uafR: An R package that automates mass spectrometry data processing.

Chemical information has become increasingly ubiquitous and has outstripped the pace of analysis and interpretation. We have developed an R package, uafR, that automates a grueling retrieval process for gas -chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC -MS) data and allows anyone interested in chemical comparisons to quickly perform advanced structural similarity matches. Our streamlined cheminformatics workflows allow anyone with basic experience in R to pull out component areas for tentative compound identifications using the best published understanding of molecules across samples (pubchem.

Tunneled or pocket creation method versus conventional endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Tunneled endoscopic submucosal dissection (T-ESD) and pocket creation-method ESD (PCM-ESD) are considered to have technical advantages over conventional ESD (C-ESD). However, data comparing these techniques for ESD of gastric lesions are limited.

Methods: PubMed and Cochrane databases were reviewed for relevant studies from their inceptions to October 31, 2023.

Canadian Cost-Effectiveness of Coronary Artery Calcium Screening Based on the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background: Cost-effectiveness of testing for coronary artery calcium (CAC) relative to other treatment strategies is not established in Canada.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using CAC score-guided statin treatment compared with universal statin therapy among intermediate-risk, primary prevention patients eligible for statins.

Methods: A state transition, microsimulation model used data from Canadian sources and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis to simulate clinical and economic consequences of cardiovascular disease from a Canadian publicly funded health care system perspective.

Modification of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method targeting lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and its primary metabolite (OH-LSD) to include nine LSD analogs.

A variety of LSD analogs have emerged in recent years with dual purposes of avoiding prosecution from possession while providing new options for those willing to experiment with hallucinogenic drugs. In this study, a previously published automated sample preparation method for LSD and its primary metabolite (OH-LSD) was utilized to extract LSD, OH-LSD, and nine LSD analogs from urine. The liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was modified from the previously published LC conditions to utilize a different analytical column and gradient elution program.

Techno-functional properties and allergenicity of mung bean (Vigna radiata) protein isolates from Imara and KPS2 varieties.

Mung bean is an increasingly cultivated legume. This study compared mung bean varieties 'KPS2' from Thailand (Th) and 'Imara' from Tanzania (T) with a focus on protein composition, allergenicity, and techno-functional properties. Two rounds alkaline-acid extraction were performed to produce mung bean protein isolate (MBPI - Th/T and Th/T), supernatant (S) and protein-poor residue (PPR).

Exploring Cannabinoids as Potential Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Papain-like Protease: Insights from Computational Analysis and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered a global COVID-19 pandemic, challenging healthcare systems worldwide. Effective therapeutic strategies against this novel coronavirus remain limited, underscoring the urgent need for innovative approaches. The present research investigates the potential of cannabis compounds as therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2 through their interaction with the virus's papain-like protease (PLpro) protein, a crucial element in viral replication and immune evasion.

PET Imaging of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 with a Fluorine-18 Labeled Tryptophan Radiotracer.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a neurocutaneous disorder. Plexiform neurofibromas (PNFs) are benign tumors commonly formed in patients with NF1. PNFs have a high incidence of developing into malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) with a 5-year survival rate of only 30%.

Effects of a β-Glucan-Rich Blend of Medicinal Mushrooms and Botanicals on Innate Immune Cell Activation and Function Are Enhanced by a Very Low Dose of Bovine Colostrum Peptides.

Nutraceutical immune support offers potential for designing blends with complementary mechanisms of action for robust support of innate immune alertness. We documented enhanced immune activation when bovine colostrum peptides (BC-Pep) were added to an immune blend (IB) containing β-glucans from yeast, shiitake, maitake, and botanical non-β-glucan polysaccharides. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with IB, BC-Pep, and IB + BC-Pep for 20 h, whereafter expression of the activation marker CD69 was evaluated on NK cells, NKT cells, and T cells.

(Sub-)Picosecond Surface Correlations of Femtosecond Laser Excited Al-Coated Multilayers Observed by Grazing-Incidence X-ray Scattering.

Femtosecond high-intensity laser pulses at intensities surpassing 10 W/cm can generate a diverse range of functional surface nanostructures. Achieving precise control over the production of these functional structures necessitates a thorough understanding of the surface morphology dynamics with nanometer-scale spatial resolution and picosecond-scale temporal resolution. In this study, we show that single XFEL pulses can elucidate structural changes on surfaces induced by laser-generated plasmas using grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS).

Childhood Environmental Instabilities and Their Behavioral Implications: A Machine Learning Approach to Studying Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) include a range of abusive, neglectful, and dysfunctional household behaviors that are strongly associated with long-term health problems, mental health conditions, and societal difficulties. The study aims to uncover significant factors influencing ACEs in children aged 0-17 years and to propose a predictive model that can be used to forecast the likelihood of ACEs in children. Machine learning models are applied to identify and analyze the relationships between several predictors and the occurrence of ACEs.

Novel grouping of planned coping strategies for managing the intensity of labour: A survey study of Australian nulliparous women.

Background: It is common for women to explore and plan strategies to cope during labour. These strategies are usually focused on pain control and described as either pharmacological or non-pharmacological. As labour is an individual experience, each woman should be enabled to choose strategies that best suit them, and that reflect what they feel influences their sense of capacity to cope.

The changing shape of general practice in Scotland: the rise of the 'megapractice'.

Objectives: To describe the trends in the nature of general practices in Scotland between 2014/15 and 2023.

Study Design: Descriptive ecological study.

Methods: We obtained data from Public Health Scotland and used general practitioner (GP) practice codes, practice names, and the General Medical Council (GMC) numbers of their listed GPs to describe trends in practice characteristics and to identify individual practices that were likely to be operating as a single entity.

Phylogenetics and biogeography of the olive family (Oleaceae).

Background And Aims: Progress in the systematic studies of the olive family (Oleaceae) during the last two decades provides the opportunity to update its backbone phylogeny and to investigate its historical biogeography. We also aimed to understand the factors underlying the disjunct distribution pattern between East Asia and both West Asia and Europe that is found more commonly in this family than in any other woody plant family.

Methods: Using a sampling of 298 species out of ~750, the largest in a phylogenetic study of Oleaceae thus far, with a set of 36 plastid and nuclear markers, we reconstructed and dated a new phylogenetic tree based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods and checked for any reticulation events.

Proximal cementation of a collarless polished tapered hip stem: biomechanical analysis using a validated finite element model.

Total hip replacement (THR) with cemented stem is a common procedure for patients with hip osteoarthritis. When primary THR fails, removal of the cement is problematic and poses challenges during revision surgeries. The possibility of proximal partial cementing of the hip stem was explored to mitigate the problem.

Tools and Techniques to Accelerate Crop Breeding.

As climate changes and a growing global population continue to escalate the need for greater production capabilities of food crops, technological advances in agricultural and crop research will remain a necessity. While great advances in crop improvement over the past century have contributed to massive increases in yield, classic breeding schemes lack the rate of genetic gain needed to meet future demands. In the past decade, new breeding techniques and tools have been developed to aid in crop improvement.

A cross-sectional questionnaire study: Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia remains prevalent in adults with type 1 diabetes and is associated with the risk of severe hypoglycaemia.

Objective: Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) is a risk factor for severe hypoglycaemia (SH) in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Much of the IAH prevalence data comes from older studies where participants did not have the benefit of the latest insulins and technologies. This study surveyed the prevalence of IAH and SH in a tertiary adult clinic population and investigated the associated factors.

Osmotic stress response of the coral and oyster pathogen : acquisition of catabolism gene clusters for the compatible solute and signaling molecule -inositol.

Marine bacteria experience fluctuations in osmolarity that they must adapt to, and most bacteria respond to high osmolarity by accumulating compatible solutes also known as osmolytes. The osmotic stress response and compatible solutes used by the coral and oyster pathogen were unknown. In this study, we showed that to alleviate osmotic stress biosynthesized glycine betaine (GB) and transported into the cell choline, GB, ectoine, dimethylglycine, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate, but not -inositol.

Holistic evaluation of inlet protection devices for sediment control on construction sites.

To address the deleterious impacts of excess soil erosion from the construction sites, the United States Clean Water Act requires that erosion and sediment control measures (ESCs) be implemented on construction projects disturbing more than 0.4 ha. Inlet protection devices (IPDs) are a common ESC utilized on construction projects to reduce the amount of sediment entering storm sewers.