Draft genome sequences of sp. MMG031 and sp. MMG032 isolated from the dinoflagellate .

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of sp. MMG031 and sp. MMG032, isolated from coral-associated dinoflagellate , assembled and analyzed by undergraduate students participating in a Marine Microbial Genomics (MMG) course.

Increasing Neurosurgical Resident Research Productivity Through Cultural Shift: Choosing Carrots Over Sticks.

Introduction As part of the Milestones Initiative of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), residents in neurosurgery are expected to participate in either clinical research or basic science research. Therefore, each neurosurgical training program must offer the support and opportunity to achieve this goal. In 2012, a structured effort to promote a resident culture of research was introduced into the authors' neurosurgery residency training curriculum.

Oral agents for lowering lipoprotein(a).

Purpose Of Review: To review the development of oral agents to lower Lp(a) levels as an approach to reducing cardiovascular risk, with a focus on recent advances in the field.

Recent Findings: Extensive evidence implicates Lp(a) in the causal pathway of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and calcific aortic stenosis. There are currently no therapies approved for lowering of Lp(a).

Improving care and survival of newborns with surgical conditions in Tanzania (TINY Tanzania): a focus on gastroschisis.

Purpose: Gastroschisis is associated with over 90% mortality in many sub-Saharan African countries. The introduction of the Gastroschisis Care Bundle at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) increased survival up to 60%. We aim to explain the impact of using implementation science methods to decentralize the care of babies with gastroschisis to other parts of Tanzania.

Childhood Lead Exposure Linked to Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches - North Carolina, June 2023-January 2024.

Lead exposure is toxic even at low levels, resulting in impairments that can affect a child's lifelong success. In North Carolina, testing for lead is encouraged for all children at ages 1 and 2 years and required for children covered by Medicaid; investigations are performed to identify potential exposure sources for children with blood lead levels (BLLs) ≥5 μg/dL. During June-August 2023, routine lead testing identified four asymptomatic North Carolina children with BLLs ≥5 μg/dL.

Quality of life and patient-reported toxicities in patients with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma treated with combined nivolumab and ipilimumab with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare skin cancer associated with poor survival. Based on a previous Phase II trial of adults with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma by Kim and colleagues (2022), there is now a strong rationale for combination therapy (i.e.

Discovery of potent small-molecule inhibitors of lipoprotein(a) formation.

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), an independent, causal cardiovascular risk factor, is a lipoprotein particle that is formed by the interaction of a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle and apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)). Apo(a) first binds to lysine residues of apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100) on LDL through the Kringle IV (K) 7 and 8 domains, before a disulfide bond forms between apo(a) and apoB-100 to create Lp(a) (refs. ).

Habitat escalated adaptive therapy (HEAT): a phase 2 trial utilizing radiomic habitat-directed and genomic-adjusted radiation dose (GARD) optimization for high-grade soft tissue sarcoma.

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS), have significant inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity, with poor response to standard neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT). Achieving a favorable pathologic response (FPR ≥ 95%) from RT is associated with improved patient outcome. Genomic adjusted radiation dose (GARD), a radiation-specific metric that quantifies the expected RT treatment effect as a function of tumor dose and genomics, proposed that STS is significantly underdosed.

In vitro protein digestion and carbohydrate colon fermentation of microbial biomass samples from bacterial, filamentous fungus and yeast sources.

This study evaluated the nutritional quality of different microbial biomass samples by assessing their protein digestibility and carbohydrate fermentability in the colon using in vitro methods. Four microbial samples were produced: one hydrogen-oxidizing bacterial strain (Nocardioides nitrophenolicus KGS-27), two strains of filamentous fungi (Rhizopus oligosporus and Paecilomyces variotii), and one yeast strain (Rhodotorula babjevae). The microorganisms were grown in bioreactors, harvested and dried before analysis.

Case Curve: A Novel Web-Based Platform and Mobile Phone Application to Evaluate Surgical Competence in Graduate Medical Education.

Background And Objectives: Competency-based medical education is well established, yet methods to evaluate and document acquisition of surgical skill remain underdeveloped. We describe a novel web-based application for competency-based surgical education at a single neurosurgical department over a 3-year period.

Methods: We used a web-based application to track procedural and cognitive skills acquisition for neurosurgical residents.

The Development of Skull Base Surgery as a Discipline: Remembrances of Dr Jon H. Robertson.

Skull base surgery is a young surgical subspecialty currently led by its second generation of surgeons. At present, there is no literature that narrates the connection of the present to the past. An extended interview was held with Dr Jon H.

Social networks, secondary syringe exchange, and opioid agonist therapy retention among people who inject drugs in Hartford, CT.

Background: Opioid agonist therapies (OAT) and  harm reduction such as syringe service programs (SSP) have been shown to be effective in preventing adverse outcomes such as overdose deaths, HIV and Hepatitis C infections among people who inject drugs (PWID). The importance of social network influence on disease transmission is well established, yet the interplay between harm reduction and network structures is, generally, not well understood. This study aims to analyze how social networks can mediate the harm reduction effects associated with secondary exchange through syringe service programs (SSP) and opioid agonist therapies (OAT) among injection network members.

Lepodisiran, an Extended-Duration Short Interfering RNA Targeting Lipoprotein(a): A Randomized Dose-Ascending Clinical Trial.

Importance: Epidemiological and genetic data have implicated lipoprotein(a) as a potentially modifiable risk factor for atherosclerotic disease and aortic stenosis, but there are no approved pharmacological treatments.

Objectives: To assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and effects of lepodisiran on lipoprotein(a) concentrations after single doses of the drug; lepodisiran is a short interfering RNA directed at hepatic synthesis of apolipoprotein(a), an essential component necessary for assembly of lipoprotein(a) particles.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A single ascending-dose trial conducted at 5 clinical research sites in the US and Singapore that enrolled 48 adults without cardiovascular disease and with lipoprotein(a) serum concentrations of 75 nmol/L or greater (or ≥30 mg/dL) between November 18, 2020, and December 7, 2021; the last follow-up visit occurred on November 9, 2022.

A Scoping Review of Professionalism in Neurosurgery.

Background And Objectives: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Milestones provides a foundation for professionalism in residency training. Specific professionalism concepts from neurosurgery could augment and expand milestones for the specialty. We reviewed the current literature and identified professionalism concepts within the context of neurosurgical practice and training.

Muvalaplin, an Oral Small Molecule Inhibitor of Lipoprotein(a) Formation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is associated with atherosclerotic disease and aortic stenosis. Lp(a) forms by bonding between apolipoprotein(a) (apo[a]) and apo B100. Muvalaplin is an orally administered small molecule that inhibits Lp(a) formation by blocking the apo(a)-apo B100 interaction while avoiding interaction with a homologous protein, plasminogen.

Characteristics of immunisation support programmes in Canada: a scoping review and environmental scan.

Objective: To identify, characterise and map the existing knowledge about programmes that provide immunisation support to Canadians and barriers and facilitators to their delivery.

Design: Scoping review and environmental scan.

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy may be associated with unmet support needs of individuals.

Modified Orbitozygomatic Craniotomy, Anterior Clinoidectomy, and Retrograde Suction Decompression "Dallas Technique" for Large Unruptured Clinoidal-Ophthalmic Segment Aneurysm.

Simple clip trapping may not adequately decompress giant paraclinoidal or ophthalmic artery aneurysms for safe permanent clipping. Full temporary interruption of the local circulation via clipping of the intracranial carotid artery with concomitant suction decompression via an angiocatheter placed in the cervical internal carotid artery as originally described by Batjer et al allows the primary surgeon to use both hands to clip the target aneurysm. Detailed understanding of skull base and distal dural ring anatomy is critical for microsurgical clipping of giant paraclinoid and ophthalmic artery aneurysms.