A syndemic approach to the study of Covid-19-related death: a cohort study using UK Biobank data.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic showed higher infection, severity and death rates among those living in poorer socioeconomic conditions. We use syndemic theory to guide the analyses to investigate the impact of social adversity and multiple long-term conditions (MLTC) on Covid-19 mortality.

Methods: The study sample comprised 154 725 UK Biobank participants.

A Cortical Site that Encodes Vocal Expression and Reception.

Socially effective vocal communication requires brain regions that encode expressive and receptive aspects of vocal communication in a social context-dependent manner. Here, we combined a novel behavioral assay with microendoscopy to interrogate neuronal activity in the posterior insula (pIns) in socially interacting mice as they switched rapidly between states of vocal expression and reception. We found that distinct but spatially intermingled subsets of pIns neurons were active during vocal expression and reception.

Impact of 2023 Ventral Hernia Repair CPT Code Changes on Work Relative Value Units in a Tertiary Hernia Referral Center.

Background: CPT codes for ventral hernia repair (VHR) changed in January 2023 to address the heterogeneity of procedures with a concomitant shift from a 90-day to a 0-day global period. This study reviews a tertiary referral center's experience with hernia coding comparing the work relative value units (wRVUs) generated for ventral hernia repair pre-2023 compared to post-2023.

Study Design: CPT codes were analyzed for patients undergoing open or laparoscopic VHR before updates to the CPT hernia codes (January 2022-September 2022) and following CPT change (January 2023-September 2023).

Heightened Reticulospinal Excitability after Severe Corticospinal Damage in Chronic Stroke.

Objective: After severe corticospinal tract damage poststroke in humans, some recovery of strength and movement proximally is evident. It is possible that alternate motor pathways, such as the reticulospinal tract, may be upregulated to compensate for the loss of corticospinal tract input. We investigated the extent of reticulospinal tract excitability modulation and its inter-dependence on the severity of corticospinal tract damage after stroke in humans.

Acanthamoebae as a protective reservoir for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a clinical environment.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a growing concern in healthcare-associated infections and poses significant risk to those with serious underlying health conditions. The antimicrobial resistance traits of the pathogen and ability to form biofilms make effective mitigation and disinfection strategies difficult. Added to this challenge is the role that free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba play in the detection, disinfection and transmission of P.

Vocalization modulates the mouse auditory cortex even in the absence of hearing.

Vocal communication depends on distinguishing self-generated vocalizations from other sounds. Vocal motor corollary discharge (CD) signals are thought to support this ability by adaptively suppressing auditory cortical responses to auditory feedback. One challenge is that vocalizations, especially those produced during courtship and other social interactions, are accompanied by other movements and are emitted during a state of heightened arousal, factors that could potentially modulate auditory cortical activity.

Sodium Metabisulfite Inhibits Trophozoite Growth through Thiamine Depletion.

keratitis (AK) is a severe infection of the cornea. Prevention and treatment are difficult due to the inefficacy of currently available compounds. The impact of many commonly used compounds for routine examinations of is unexplored but might offer insight useful in combatting AK.

Zooming in on the intracellular microbiome composition of bacterivorous isolates.

, a free-living amoeba in water and soil, is an emerging pathogen causing severe eye infection known as keratitis. In its natural environment, performs a dual function as an environmental heterotrophic predator and host for a range of microorganisms that resist digestion. Our objective was to characterize the intracellular microorganisms of phylogenetically distinct spp.

Experience-based Investigation and Co-design of Psychosis Centred Integrated Care Services for Ethnically Diverse People with Multimorbidity (CoPICS): study protocol.

Introduction: Ethnic minorities (also called racialised groups) are more likely to experience severe mental illness (SMI). People with SMI are more likely to experience multimorbidity (MM), making psychosis among racialised groups more likely to lead to MM, poor outcomes, disability and premature mortality.

Methods And Analysis: This National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded study (151887) seeks to use innovative participatory methods including photovoice and biographical narrative interviews in urban and rural areas of England to assemble experience data.

Anodal cerebellar t-DCS impacts skill learning and transfer on a robotic surgery training task.

The cerebellum has demonstrated a critical role during adaptation in motor learning. However, the extent to which it can contribute to the skill acquisition of complex real-world tasks remains unclear. One particularly challenging application in terms of motor activities is robotic surgery, which requires surgeons to complete complex multidimensional visuomotor tasks through a remotely operated robot.

Experiences of patients and family members with follow-up care, information needs and provider support after identification of Lynch Syndrome.

Background: Lynch Syndrome is among the most common hereditary cancer syndromes and requires ongoing cancer surveillance, repeated screenings and potential risk-reducing surgeries. Despite the importance of continued surveillance, there is limited understanding of patient experiences after initial testing and counseling, the barriers or facilitators they experience adhering to recommendations, and how they want to receive information over time.

Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted among 127 probands and family members who had received genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome.

A translational roadmap for transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation in stroke rehabilitation: Consensus-based core recommendations from the third stroke recovery and rehabilitation roundtable.

Background And Aims: The purpose of this Third Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable (SRRR3) was to develop consensus recommendations to address outstanding barriers for the translation of preclinical and clinical research using the non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and provide a roadmap for the integration of these techniques into clinical practice.

Methods: International NIBS and stroke recovery experts (N = 18) contributed to the consensus process. Using a nominal group technique, recommendations were reached via a five-stage process, involving a thematic survey, two priority ranking surveys, a literature review and an in-person meeting.

A translational roadmap for transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation in stroke rehabilitation: Consensus-based core recommendations from the third stroke recovery and rehabilitation roundtable.

Background And Aims: The purpose of this Third Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable (SRRR3) was to develop consensus recommendations to address outstanding barriers for the translation of preclinical and clinical research using the non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and provide a roadmap for the integration of these techniques into clinical practice.

Methods: International NIBS and stroke recovery experts (N = 18) contributed to the consensus process. Using a nominal group technique, recommendations were reached via a five-stage process, involving a thematic survey, two priority ranking surveys, a literature review and an in-person meeting.

Mapping subcortical motor pathways in humans with startle-conditioned TMS.

Subcortical motor pathways, such as the reticulospinal tract, are critical for producing and modulating voluntary movements and have been implicated in neurological conditions. Previous research has described the presence of ipsilateral motor evoked potentials (iMEPs) in the arm to transcranial magentic stimulation (TMS), and suggested they could be mediated by the uncrossed corticospinal tract or by ipsilateral cortico-reticulospinal connections. Here, we sought to elucidate the role of the reticulospinal tract in mediating iMEPs by assessing their modulation by a startling acoustic stimulus and mapping these responses across multiple upper limb effectors.

Nested circuits mediate the decision to vocalize.

Vocalizations facilitate mating and social affiliation but may also inadvertently alert predators and rivals. Consequently, the decision to vocalize depends on brain circuits that can weigh and compare these potential benefits and risks. Male mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) during courtship to facilitate mating, and previously isolated female mice produce USVs during social encounters with novel females.

Ethnic inequality, multimorbidity and psychosis: can a syndemic framework resolve disputed evidence?

Syndemic theory is described as population-level clustering or co-occurrence of health conditions in the context of shared aetiologies that interact and can act synergistically. These influences appear to act within specific places of high disadvantage. We suggest ethnic inequality in experiences and outcomes of multimorbidity, including psychosis, may be explained through a syndemic framework.

Generative models of birdsong learning link circadian fluctuations in song variability to changes in performance.

Learning skilled behaviors requires intensive practice over days, months, or years. Behavioral hallmarks of practice include exploratory variation and long-term improvements, both of which can be impacted by circadian processes. During weeks of vocal practice, the juvenile male zebra finch transforms highly variable and simple song into a stable and precise copy of an adult tutor's complex song.

Structural and functional basis of the universal transcription factor NusG pro-pausing activity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Transcriptional pauses mediate regulation of RNA biogenesis. DNA-encoded pause signals trigger pausing by stabilizing RNA polymerase (RNAP) swiveling and inhibiting DNA translocation. The N-terminal domain (NGN) of the only universal transcription factor, NusG/Spt5, modulates pausing through contacts to RNAP and DNA.

Analysing multimodal data that have been collected using photovoice as a research method.

Background: Creative arts practice can enhance the depth and quality of mental health research by capturing and foregrounding participants' lived experience. Creative methods are emotionally activating and promote multiple perspectives, tolerating ambiguities and uncertainties, which are shared and even celebrated.

Key Arguments: Methods such as photovoice use imagery to elucidate narratives that are not easily captured by more traditional interview-based research techniques.

The use of culturally adapted and translated depression screening questionnaires with South Asian haemodialysis patients in England.

Background: Depression is common amongst patients receiving haemodialysis (HD). Assessment and intervention when faced with language and cultural barriers is challenging. To support clinician decisions, we conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the use of culturally adapted and translated versions of commonly-used depression screening questionnaires with South Asian patients receiving HD in England.

Using participatory action research methods to address epistemic injustice within mental health research and the mental health system.

In this paper, we describe a model of research practise that addresses epistemic injustice as a central objective, by valuing lived experience and addressing structural disadvantages. We set out here the processes we undertook, and the experiences of those involved in an attempt to transform research practise within a study known as Co-pact. We do not discuss the findings of the research.

Divergent projections from locus coeruleus to the corticobasal ganglia system and ventral tegmental area of the adult male zebra finch.

The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small noradrenergic brainstem nucleus that plays a central role in regulating arousal, attention, and performance. In the mammalian brain, individual LC neurons make divergent axonal projections to different brain regions, which are distinguished in part by which noradrenaline (NA) receptor subtypes they express. Here, we sought to determine whether similar organizational features characterize LC projections to corticobasal ganglia (CBG) circuitry in the zebra finch song system, with a focus on the basal ganglia nucleus Area X, the thalamic nucleus DLM, as well as the cortical nuclei HVC, LMAN, and RA.

A neural hub for holistic courtship displays.

Courtship displays often involve the concerted production of several distinct courtship behaviors. The neural circuits that enable the concerted production of the component behaviors of a courtship display are not well understood. Here, we identify a midbrain cell group (A11) that enables male zebra finches to produce their learned songs in concert with various other behaviors, including female-directed orientation, pursuit, and calling.

Cerebellar Excitability Regulates Physical Fatigue Perception.

Fatigue is the subjective sensation of weariness, increased sense of effort, or exhaustion and is pervasive in neurologic illnesses. Despite its prevalence, we have a limited understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying fatigue. The cerebellum, known for its role in motor control and learning, is also involved in perceptual processes.