In-situ probing of the Fischer-Tropsch reaction on Co single crystal surfaces up to 1 bar.

The surface chemistry of the Fischer-Tropsch catalytic reaction over Co has still several unknows. Here, we report an in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of Co and Co( ), and in-situ high energy surface X-ray diffraction of Co during the Fischer-Tropsch reaction at 0.15 bar - 1 bar and 406 K - 548 K in a H/CO gas mixture.

The Circulatory Arrest Recovery Ammonia Problem (CARAP) Hypothesis: a H-MRS study of brain metabolism during neonatal cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

Objective: Congenital heart disease affects 1% of US births, with many babies requiring major cardiothoracic surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), exposing the more critical patients to neurodevelopmental impairment. Optimal surgical parameters to minimize neuronal injury are unknown. We used H MRS and blood ammonia assays in a neonatal pig model of CPB to compare two approaches, complete circulatory arrest (CA) versus antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP).

Synthesis and preclinical evaluation of tigilanol tiglate analogs as latency-reversing agents for the eradication of HIV.

Tigilanol tiglate (EBC-46) is a selective modulator of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms that is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for the treatment of mast cell tumors in canines with up to an 88% cure rate. Recently, it has been FDA approved for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas in humans. The role of EBC-46 and, especially, its analogs in efforts to eradicate HIV, treat neurological and cardiovascular disorders, or enhance antigen density in antigen-targeted chimeric antigen receptor-T cell and chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer cell immunotherapies has not been reported.

Macromolecular interactions and geometrical confinement determine the 3D diffusion of ribosome-sized particles in live cells.

The crowded bacterial cytoplasm is composed of biomolecules that span several orders of magnitude in size and electrical charge. This complexity has been proposed as the source of the rich spatial organization and apparent anomalous diffusion of intracellular components, although this has not been tested directly. Here, we use biplane microscopy to track the 3D motion of self-assembled bacterial genetically encoded multimeric nanoparticles (bGEMs) with tunable size (20 to 50 nm) and charge (-3,240 to +2,700 e) in live cells.

Role of tRNA-Derived Fragments in Protozoan Parasite Biology.

tRNA molecules are among the most fundamental and evolutionarily conserved RNA types, primarily facilitating the translation of genetic information from mRNA into proteins. Beyond their canonical role as adaptor molecules during protein synthesis, tRNAs have evolved to perform additional functions. One such non-canonical role for tRNAs is through the generation of tRNA-derived fragments via specific cleavage processes.

Delivering Volumetric Hyperthermia to Head and Neck Cancer Patient-Specific Models Using an Ultrasound Spherical Random Phased Array Transducer.

In exploring adjuvant therapies for head and neck cancer, hyperthermia (40-45 °C) has shown efficacy in enhancing chemotherapy and radiation, as well as the delivery of liposomal drugs. Current hyperthermia treatments, however, struggle to reach large deep tumors uniformly and non-invasively. This study investigates the feasibility of delivering targeted uniform hyperthermia deep into the tissue using a non-invasive ultrasound spherical random phased array transducer.

Combined UV/HO and biochar processes for enhanced removal of contaminants of emerging concern in dry wells.

Dry wells are neighborhood-scale stormwater infiltration systems increasingly used in drought-prone areas for stormwater capture and groundwater recharge. These systems bypass the low permeability surface soil to maximize infiltration rates. However, hydrophilic contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in urban runoff pose potential groundwater contamination risks.

VA physicians intent to leave and correlations to drivers of burnout: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Physician well-being and workforce retention within the healthcare system is of critical importance. Understanding physicians' intent to leave the organization will inform efforts on optimizing the physician workforce. In this study, we examine the association of burnout and specific drivers of burnout on turnover intentions.

Factors associated with lung cancer among firefighters: a systematic literature review.

This short review addresses the pressing issue of lung cancer among firefighters, a population facing unique occupational hazards such as smoke inhalation and asbestos exposure. With lung cancer being a leading global cause of death, the study emphasizes the disproportionate burden on firefighters. Notably, wildfire smoke, containing carcinogenic elements, poses a rising significant threat to firefighters' respiratory health.

Data management and sharing.

Guided by the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), responsible data sharing requires well-organized, high-quality datasets. However, researchers often struggle with implementing Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMSPs) due to lack of knowledge on how to do this, time constraints, legal, technical and financial challenges, particularly concerning data ownership and privacy. While patients support data sharing, researchers and funders may hesitate, fearing the loss of intellectual property or competitive advantage.

CRMP/UNC-33 maintains neuronal microtubule arrays by promoting individual microtubule rescue.

Microtubules (MTs) are intrinsically dynamic polymers. In neurons, staggered individual microtubules form stable, polarized acentrosomal MT arrays spanning the axon and dendrite to support long-distance intracellular transport. How the stability and polarity of these arrays are maintained when individual MTs remain highly dynamic is still an open question.

Defects vibrations engineering for enhancing interfacial thermal transport in polymer composites.

To push upper boundaries of thermal conductivity in polymer composites, understanding of thermal transport mechanisms is crucial. Despite extensive simulations, systematic experimental investigation on thermal transport in polymer composites is limited. To better understand thermal transport processes, we design polymer composites with perfect fillers (graphite) and defective fillers (graphite oxide), using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a matrix model.

Intercellular mRNA transfer alters the human pluripotent stem cell state.

Intercellular transmission of messenger RNA (mRNA) is being explored in mammalian species using immortal cell lines. Here, we uncover an intercellular mRNA transfer phenomenon that allows for the adaptation and reprogramming of human primed pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). This process is induced by the direct cell contact-mediated coculture with mouse embryonic stem cells under the condition impermissible for primed hPSC culture.

PET, SPECT, and MRI imaging for evaluation of Parkinson's disease.

This review assesses the primary neuroimaging techniques used to evaluate Parkinson's disease (PD) - a neurological condition characterized by gradual dopamine-producing nerve cell degeneration. The neuroimaging techniques explored include positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These modalities offer varying degrees of insights into PD pathophysiology, diagnostic accuracy, specificity by way of exclusion of other Parkinsonian syndromes, and monitoring of disease progression.

Geographic origin and evolution of dengue virus serotypes 1 and 3 circulating in Africa.

Despite the increasing burden of dengue in Kenya and Africa, the introduction and expansion of the virus in the region remain poorly understood. The objective of this study is to examine the genetic diversity and evolutionary histories of dengue virus (DENV) serotypes 1 and 3 in Kenya and contextualize their circulation within circulation dynamics in the broader African region. Viral RNA was extracted from samples collected from a cohort of febrile patients recruited at clinical sites in Kenya from 2013 to 2022.

MRI features that predict progression of residual disease after ablation of extra-abdominal desmoid fibromatosis.

Objective: To identify MRI features of desmoid tumors (DTs) that predict the growth of residual disease following ablation.

Methods: Patients who underwent MRI-guided ablation for DTs between February 2013 and April 2021 were included in this single-center IRB-approved retrospective study. MRI scans assessed three suspicious tissue features: intermediate T2 signal [+iT2], nodular appearance [+NOD], and contrast enhancement [+ENH].

Development of secure infrastructure for advancing generative artificial intelligence research in healthcare at an academic medical center.

Background: Generative AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), holds great potential for improving patient care and operational efficiency in healthcare. However, the use of LLMs is complicated by regulatory concerns around data security and patient privacy. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a secure infrastructure that allows researchers to safely leverage LLMs in healthcare while ensuring HIPAA compliance and promoting equitable AI.

Methane Bubbled Through Seawater Can be Converted to Methanol With High Efficiency.

Partial oxidation of methane (POM) is achieved by forming air-methane microbubbles in saltwater to which an alternating electric field is applied using a copper oxide foam electrode. The solubility of methane is increased by putting it in contact with water containing dissolved KCl or NaCl (3%). Being fully dispersed as microbubbles (20-40 µm in diameter), methane reacts more fully with hydroxyl radicals (OH·) at the gas-water interface.

Incorporating area-level social drivers of health in predictive algorithms using electronic health record data.

Objectives: The inclusion of social drivers of health (SDOH) into predictive algorithms of health outcomes has potential for improving algorithm interpretation, performance, generalizability, and transportability. However, there are limitations in the availability, understanding, and quality of SDOH variables, as well as a lack of guidance on how to incorporate them into algorithms when appropriate to do so. As such, few published algorithms include SDOH, and there is substantial methodological variability among those that do.

Extracellular vesicle-mediated VEGF-A mRNA delivery rescues ischaemic injury with low immunogenicity.

Background And Aims: Lackluster results from recently completed gene therapy clinical trials of VEGF-A delivered by viral vectors have heightened the need to develop alternative delivery strategies. This study aims to demonstrate the pre-clinical efficacy and safety of extracellular vesicles (EVs) loaded with VEGF-A mRNA for the treatment of ischaemic vascular disease.

Methods: After encapsulation of full-length VEGF-A mRNA into fibroblast-derived EVs via cellular nanoporation (CNP), collected VEGF-A EVs were delivered into mouse models of ischaemic injury.

Aging and injury drive neuronal senescence in the dorsal root ganglia.

Aging negatively impacts central nervous system function; however, the cellular impact of aging in the peripheral nervous system remains poorly understood. Aged individuals are more likely to experience increased pain and slower recovery after trauma. Such injury can damage vulnerable peripheral axons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons resulting in somatosensory dysfunction.

ChromBPNet: bias factorized, base-resolution deep learning models of chromatin accessibility reveal cis-regulatory sequence syntax, transcription factor footprints and regulatory variants.

Despite extensive mapping of cis-regulatory elements (cREs) across cellular contexts with chromatin accessibility assays, the sequence syntax and genetic variants that regulate transcription factor (TF) binding and chromatin accessibility at context-specific cREs remain elusive. We introduce ChromBPNet, a deep learning DNA sequence model of base-resolution accessibility profiles that detects, learns and deconvolves assay-specific enzyme biases from regulatory sequence determinants of accessibility, enabling robust discovery of compact TF motif lexicons, cooperative motif syntax and precision footprints across assays and sequencing depths. Extensive benchmarks show that ChromBPNet, despite its lightweight design, is competitive with much larger contemporary models at predicting variant effects on chromatin accessibility, pioneer TF binding and reporter activity across assays, cell contexts and ancestry, while providing interpretation of disrupted regulatory syntax.

The Gut Microbiome in Hyperuricemia and Gout.

Humans develop hyperuricemia via decreased urate elimination and excess urate production, consequently promoting monosodium urate crystal deposition and incident gout. Normally, approximately two thirds of urate elimination is renal. However, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other causes of decreased renal urate elimination drive hyperuricemia in most with gout.

Tuning local matrix compliance accelerates mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenesis in 3D sliding hydrogels.

The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix critically regulate stem cell differentiation in 3D. Alginate hydrogels with tunable bulk stiffness and viscoelasticity can modulate differentiation in 3D through mechanotransduction. Such enhanced differentiation is correlated with changes in the local matrix compliance- the extent of matrix deformation under applied load.

Lipid Management in US Commercial and Medicare Enrollees with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Treatment Patterns and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Control.

Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) is the cornerstone for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), yet many patients exhibit low adherence to therapy and fail to achieve low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals. This retrospective cohort study used 2 nationally representative administrative closed claims databases (PharMetrics® Plus and Medicare Fee-for-Service [FFS] Research Identifiable Files) to identify commercial (C) and Medicare (M) enrollees with ASCVD between 2014-2019. Patients were stratified by exposure to statin therapy, ezetimibe and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 monoclonal antibodies (PCSK9i mAb) regimens.