Machine Learning Reveals Signatures of Promiscuous Microbial Amidases for Micropollutant Biotransformations.

Organic micropollutants, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and food additives, are widespread in the environment, causing potentially toxic effects. Human waste is a direct source of micropollutants, with the majority of pharmaceuticals being excreted through urine. Urine contains its own microbiota with the potential to catalyze micropollutant biotransformations.

Evidence for Endogenous Collagen in Fossil Bone.

Reports of proteins in fossilized bones have been a subject of controversy in the scientific literature because it is assumed that fossilization results in the destruction of all organic components. In this paper, a novel combination of analytical techniques is used to address this question for an exceptionally well-preserved sacrum excavated from the Upper Cretaceous strata of the South Dakota Hell Creek Formation. Cross-polarized light microscopy (XPol) shows birefringence consistent with collagen presence.

Diversifying the Surgical Workforce: Understanding Barriers to Inform Solutions.

Objectives: Race and gender concordance between physicians and patients is associated with reductions in healthcare disparities. However, the diversity of the medical workforce does not mirror the population; some of the greatest deficiencies exist in the surgical workforce. We conducted a pilot study focused on early recruitment of diverse college students in our region, with a concurrent needs assessment of their specific barriers to entering the field of surgery.

Consumer attitudes, barriers and facilitators to sharing clinical data for research purposes: Results from a focus group synthesis.

Current research into the digital healthcare landscape reveals a significant gap in understanding the perspectives of consumers with lived health experiences on sharing their health data for research purposes. Despite the substantial value that such shared information can bring to healthcare research, policy development, and system improvement, insights into the attitudes and willingness of these consumers towards data sharing remain sparse. This study seeks to fill this gap, exploring the unique views of these individuals and assessing the potential benefits their data sharing could contribute to healthcare.