more complex connections like compartmental and elastic ties.
  • This study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative social network analysis and qualitative interviews, to investigate "nameless ties"—supportive relationships that don't fit conventional labels or categories.
  • The authors advocate for these mixed methods to better identify and understand marginalized individuals' support systems, particularly those facing chronic disability, poverty, and housing insecurity.
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Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors (aGPCRs) are key cell-adhesion molecules involved in numerous physiological functions. aGPCRs have large multi-domain extracellular regions (ECR) containing a conserved GAIN domain that precedes their seven-pass transmembrane domain (7TM). Ligand binding and mechanical force applied on the ECR regulate receptor function.

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To investigate the intrinsic relation between carbonic anhydrase inhibition and anticancer activity, we have prepared four sets of diaryl urea molecules and tested for the inhibition of hCA-IX and XII on two breast cancer cell lines. Among 21 compounds, compound J2 (with -SONH group) and J16 (without -SONH group) showed the best activity under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The IC values of J16 for MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, under normoxic condition were 6.

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Background: Approximately 60% of US adults live with chronic disease, imposing a significant burden on patients and the health care system. With the rise of telehealth, patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) have emerged as pivotal tools for managing chronic disease. While numerous PROMs exist, few have been designed explicitly for telehealth settings.

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Repatterning is a term that can be used in different fields, including genetics, molecular biology, neurology, psychology, or rehabilitation. Our aim is to identify the key concept of neuromuscular repatterning in somatic training programmes for dancers. A systematic search of eight databases was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines.

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Objectives: An association between physical inactivity and worse outcome during infectious disease has been reported. The effect of moderate exercise preconditioning on the immune response during an acute pneumonia in a murine model was evaluated.

Setting: Laboratory experiments.

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Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) experienced high levels of stress and mental health consequences associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have contributed to unhealthy coping behaviors, such as substance use coping (SUC). This study aimed to understand the extent of and predictors of SUC.

Methods: The sample consisted of 263 HCWs in North Central Florida.

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  • * A workshop held in April 2023, funded by the National Science Foundation, focused on identifying the current challenges and research gaps in bacterial wastewater surveillance, leading to discussions about methods, data standardization, and the importance of correlating wastewater data with human disease.
  • * To enhance bacterial monitoring in wastewater, experts suggested the need for better data reporting standards, method optimization, and a deeper understanding of bacterial shedding patterns to link wastewater findings to infection rates in communities.
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Background: NeuroEPO plus is a recombinant human erythropoietin without erythropoietic activity and shorter plasma half-life due to its low sialic acid content. NeuroEPO plus prevents oxidative damage, neuroinflammation, apoptosis and cognitive deficit in an Alzheimer's disease (AD) models. The aim of this study was to assess efficacy and safety of neuroEPO plus.

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Background: In a previous work, an IL-2Rβγ biased mutant derived from human IL-2 and called IL-2noα, was designed and developed. Greater antitumor effects and lower toxicity were observed compared to native IL-2. Nevertheless, mutein has some disadvantages, such as a very short half-life of about 9-12 min, propensity for aggregation, and solubility problems.

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Latinx individuals are the largest ethnic minoritized group in the United States (US) at 19% of the population. However, they remain underrepresented in clinical research, accounting for less than 8% of clinical trial participants. Consideration of cultural values could help overcome barriers to inclusion in clinical trials and result in better recruitment and retention of Latinx individuals.

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Purpose Of Review: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of tuberculosis. Inadequate diagnostic testing and treatment regimens adapted from pulmonary tuberculosis without consideration of the unique nature of TBM are among the potential drivers. This review focuses on the progress being made in relation to both diagnosis and treatment of TBM, emphasizing promising future directions.

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