Determining the minimal amount of DMSO necessary to stabilize the Angiomotin lipid binding domain.

Angiomotins (Amots) are a family of adaptor proteins with important roles in cell growth, migration, and proliferation. The Amot coiled-coil homology (ACCH) domain has a high affinity for non-phosphorylated and mono-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol which provides specificity in the membrane association. The membrane specificity is linked with targeting and recycling of the membrane protein to maintain normal cell phenotypes and function.

Association of a Liver Allocation Policy Change With Domestic Travel for Liver Transplantation.

Background: In 2020, liver allocation policy in the United States was changed to allow for broader organ sharing, which was hypothesized to reduce patient incentives to travel for transplant. Our objective was to describe patterns of travel for domestic liver transplant pre- and post-acuity circle (AC) implementation.

Methods: Incident adult liver transplant listings between August 16, 2016, and February 3, 2020 (pre-AC) or June 13, 2020, and December 3, 2023 (post-AC) were obtained from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.

Integrating deep learning and machine learning for improved CKD-related cortical bone assessment in HRpQCT images: A pilot study.

High resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) offers detailed bone geometry and microarchitecture assessment, including cortical porosity, but assessing chronic kidney disease (CKD) bone images remains challenging. This proof-of-concept study merges deep learning and machine learning to 1) improve automatic segmentation, particularly in cases with severe cortical porosity and trabeculated endosteal surfaces, and 2) maximize image information using machine learning feature extraction to classify CKD-related skeletal abnormalities, surpassing conventional DXA and CT measures. We included 30 individuals (20 non-CKD, 10 stage 3 to 5D CKD) who underwent HRpQCT of the distal and diaphyseal radius and tibia and contributed data to develop and validate four different AI models for each anatomical site.

Body mass index and sleep disorders after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury - a national TBI model systems study.

Objective: To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI), newly developed sleep disorders and functional outcome after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI).

Methods: Retrospective data from the TBI Model Systems National Database was analyzed, focusing on the independent association between BMI, sleep disorder diagnosis, and functional outcome as measured by the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) at 1-year post-injury. Linear and logistic regression were used.

Epigenetic Threads of Neurodegeneration: TFAM's Intricate Role in Mitochondrial Transcription.

There is a myriad of activities that involve mitochondria that are crucial for maintaining cellular equilibrium and genetic stability. In the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative illnesses, mitochondrial transcription influences mitochondrial equilibrium, which in turn affects their biogenesis and integrity. Among the crucial proteins for keeping the genome in optimal repair is mitochondrial transcription factor A, more commonly termed TFAM.

Criminal Offending and Incarceration in United States Adults With Early Phase Psychosis and Comorbid Substance Use Disorder.

Aim: Studies have shown that people experiencing early phase psychosis (EPP) are at increased risk for criminal conviction and incarceration. However, there is limited data looking at overall legal burden. To address these gaps in the literature, the goal of this study was to categorise criminal charges and convictions using the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uniform crime reporting (UCR) program, assess frequency of incarcerations, and describe the frequency of substance use disorder (SUD) diagnoses and its relationship to criminal offending and incarceration in a well categorised EPP population.

Serum Periostin is Able to Stratify Type 2-Dominant Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a heterogeneous disease composed of different endotypes. It is important to develop useful biomarkers for endotyping UC; however, available biomarkers are insufficient. We have already established that periostin is a surrogate biomarker of type 2 inflammation.

Hypothalamic neural circuits regulating energy expenditure.

The hypothalamus plays a central role in regulating energy expenditure and maintaining energy homeostasis, crucial for an organism's survival. Located in the ventral diencephalon, it is a dynamic and adaptable brain region capable of rapid responses to environmental changes, exhibiting high anatomical and cellular plasticity and integrates a myriad of sensory information, internal physiological cues, and humoral factors to accurately interpret the nutritional state and adjust food intake, thermogenesis, and energy homeostasis. Key hypothalamic nuclei contain distinct neuron populations that respond to hormonal, nutrient, and neural inputs and communicate extensively with peripheral organs like the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, and adipose tissues to regulate energy production, storage, mobilization, and utilization.

Describing the landscape of nutrition- and diet-related randomized controlled trials: meta-research study of protocols published between 2012 and 2022.

Background: Publishing protocols promotes transparency and reproducibility. The scope and methods of protocols for nutrition- and diet-related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have not been investigated yet.

Objective: Map the landscape of nutrition- and diet-related interventions research.

Engineering Resilient CAR T Cells for Immunosuppressive Environment.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment and is now being explored for other diseases, such as autoimmune disorders. While the tumor microenvironment (TME) in cancer is often immunosuppressive, in autoimmune diseases, the environment is typically inflammatory. Both environments can negatively impact CAR T cell survival: the former through direct suppression, hypoxia, and nutrient deprivation, and the latter through chronic T cell receptor (TCR) engagement, risking exhaustion.

Tissue nanotransfection-based endothelial PLCγ2-targeted epigenetic gene editing in vivo rescues perfusion and diabetic ischemic wound healing.

Diabetic wounds are complicated by underlying peripheral vasculopathy. Reliance on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy to improve perfusion makes logical sense, yet clinical study outcomes on rescuing diabetic wound vascularization have yielded disappointing results. Our previous work has identified that low endothelial phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2) expression hinders the therapeutic effect of VEGF on the diabetic ischemic limb.

Mechanical Wear of Degraded Articular Cartilage.

Purpose: To evaluate the mechanical wear of cartilage with different types of degradation.

Methods: Bovine osteochondral explants were treated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) to mimic inflammatory conditions, with chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) to specifically remove glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), or with collagenase to degrade the collagen network during 5 days of culture. Viscoelastic properties of cartilage were characterized via indentation.

Spatial Localization of Collagen Hydroxylated Proline Site Variation as an Ancestral Trait in the Breast Cancer Microenvironment.

Collagen stroma interactions within the extracellular microenvironment of breast tissue play a significant role in breast cancer, including risk, progression, and outcomes. Hydroxylation of proline (HYP) is a common post-translational modification directly linked to breast cancer survival and progression. Changes in HYP status lead to alterations in epithelial cell signaling, extracellular matrix remodeling, and immune cell recruitment.

A Conserved Di-Lysine Motif in the E2 Transactivation Domain Regulates MmuPV1 Replication and Disease Progression.

The papillomavirus E2 protein regulates the transcription, replication, and segregation of viral episomes within the host cell. A multitude of post-translational modifications have been identified which control E2 functions. A highly conserved di-lysine motif within the transactivation domain (TAD) has been shown to regulate the normal functions of the E2 proteins of BPV-1, SfPV1, HPV-16, and HPV-31.

Utilization of Cannabidiol in Post-Organ-Transplant Care.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the major phytochemical constituents of cannabis, , widely recognized for its therapeutic potential. While cannabis has been utilized for medicinal purposes since ancient times, its psychoactive and addictive properties led to its prohibition in 1937, with only the medical use being reauthorized in 1998. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD lacks psychoactive and addictive properties, yet the name that suggests its association with cannabis has significantly contributed to its public visibility.

G Protein-Coupled Receptor 17 Inhibits Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Secretion via a Gi/o-Dependent Mechanism in Enteroendocrine Cells.

Gut peptides, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), regulate metabolic homeostasis and have emerged as the basis for multiple state-of-the-art diabetes and obesity therapies. We previously showed that G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) is expressed in intestinal enteroendocrine cells (EECs) and modulates nutrient-induced GLP-1 secretion. However, the GPR17-mediated molecular signaling pathways in EECs have yet to be fully deciphered.

Pediatric Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Trends, Mortality, and Socioeconomic Disparities in the U.S., 1998-2020.

Background/objectives: We aim to describe the changing inpatient epidemiology of NAFLD in the U.S. and identify major risk factors associated with mortality in the disease among hospitalized pediatric patients.

Elevated uric acid levels, mortality and cognitive impairment in children with severe malaria.

We investigated the role of uric acid in the pathogenesis of severe malaria (SM) in two independent cohorts of children with SM. Hyperuricemia (blood uric acid ≥ 7 mg dl) was present in 25% of children with SM and was associated with increased in-hospital mortality and postdischarge mortality in both cohorts. Increased blood uric acid levels were also associated with worse scores in overall cognition in children with SM < 5 years old in both cohorts.

Physiologic Pulmonary Phenotyping of Infants Born Preterm and Post-Discharge Respiratory Morbidity.

Objectives: To determine whether airway and parenchymal function identifies subgroups of infants born preterm according to the predominant pulmonary pathophysiology, and whether these subgroups have different risks for respiratory disease during infancy.

Study Design: We prospectively enrolled a cohort of 125 infants born preterm with planned clinical follow-up after NICU discharge. The study included monthly questionnaires for wheeze and visits to a physician or care provider for any respiratory illness.

Influence of work intensity on acute kidney injury risk during simulated occupational heat stress.

Violation of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) heat stress recommendations by exceeding the allowable wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) for a given work intensity and work-rest ratio augments acute kidney injury (AKI) risk. Here we tested the hypothesis that exceeding the allowable work intensity at a given WBGT and work-rest ratio would also worsen AKI risk. Twelve healthy adults completed two NIOSH recommendation compliant trials and one noncompliant trial consisting of a 4 h (half workday) exposure.

Addressing Health Inequities: Understanding the Relationship Between Social Determinants of Health and Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

Introduction: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe illness with high mortality. Traditional risk factors are prematurity and neonatal stress. Maternal risk factors have also been postulated but are often overlooked.

Finding Value in Pediatric Liver Transplantation: When Does Volume Matter?

Introduction: Pediatric liver transplantation provides substantial survival benefit. An emphasis on value-based practices has become a central theme in many surgical fields, but have not been well-studied in pediatric transplantation. Given an increasing focus on optimizing outcomes while containing costs, defining value in pediatric liver transplantation warrants investigation.

One hundred thirty-four germ line PU.1 variants and the agammaglobulinemic patients carrying them.

Leukopoiesis is lethally arrested in mice lacking the master transcriptional regulator PU.1. Depending on the animal model, subtotal PU.