Magnetizing Biotech-Advances in (In Vivo) Magnetic Enzyme Immobilization.

Industrial biocatalysis, a multibillion dollar industry, relies on the selectivity and efficacy of enzymes for efficient chemical transformations. However, enzymes, evolutionary adapted to mild biological conditions, often struggle in industrial processes that require harsh reaction conditions, resulting in reduced stability and activity. Enzyme immobilization, which addresses challenges such as enzyme reuse and stability, has therefore become a vital strategy for improving enzyme use in industrial applications.

Employment and seizure frequency as important predictors of health-related quality of life in people with functional/dissociative seizures.

Background: There are inconsistent results on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with functional/dissociative seizures (FDS), particularly in relation to the predictors. The aim of the present study was to investigate variables predicting HRQoL in a sample of patients with FDS who had been hospitalized for an average of 5.6 years.

Racial Diversity and Co-Mutational Analysis of Biologically Relevant Alterations in EGFR Mutant Lung Cancers.

Background: EGFR alterations have significant therapeutic implications in lung cancer (LCa), yet their prevalence and co-mutational patterns in African American populations remain understudied. This study analyzes EGFR-mutant LCa across races using the Tempus database.

Methods: De-identified records sequenced via Tempus xT assay, (595 to 648 gene DNA panel) were included if they had ≥ 1 pathogenic EGFR mutation (short variants (SVs), copy number amplifications (CNAs), or fusions).

A comparison of random forest variable selection methods for regression modeling of continuous outcomes.

Random forest (RF) regression is popular machine learning method to develop prediction models for continuous outcomes. Variable selection, also known as feature selection or reduction, involves selecting a subset of predictor variables for modeling. Potential benefits of variable selection are methodologic (i.

Identification of health-related needs: The needs examination, evaluation and dissemination (NEED) assessment framework.

Innovation in healthcare is highly supply-driven, leading to underinvestment in less profitable health areas, unmet needs and inefficient use of public resources. This study proposes a framework to structure the identification of health-related patient and societal needs across different health conditions, supporting the evolution towards needs-driven healthcare policy and innovation. The Needs Examination, Evaluation and Dissemination (NEED) assessment framework was based on the results of two systematic literature reviews and stakeholder and expert consultation.

Novel MYH10 heterozygous variants associated to a syndrome combining mainly ptosis and ocular coloboma expand the MYH10 related phenotypes.

Syndromes associating both eyeball and periocular developmental anomalies, combining iris chorioretinal (ocular) coloboma and ptosis, are described in very rare clinical entities such as Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial syndrome (BWCFF). We report on six individuals from 3 unrelated families presenting with autosomal dominant eye malformations, including ocular coloboma, ptosis and craniofacial features suggesting BWCFF. However, no neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) as usually observed in this syndrome were detected.

Role of non-human primate models in accelerating research and developing countermeasures against Zika virus infection.

Zika virus, a mosquito-transmitted orthoflavivirus, has become a pathogen of global health concern ever since the virus caused an epidemic in Brazil in 2015 associated with approximately 700 000 laboratory-confirmed cases of congenital microcephaly. The subsequent spread of the epidemic in 2016 resulted in a wide spectrum of congenital neurological, ophthalmological, and developmental abnormalities across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. In this context, non-human primate models have become essential tools for Zika virus research to understand the pathogenesis of congenital brain injury and perinatal complications and for developing and testing medical countermeasures such as vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.

Quantitative blood loss values reveal high rates of undiagnosed postpartum hemorrhage.

Objective: In this study, we examined quantitative blood loss (QBL) values and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) diagnoses in relation to clinical, demographic, and hospitalization related variables.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of deliveries at a regional hospital over a nine-month period, querying patient demographics, PPH diagnosis, blood loss, and hospital stay variables.

Results: PPH was substantially underdiagnosed by current USA guidelines (78%).

Estrogen Receptor Βeta Stimulation as a Possible Novel Therapeutic Target for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL), including mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS), are rare hematological malignancies with limited curative treatment options. Despite early-stage responsiveness, these malignancies often relapse in advanced stages, highlighting the need for novel, durable therapies. As other non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) MF and SS have a greater incidence rate in males than females.

Expectant and new fathers say they need resources and sources of support.

Objectives: It is critical to exhaust the range of opportunities to reduce racial inequities in maternal mortality. Developing interventions to optimize how fathers can support mothers during pregnancy and childbirth remains under developed, particularly in the context of racial inequities. In this study, we collected formative data from expectant and new fathers to identify the types of supports and resources they need to promote positive maternal health outcomes.

The MURANO study: final analysis and retreatment/crossover substudy results of VenR for patients with relapsed/refractory CLL.

Fixed-duration venetoclax-rituximab (VenR) in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the phase 3 MURANO trial (NCT02005471) resulted in superior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) vs bendamustine-rituximab (BR). We report the final analyses of MURANO (median 7 years follow-up). Patients were randomized to VenR (venetoclax 400 mg daily for 2 years plus monthly rituximab for 6 months; n = 194) or BR (6 months; n = 195).

Comparing accounts of formant normalization against US English listeners' vowel perception.

Human speech recognition tends to be robust, despite substantial cross-talker variability. Believed to be critical to this ability are auditory normalization mechanisms whereby listeners adapt to individual differences in vocal tract physiology. This study investigates the computations involved in such normalization.

ESR1 Y537S and D538G mutations drive resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Purpose: Breast cancers with ESR1 mutations are resistant to antiestrogen therapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of ESR1 mutations with resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) using real-world data analysis and experimental validation.

Patients And Methods: A total of 3,958 patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer with DNA sequencing data were analyzed.

Prevalence of Degenerative Spinal Hot Spots on Bone Scintigraphy Among Orthopedic Patients.

Purpose: Emerging nuclear imaging technologies are advancing the field of spinal diagnostics for degenerative changes. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of spinal hot spots in an orthopedic population undergoing bone scintigraphy (BS) for reasons unrelated to the spine and to assess the correlation of these hot spots with the presence of corresponding spinal complaints.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology who provided general consent for the use of their medical data.

The Disproportionate Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Preventive Dental Care and Treatment for Children Who Are American Indian: Public Health Surveillance Utilizing School-Based Sealant Program Data.

Objectives: School-based dental sealant programs are important in expanding the reach of oral health care to underserved populations. However, data collection during these visits is also valuable for public health surveillance and program planning. This study aimed to utilize these data to identify groups disproportionately impacted by pandemic closures.

In vitro digestibility of bioprocessed brewer's spent yeast: Demonstrating protein quality and gut microbiome modulation potential.

With an ever-increasing global population and dwindling natural resources, a shift towards more sustainable food systems is required. Important aspects to aid in this transition are the reduction of food waste, and a movement towards non-animal protein sources. Brewers spent yeast (BSY) is an abundant by-product of the brewing industry, which is generally regarded as waste, despite its high nutritional value.

DNA damage repair gene alterations influence the tumor immune microenvironment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: DNA damage response and repair (DDR) gene alterations contribute to genomic instability and increased tumor immunogenicity, yet their clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Using a large real-world dataset, we evaluated the prevalence of DDR alterations and their relation to the tumor immune microenvironment in metastatic NSCLC.

Experimental Design: We retrospectively analyzed real-world data from patients with metastatic NSCLC using the Tempus AI database.

Determining properties of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes using spatially resolved electromechanical metrics.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are increasingly important in preclinical drug assessments, particularly for identifying potential cardiotoxicity. In this study, we utilize data from microphysiological systems of hiPSC-CMs to evaluate cellular characteristics, such as action potential duration, beat rate, conduction velocity and mechanical displacement. Based on these data, high-fidelity mathematical models facilitate precise assessments of critical biophysical parameters of the cells, including membrane ion channel conductances, cross-bridge cycle transition rates and cell-to-cell conductance.

Barriers and Facilitators-Lessons Learned From a Randomised Trial to Implement Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention of Coercion in Psychiatry.

The PreVCo study ('Prevention of Violence and Coercion') investigated the effects of a structured programme for the implementation of guideline recommendations for the management of aggression and the prevention of violence and coercion in psychiatric hospitals in a multicentre randomised controlled trial with 55 participating wards. The intervention was a 1-year individually tailored implementation programme supported by external consultants. An independent evaluation of the individual wards' process aimed at identifying barriers and facilitators in implementation.

Neuradicon: Operational representation learning of neuroimaging reports.

Background And Objective: Radiological reports typically summarize the content and interpretation of imaging studies in unstructured form that precludes quantitative analysis. This limits the monitoring of radiological services to throughput undifferentiated by content, impeding specific, targeted operational optimization. Here we present Neuradicon, a natural language processing (NLP) framework for quantitative analysis of neuroradiological reports.

Changes in informativity of sentential context affects its integration with subcategorical information about preceding speech.

Spoken language understanding requires the integration of incoming speech with representations of the preceding context. How rich the information is that listeners maintain in these contextual representations has been a long-standing question. Under one view, subcategorical information about the preceding input-including any uncertainty about the underlying categories-is quickly discarded due to memory limitations.

From Waste to Value: Extraction of Protease Enzymes from Brewer's Spent Yeast.

This study investigates the potential of additive-free extraction techniques to produce a proteolytically active yeast extract for use in the food industry. Brewer's spent yeast, a by-product of the brewing industry, is utilized as a feedstock, and thus a new route for its valorization is proposed. Four methods of releasing these components while maintaining their intrinsic bioactivity are investigated: thermal autolysis, ultrasonication, cell milling and high-pressure homogenization.

Consumer Expectations for Cream Cheese: A Category Appraisal Study in the United Kingdom with Dairy and Plant-Based Variants in Various Flavours.

The purpose of the present research was to deliver new knowledge of consumer expectations for plant-based (PB) alternatives to cream cheese (PBCCA) by conducting a category appraisal study. Around 1100 consumers from the United Kingdom (UK) who followed omnivore and flexitarian diets participated in an online survey. They evaluated 13 written stimuli presented as product names encompassing dairy cream cheese and PBCCAs in different flavours (original/natural, garlic/herb, salmon, strawberry, chocolate) and different product formulations (low-fat, lactose-free).

Assessment of Protein Immunoexpression Associated with Tumor Proliferation and Invasion in Histological Subtypes of Unicystic and Conventional Ameloblastoma.

The aim of this study was to verify whether the expression of proteins related to the formation of invadopodia, MT1-MMP, cortactin, Tks-4 and Tks-5 is associated with the degree of tumor invasiveness of different types of unicystic ameloblastomas. An immunohistochemical study was performed on 29 unicystic ameloblastoma (UA) samples, 9 conventional ameloblastoma (CAM) samples and 9 dental follicle (DF) samples. The potential for tumor invasiveness was assessed based on the immunoexpression of the following invadopodia-forming proteins: MT1-MMP, cortactin, Tks-4 and Tks5.

Inhibition of SARM1 Reduces Neuropathic Pain in a Spared Nerve Injury Rodent Model.

Introduction/aims: The function of the sterile alpha and toll/interleukin receptor motif-containing protein 1 (SARM1) in neuropathic pain development has not yet been established. This protein has a central role in regulating axon degeneration and its depletion delays this process. This study aims to demonstrate the effects of SARM1 deletion on the development of neuropathic pain.