Amniotic Tissue Injections Are an Effective Alternative to Corticosteroid Injections for Pain Relief and Function in Patients With Severe Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Prospective Study.

Introduction: The use of corticosteroid injections for short-term pain relief for knee osteoarthritis can have deleterious adverse effects. Amniotic tissue has shown promise in vitro; therefore, this study compared a morcellized injectable amniotic tissue allograft to corticosteroid injection.

Methods: Eighty-one patients with symptomatic severe knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 3 to 4) were prospectively randomized to either a double-blinded single injection of BioDRestore (Integra LifeSciences; n = 39) or triamcinolone acetonide (n = 42).

The impact of phenotypic heterogeneity on fungal pathogenicity and drug resistance.

Phenotypic heterogeneity in genetically clonal populations facilitates cellular adaptation to adverse environmental conditions while enabling a return to the basal physiological state. It also plays a crucial role in pathogenicity and the acquisition of drug resistance in unicellular organisms and cancer cells, yet the exact contributing factors remain elusive. In this review, we outline the current state of understanding concerning the contribution of phenotypic heterogeneity to fungal pathogenesis and antifungal drug resistance.

Neural effects of memory training to reduce false memories in older adults: Univariate and multivariate analyses.

The growing population of older adults emphasizes the need to develop interventions that prevent or delay some of the cognitive decline that accompanies aging. In particular, as memory impairment is the foremost cognitive deficit affecting older adults, it is vital to develop interventions that improve memory function. This study addressed the problem of false memories in aging by training older adults to use details of past events during memory retrieval to distinguish targets from related lures.

Barriers to Buprenorphine: A Case Series of Misadventures Implementing a Prehospital Buprenorphine Protocol.

While several studies have focused on preliminary data and outcomes associated with prehospital buprenorphine administration interventions, to date there has been little discussion of the challenges experienced during the initial implementation of a prehospital buprenorphine protocol. In this case series we examine 3 separate patient encounters with different crews, patients, and receiving emergency medicine (EM) physicians, which highlight initial challenges experienced with implementing the first prehospital buprenorphine program in a rural Appalachian County within South Carolina. In 2 cases we highlight conflicts that may require collegial intervention and education of local receiving EM physicians regarding the new prehospital protocol.

What Do Patients With Cancer Know, or Want to Know, About Genomic Tumor Sequencing and Genetic Testing? A State-of-the-Art Review.

Molecular profiling (MP), which involves testing tissue, blood, or other body fluids to identify biomarkers, has become increasingly important in cancer treatment. Genomic tumor sequencing, a specific type of MP, is commonly used to identify specific gene variants or proteins that can be targeted for treatment. Germline testing is also routinely recommended for certain cancers.

Sharing Genomic Tumor Sequencing Results With Patients: Experiences of Advanced Practice Oncology Providers.

Background: Patients with cancer routinely undergo genomic tumor sequencing, a component of molecular profiling (MP), to better characterize their cancer and identify potential targetable alterations. Targeted treatments potentially confer higher response rates and better efficacy. With increasing complexity, patients may require detailed explanations of MP results.

Chemical Origins of Optically Addressable Spin States in Eu(PS) and Eu(PSe).

Lanthanide materials with a 4f electron configuration (S) offer an exciting system for realizing multiple addressable spin states for qubit design. While the S ground state of 4f free ions displays an isotropic character, breaking degeneracy of this ground state and excited states can be achieved through local symmetry of the lanthanide and the choice of ligands. This makes Eu attractive as it mirrors Gd in exhibiting the S ground state, capable of seven spin-allowed transitions.

Multiple Electron Transfers Enable High-Capacity Cathode Through Stable Anionic Redox.

Single-electron transfer, low alkali metal contents, and large-molecular masses limit the capacity of cathodes. This study uses a cost-effective and light-molecular-mass orthosilicate material, KFeSiO, with a high initial potassium content, as a cathode for potassium-ion batteries to enable the transfer of more than one electron. Despite the limited valence change of Fe ions during cycling, KFeSiO can undergo multiple electron transfers via successive oxygen anionic redox reactions to generate a high reversible capacity.

Molecular-Scale Simulation of Wetting of Actin Filaments by Protein Droplets.

Liquid phase-separating proteins can form condensates that play an important role in spatial and temporal organization of biological cells. The understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the formation of protein condensates and their interactions with other biomolecules may lead to processing routes for soft materials with tailored geometry and function. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is an example of a nuclear protein that forms stable complexes, and recent studies have highlighted its ability to wet actin filaments and bundle them into networks.

Interactive effects between yields of Bt and non-Bt corn and planting dates in the southeastern United States.

Transgenic corn (Zea mays L.) expressing insecticidal toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) helps to control or suppress injury from a range of target insect pests. This study summarizes the yield benefits of Bt corn from field trials in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina evaluating Bt and non-Bt corn hybrids from 2009 to 2023.

On fostering employee participation in voluntary corporate-sponsored wellness programs.

As organizations are increasingly turning to voluntary wellness programs to improve employee well-being, the majority of studies in literature have focused on corporate-level benefits of wellness programs, such as productivity. However, there is a scarcity of studies that examine the intrinsic motivators that influence employee participation in such programs. In this study, we use a unique secondary dataset from a voluntary corporate wellness program and propose a novel theoretical framework based on motivational and behavioral theories to examine and understand the participants' behavior.

Evaluation of Cartilage-Like Matrix Formation in a Nucleus Pulposus-Derived Cartilage Analog Scaffold.

The formation of fibrocartilage in microfracture (MFX) severely limits its long-term outlook. There is consensus in the scientific community that the placement of an appropriate scaffold in the MFX defect site can promote hyaline cartilage formation and improve therapeutic benefit. Accordingly, in this work, a novel natural biomaterial-the cartilage analog (CA)-which met criteria favorable for chondrogenesis, was evaluated in vitro to determine its candidacy as a potential MFX scaffold.

Human-centered design of a health recommender system for orthopaedic shoulder treatment.

Background: Rich data on diverse patients and their treatments and outcomes within Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems can be used to generate real world evidence. A health recommender system (HRS) framework can be applied to a decision support system application to generate data summaries for similar patients during the clinical encounter to assist physicians and patients in making evidence-based shared treatment decisions.

Objective: A human-centered design (HCD) process was used to develop a HRS for treatment decision support in orthopaedic medicine, the Informatics Consult for Individualized Treatment (I-C-IT).

Cross-resistance between strain AFS009 metabolites (Howler EVO) and fludioxonil in .

Howler EVO is a biological fungicide based on metabolites of the bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain AFS009. One of the metabolites, pyrrolnitrin (PRN), is a chemical analogue of the phenylpyrrole fludioxonil used to manage gray mold of fruit crops caused by Botrytis cinerea. Resistance to fludioxonil in B.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Composition of Infants with Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: To characterize the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infants with stroke and compare those findings to the CSF of infants with bacterial meningitis and neither condition in the first 14 postnatal days.

Study Design: Cohort study of 30,092 infants who received a lumbar puncture in the first 14 postnatal days discharged from >300 neonatal intensive care units from 1997-2020. CSF parameters were compared between infants with stroke and bacterial meningitis using non-parametric hypothesis testing and quantile regression.

Exploring social determinants of healthcare and cognition levels among diverse older adults.

Background: The purpose was to investigate the impact of social determinants of health on healthcare utilization among older adults in two cognition groups: normal and dementia/impaired cognition.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 16,339) to assess healthcare utilization: hospital stay, nursing home stay, hospice care, and doctor visits. The respondents were classified into two cognition groups using the Langa-Weir approach.

Computational exploration of the self-aggregation mechanisms of phenol-soluble modulins β1 and β2 in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

The formation of functional bacterial amyloids by phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) in Staphylococcus aureus is a critical component of biofilm-associated infections, providing robust protective barriers against antimicrobial agents and immune defenses. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PSM self-assembly within the biofilm matrix is essential for developing strategies to disrupt biofilm integrity and combat biofilm-related infections. In this study, we analyzed the self-assembly dynamics of PSM-β1 and PSM-β2 by examining their folding and dimerization through long-timescale atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations.

How Different Are Family Medicine Residents Who Desire Additional Training?

Background And Objectives: Limited knowledge is present regarding how fellowship training correlates with graduate outcomes and whether current residents desire an additional year of residency training. The aim of this study is to examine trends in fellowship training and compare residency and practice outcomes between those interested and those not interested in fellowship training as well as the proportion of residents desiring an additional year of residency training.

Methods: We compared data from the American Board of Family Medicine Initial Certification Questionnaire (2017-2019) to the National Graduate Survey (NGS; 2020-2022).

Perception of Residency Program Diversity Is Associated With Vulnerability to Race and Gender Stereotype Threat Among Minority and Female Orthopaedic Trainees.

Introduction: Stereotype threat (ST) is a psychological phenomenon in which perceived fear of confirming negative stereotypes about one's identity group leads to impaired performance. Gender and racial ST has been described in various academic settings. However, it is prevalence in orthopaedic surgery, where women and minorities are underrepresented, has not been examined.

Improving polygenic prediction from summary data by learning patterns of effect sharing across multiple phenotypes.

Polygenic prediction of complex trait phenotypes has become important in human genetics, especially in the context of precision medicine. Recently, mr.mash, a flexible and computationally efficient method that models multiple phenotypes jointly and leverages sharing of effects across such phenotypes to improve prediction accuracy, was introduced.

Electrokinetic flow instabilities in shear thinning fluids with conductivity gradients.

Instabilities in the form of periodic or irregular waves at the fluid interface have been demonstrated in microchannel electrokinetic flows with conductivity gradients when the applied electric field is above a threshold value. Most prior studies on electrokinetic instabilities (EKI) are restricted to Newtonian fluids though many of the chemical and biological samples in microfluidic applications exhibit non-Newtonian characteristics. We present in this work an experimental study of the effects of fluid shear thinning on the development of EKI waves through the addition of a small amount of xanthan gum (XG) polymer to both the high- and low-concentration Newtonian buffer solutions.

Genome-resolved adaptation strategies of to changing conditions in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.

Unlabelled: The abundant and metabolically versatile aquatic bacterial order, , influences marine biogeochemical cycles. We assessed metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) abundance, estimated growth rates, and potential and expressed functions in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, two important US estuaries. Phylogenomics of draft and draft/closed genomes from this study and others placed 46 nearly complete MAGs from these bays into 11 genera, many were not well characterized.

Effect of School HPV Vaccination Requirements on Pediatricians' Recommendations.

: Pediatrician recommendations are highly influential in parents' decisions to vaccinate their children against HPV. Unqualified, presumptive, and bundled recommendations (UPBRs) are associated with increased HPV vaccine uptake and are considered best practice. This study analyzes pediatricians' self-reported data to assess changes in UPBR use and the psychosocial determinants of UPBR use as a result of the implementation of a multi-level intervention, the Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP).

A Lyapunov Optimization-Based Approach to Autonomous Vehicle Local Path Planning.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) offer significant potential to improve safety, reduce emissions, and increase comfort, drawing substantial attention from both research and industry. A critical challenge in achieving SAE Level 5 autonomy, full automation, is path planning. Ongoing efforts in academia and industry are focused on optimizing AV path planning, reducing computational complexity, and enhancing safety.

Microbiome Structures and Beneficial Bacteria in Soybean Roots Under Field Conditions of Prolonged High Temperatures and Drought Stress.

Drought stress has a significant impact on agricultural productivity, affecting key crops such as soybeans, the second most widely cultivated crop in the United States. Endophytic and rhizospheric microbial diversity analyses were conducted with soybean plants cultivated during the 2023 growing season amid extreme weather conditions of prolonged high temperatures and drought in Louisiana. Specifically, surviving and non-surviving soybean plants were collected from two plots of a Louisiana soybean field severely damaged by extreme heat and drought conditions in 2023.