Amphiphilic Polyaspartamide Derivatives with Cholesterol Introduction Enhanced Ex Vivo mRNA Transfection Efficiency to Natural Killer Cells.

Engineered natural killer (NK) cells eliminate cancer cells by overexpressing a chimeric antigen receptor, producing highly efficient and safe NK cell therapies. This study investigated the polyplex formulation for the fusion protein GreenLantern-natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) mRNA to evaluate its delivery efficacy into NK cells, wherein NKG2D on the surface of NK cells recognized its counterpart NKG2D ligands on cancer cells. Amphiphilic polyaspartamide derivatives Chol-PAsp(DET/CHE) were prepared by adding cyclohexylethylamine (CHE) and diethylenetriamine (DET) in the side chains and cholesterol (Chol) at the α-terminus to enhance endosomal escapability and optimize hydrophobicity.

Suggested Dosing of Select Beta-lactam Agents for the Treatment of Antimicrobial-Resistant Gram-Negative Infections in Children.

Background: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) publishes annual guidance on the treatment of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) gram-negative infections. Within the AMR guidance, suggested dosages of antibiotics for adults infected with AMR pathogens are provided. This document serves as a companion document to the IDSA guidance to assist pediatric specialists with dosing β-lactam agents for the treatment of AMR infections in children.

High-Throughput Chemotherapeutic Drug Screening System for Gastric Cancer (Cure-GA).

Background: Three dimensional (3D) cell cultures can be effectively used for drug discovery and development but there are still challenges in their general application to high-throughput screening. In this study, we developed a novel high-throughput chemotherapeutic 3D drug screening system for gastric cancer, named 'Cure-GA', to discover clinically applicable anticancer drugs and predict therapeutic responses.

Methods: Primary cancer cells were isolated from 143 fresh surgical specimens by enzymatic treatment.

Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided vs Angiography-Guided Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty in Patients With Complex Femoropopliteal Artery Disease.

Background: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance has been shown to yield favorable outcomes for endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal artery (FPA) disease with drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty. However, the specific benefits of IVUS for treatment of complex FPA lesions remain uncertain.

Objectives: In this study, the authors compared the clinical impact of IVUS-guided vs angiography-guided DCB angioplasty in patients with complex or noncomplex FPA lesions.

Imaging of the Placenta.

Placental imaging is crucial in prenatal care, offering insights into both normal and abnormal pregnancies. Traditional methods like grayscale ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging evaluate placental anatomy, whereas Doppler ultrasound is used for functional assessment. Recent advancements include functional magnetic resonance imaging and advanced Doppler software for demonstrating placental density and visualizing spiral arteries.

Biomimetic 3D Prototyping of Hierarchically Porous Multilayered Membranes for Enhanced Oil-Water Filtration.

This study introduces a biomimetic approach to 3D printing multilayered hierarchical porous membranes (MHMs) using Direct Ink Writing (DIW) technology. Fabricated through a fast layer-by-layer printing process with varying concentrations of pore-forming agents, the produced MHMs mimic the hierarchical pore structure and filtration capabilities of natural soil systems. As a result, the 3D-printed MHMs achieved an impressive oil rejection rate of 99.

Research Note: New Estimates of Immigrants' Self-employment From Linked Tax Records.

Self-employment plays a crucial role in immigrants' economic assimilation. Previous studies examining immigrants' self-employment relied on estimates obtained from national surveys, which could contain measurement error. In this research note, we compare estimates of immigrant men's self-employment obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS) with those from data linking respondents to their tax records.

Evaluation of Drug-Polymer and Drug-Drug Interaction in Cellulosic Multi-Drug Delivery Matrices.

Multi-drug delivery systems have gained increasing interest from the pharmaceutical industry. Alongside this is the interest in amorphous solid dispersions as an approach to achieve effective oral delivery of compounds with solubility-limited bioavailability. Despite this, there is limited information regarding predicting the behavior of two or more drugs (in amorphous forms) in a polymeric carrier and whether molecular interactions between the compounds, between each compound, and if the polymer have any effect on the physical properties of the system.

Serial Quantitative Evaluation of Load Redistribution and Osteotomy Gap After Medial Open-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy.

The goal of medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOW-HTO) is to redistribute load by realigning the lower limb. This surgery is indicated for mild to moderate medial compartment osteoarthritis with varus deformity in cases unresponsive to conservative treatment. Procedures for accompanying cartilage lesions, such as multiple drilling on the medial femoral condyle (MFC), are often performed simultaneously, potentially affecting bone metabolism along with load redistribution and union progression.

Reproductive and Hormonal Factors and Thyroid Cancer Risk: Pooled Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

Given the female predominance of thyroid cancer (TC), particularly in the reproductive age range, female sex hormones have been proposed as an aetiology; however, previous epidemiological studies have shown conflicting results. We conducted a pooled analysis using individual data from 9 prospective cohorts in the Asia Cohort Consortium, to explore the association between 10 female reproductive and hormonal factors and TC risk. Using Cox proportional hazards models, cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated and then pooled using a random-effects model.

Genomic sequencing in diverse and underserved pediatric populations: parent perspectives on understanding, uncertainty, psychosocial impact, and personal utility of results.

Purpose: Limited evidence evaluates parents' perceptions of their child's clinical genomic sequencing (GS) results, particularly among individuals from medically underserved groups. Five Clinical Sequencing Evidence-Generating Research (CSER) consortium studies performed GS in children with suspected genetic conditions with high proportions of individuals from underserved groups to address this evidence gap.

Methods: Parents completed surveys of perceived understanding, personal utility, and test-related distress after GS result disclosure.

Transformer-based model for predicting length of stay in intensive care unit in sepsis patients.

Introduction: Sepsis, a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate, requires intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The increasing hospitalization rate for patients with sepsis has escalated medical costs due to the strain on ICU resources. Efficient management of ICU resources is critical to addressing this challenge.

Effectiveness of mobile mindfulness training on stress, burnout, and work engagement of office workers: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Work stress has a detrimental impact on individual health and corporate efficiency and productivity. Mindfulness reduces workers' stress and burnout and increases work engagement and performance. Smartphone-based interventions could be an alternative to provide customized training without geographical or economic constraints.

Fatty Acid Synthase (FASN) Inhibitors Suppress Metformin-Induced Fat Accumulation and Apoptosis in H4IIE Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

We previously reported that metformin, a widely prescribed antidiabetic drug, induces the accumulation of triglyceride (TG) together with the apoptotic death of H4IIE via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, the effect of cytoplasmic fat accumulation on the growth of HCCs remains controversial. Herein, we investigated the effect of fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors on the basal- or metformin-induced changes including the content of cytoplasmic TG and the viability of HCC cells.

Hair Transplantation on the Baldness Region with Free Latissimus Dorsi Flap for Scalp Reconstruction: A Case Report.

Scalp reconstruction, particularly with complex defects and infection risks, often favors microvascular free flaps. However, this method can result in unavoidable alopecia and undesirable aesthetics. This report describes a novel case where hair transplantation via follicular unit extraction (FUE) was applied to a free myocutaneous flap.

Achieving reliable patient reported outcomes collection to measure health care improvement in a learning health network: lessons from pediatric rheumatology care and outcomes improvement network.

Introduction: Data from the Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network (PR-COIN) registry suggests that reliable collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) varies across sites. The objective of this study was to better understand the practices of collecting PROs at PR-COIN sites.

Methods: A REDCap survey was sent to the lead representative for each PR-COIN site.

Exploring the association between emergency hospital services and homicide incidents in Pennsylvania.

Homicide is a significant measure of quality of life and serves as a reference point for a comparison between neighborhoods. Despite its unique relevance to homicide, the role of medical resources, specifically emergency hospital services, has been underexplored in the literature. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between emergency hospital availability and homicide rates across counties in Pennsylvania, using advanced spatiotemporal modeling techniques.

Arcuate fasciculus cortico-cortical evoked potentials and direct cortico-subcortical stimulation during awake craniotomy for debulking of left dominant temporal oligodendroglioma.

Electrophysiological mapping and monitoring techniques permit the objective measurement of eloquent cortical regions and accompanying white matter tracts to reduce the incidence of iatrogenic injury in glioma surgery. Recently, there has been increased interest in mapping and monitoring of the human arcuate fasciculus via cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) during awake and asleep craniotomy. The authors present the case of a 27-year-old female who underwent a hypnosis-assisted awake craniotomy with cortico-subcortical language mapping and arcuate fasciculus CCEPs.

3D bio-printed proteinaceous bioactive scaffold loaded with dual growth factor enhanced chondrogenesis and in situ cartilage regeneration.

Articular cartilage has a limited self-healing capacity, leading to joint degeneration and osteoarthritis over time. Therefore, bioactive scaffolds are gaining attention as a promising approach to regenerating and repairing damaged articular cartilage through tissue engineering. In this study, we reported on a novel 3D bio-printed proteinaceous bioactive scaffolds combined with natural porcine cancellous bone dECM, tempo-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN), and alginate carriers for TGF-β1, FGF-18, and ADSCs to repair cartilage defects.

Comparative evaluation of specimen type and processing conditions for studying oyster microbiomes.

Metagenomic sequencing is increasingly being employed to understand the assemblage and dynamics of the oyster microbiome. Specimen collection and processing steps can impact the resultant microbiome composition and introduce bias. To investigate this systematically, a total of 54 farmed oysters were collected from Chesapeake Bay between May and September 2019.

Comprehensive genomic analysis and selection signature detection in endangered Beigang pigs using whole-genome sequencing data.

The Beigang pig was recently identified as one of the endangered breeds during a Chinese indigenous pig genetic resource survey. The Beigang breed is notable for its remarkable roughage tolerance and high reproductive capacity according to historical records. Morphologically, the Beigang pig resembles many indigenous pigs in eastern China, especially in its large ears.

Evaluation of physicochemical property changes in 3D-printed biodegradable medical devices under simulated oral physiological conditions.

Biodegradable medical devices undergo degradation following implantation, potentially leading to clinical failure. Consequently, it is necessary to assess the change in their properties post-implantation. However, a standardized method for the precise evaluation of the changes in their physicochemical properties is currently lacking.

Associations of maternal night shift work during pregnancy with DNA methylation in offspring: a meta-analysis in the PACE consortium.

Background: Night shift work during pregnancy has been associated with differential DNA methylation in placental tissue, but no studies have explored this association in cord blood. We aimed to examine associations of maternal night shift work with cord blood DNA methylation.

Methods: A total of 4487 mother-newborn pairs from 7 studies were included.

Dynamic co-evolution of transposable elements and the piRNA pathway in African cichlid fishes.

Background: East African cichlid fishes have diversified in an explosive fashion, but the (epi)genetic basis of the phenotypic diversity of these fishes remains largely unknown. Although transposable elements (TEs) have been associated with phenotypic variation in cichlids, little is known about their transcriptional activity and epigenetic silencing. We set out to bridge this gap and to understand the interactions between TEs and their cichlid hosts.