Therapeutic potential of siRNA PMP22-SQ nanoparticles for Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A neuropathy in rodents and non-human primates.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has shown promising results for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease 1A (CMT1A) caused by overexpression of peripheral myelin protein (PMP22), leading to myelin dysfunction and axonal damage. Recently, we developed siRNA PMP22-squalene (SQ) nanoparticles (NPs) for intravenous use. Three consecutive injections of siRNA PMP22-SQ NPs at a cumulative dose of 1.

Accelerating materials property prediction via a hybrid Transformer Graph framework that leverages four body interactions.

Machine learning has advanced the rapid prediction of inorganic materials properties, yet data scarcity for specific properties and capturing thermodynamic stability remains challenging. We propose a framework utilizing a Graph Neural Network with composition-based and crystal structure-based architectures, combined with a transfer learning scheme. This approach accurately predicts energy-related properties (e.

Pathologic responses and clinical outcomes with neoadjuvant doublet chemotherapy for newly diagnosed, surgically-resectable p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: The feasibility and outcomes of neoadjuvant doublet chemotherapy with cisplatin and docetaxel followed by surgical resection of residual disease (NAC + S) for patients with newly diagnosed, resectable p16 positive (+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has been reported from a single institution. Here, we report pathologic responses, need for adjuvant treatment and recurrence-free survival (RFS) following this treatment from a second large academic institution.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with p16 + OPSCC receiving NAC + S and risk-adjusted adjuvant treatment between January 2017 and March 2024 was performed.

Modeling nearshore-offshore water exchange in Lake Ontario.

The water quality and resources of Lake Ontario's nearshore ecosystem undergo heightened stress, particularly along the northwest shoreline. Hydrodynamic processes linking the distinct nearshore and offshore trophic structures play a crucial role in transporting nutrient-loaded water along and across the shore. Despite the pivotal connection between algae growth and the development of nuisance proportions, the scales over which these processes operate remain poorly understood.

Antifungal Activity of Alcoholic Extract of Allium Jesdianum on Fungi-Contaminated Dairy Products.

Background: One of the main sources of contaminated dairy products is moldy fungi, specifically species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the alcoholic extract of Allium jesdianum plant on the growth of molds contaminating dairy products in Isfahan.

Materials And Methods: In this research, 200 samples of dairy products were gathered from different areas of Isfahan city, including 70 samples of cheese, 60 samples of buttermilk, 40 samples of yogurt, 20 samples of curd, and 10 samples of cream.

Functionalized cellulose nanocrystals reinforced PLA-gelatin electrospun fibers for potential antibacterial wound dressing and coating applications.

This study addresses the critical need for effective antibacterial materials by exploring the innovative integration of dimethyloctadecyl [3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] ammonium chloride (DTSACl) onto cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), followed by its incorporation into polylactic acid and gelatin matrices to engineer antibacterial nanofiber mats. The modification of CNC with DTSACl (QACNC) was studied and confirmed by FT-IR, C NMR, and XRD analysis. Furthermore, the impact of such addition on the morphology, mechanical, hydrophobic properties, and antibacterial efficacy of the resultant QACNC nanofibers were thoroughly investigated.

Ethics guidelines for palliative care of terminally ill patients in Islamic Republic of Iran.

Background: There have been many challenges with clinical interventions and policy decisions to enhance the quality of life and care for patients facing life-threatening illnesses, thus highlighting the need for ethical considerations and guidelines for palliative care of terminally ill patients.

Aim: To document the development of guidelines for addressing ethical concerns in the palliative care of terminally ill patients in Islamic Republic of Iran.

Methods: The guidelines were developed in 4 phases: a scoping review of existing palliative care guidelines on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and 2 Persian databases; focus group discussions to improve the drafts guidelines; online opinion poll of 32 experts, including ethicists, religious scholars, psychologists, palliative care specialists, and sociologists; and a national workshop to produce the final guidelines for government approval.

Correction: Sustainable polymeric adsorbents for adsorption-based water remediation and pathogen deactivation: a review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D4RA05269B.].

Relationship between the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and decreased functional bladder capacity.

Purpose: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Recently, non-classical risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), have gained attention. Both CVD and LUTS are prevalent among aging populations and share common vascular risk factors.

Sustainable polymeric adsorbents for adsorption-based water remediation and pathogen deactivation: a review.

Water is a fundamental resource, yet various contaminants increasingly threaten its quality, necessitating effective remediation strategies. Sustainable polymeric adsorbents have emerged as promising materials in adsorption-based water remediation technologies, particularly for the removal of contaminants and deactivation of water-borne pathogens. Pathogenetic water contamination, which involves the presence of harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, poses a significant threat to public health.

Efficacy and safety of selexipag in patients with inoperable or persistent/recurrent CTEPH (SELECT randomised trial).

Background: SELECT was the first global randomised controlled trial of selexipag with standard of care in patients with inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Methods: SELECT was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, group-sequential, phase 3 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03689244).

Worldwide CTEPH Registry: Long-Term Outcomes With Pulmonary Endarterectomy, Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty, and Medical Therapy.

Background: The European Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) registry, conducted between 2007 and 2012, reported the major impact of pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) on the long-term survival of patients with CTEPH. Since then, 2 additional treatments for inoperable CTEPH have become available: balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), and an approved oral drug therapy with the guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat. The current registry aimed to evaluate the effect of these new therapeutic approaches in a worldwide context.

Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy: The Potentially Curative Treatment of Choice for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a consequence of unresolved organized thromboembolic obstruction of the pulmonary arteries, which can cause pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure. Owing to its subtle signs, determining its exact incidence and prevalence is challenging. Furthermore, CTEPH may also present without any prior venous thromboembolic history, contributing to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.

Solvent Dependence of Ionic Liquid-Based Pt Nanoparticle Synthesis: Machine Learning-Aided In-Line Monitoring in a Flow Reactor.

Colloidal platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) possess a myriad of technologically relevant applications. A potentially sustainable route to synthesize Pt NPs is polyol reduction in ionic liquid (IL) solvents; however, the development of this synthetic method is limited by the fact that reaction kinetics have not been investigated. In-line analysis in a flow reactor is an appealing approach to obtain such kinetic data; unfortunately, the optical featurelessness of Pt NPs in the visible spectrum complicates the direct analysis of flow chemistry products ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease.

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is a complication of pulmonary embolism and a treatable cause of pulmonary hypertension. The pathology is a unique combination of mechanical obstruction due to failure of clot resolution, and a variable degree of microvascular disease, that both contribute to pulmonary vascular resistance. Accordingly, multiple treatments have been developed to target the disease components.

The Effects of Electric Fields on Protein Phase Behavior and Protein Crystallization Kinetics.

We experimentally studied the effects of an externally applied electric field on protein crystallization and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and its crystallization kinetics. For a surprisingly weak alternating current (AC) electric field, crystallization was found to occur in a wider region of the phase diagram, while nucleation induction times were reduced, and crystal growth rates were enhanced. LLPS on the contrary was suppressed, which diminishes the tendency for a two-step crystallization scenario.

Awareness of antimicrobial resistance and appropriate handling of antibiotics by the public in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study using a quiz game.

Objective: Public awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is essential to tackling this issue. Studies in Saudi Arabia have demonstrated insufficient AMR knowledge among the public. We aimed to indirectly raise awareness while simultaneously assessing the public's knowledge.

Conductometric HS Sensors Based on TiO Nanoparticles.

High-performance hydrogen sulfide (HS) sensors are mandatory for many industrial applications. However, the development of HS sensors still remains a challenge for researchers. In this work, we report the study of a TiO-based conductometric sensor for HS monitoring at low concentrations.

Volumetric Analysis: Effect on Diagnosis and Management of Indeterminate Solid Pulmonary Nodules in Routine Clinical Practice.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of volumetric analysis on the diagnosis and management of indeterminate solid pulmonary nodules in routine clinical practice.

Methods: This was a retrospective study with 107 computed tomography (CT) cases of solid pulmonary nodules (range, 6-15 mm), 57 pathology-proven malignancies (lung cancer, n = 34; metastasis, n = 23), and 50 benign nodules. Nodules were evaluated on a total of 309 CT scans (average number of CTs/nodule, 2.

Evaluation of responses to cardiac imaging questions by the artificial intelligence large language model ChatGPT.

Purpose: To assess ChatGPT's ability as a resource for educating patients on various aspects of cardiac imaging, including diagnosis, imaging modalities, indications, interpretation of radiology reports, and management.

Methods: 30 questions were posed to ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 three times in three separate chat sessions.

NT-pro-BNP is predictive of morbidity and mortality after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy and is independent of preoperative hemodynamics.

Current predictors of clinical outcomes after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are largely limited to preoperative clinical characteristics. N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), a biomarker of right ventricular dysfunction, has not yet been well described as one such predictor. From 2017 to 2021, 816 patients with CTEPH referred to the University of California, San Diego for PTE were reviewed for differences in NT-pro-BNP to predict preoperative characteristics and postoperative outcomes up to 30 days post-PTE.

Analysis of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The role of immune system in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases has been studied for decades in animal models. However, invasive studies in human subjects remain controversial due to the heterogeneity of the presentation of different diagnostic categories at different stages of the disease. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) contain immune cells including dendritic cells (DCs), monocytes, macrophages, and T lymphocytes.