Urinary Fluoride Levels Among Youth in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016: Potential Differences According to Race.

Background/objectives: Urinary fluoride (UF) is the most well-established biomarker for fluoride exposure, and understanding its distribution can inform risk assessment for potential adverse systemic health effects. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report distributions of UF among youth according to sociodemographic factors in a nationally representative United States (US) sample.

Methods: The study included 1191 children aged 6-11 years and 1217 adolescents aged 12-19 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016.

Associations of Maternal Prenatal Zinc Consumption with Infant Brain Tissue Organization and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.

Background/objectives: While studies in rat pups suggest that early zinc exposure is critical for optimal brain structure and function, associations of prenatal zinc intake with measures of brain development in infants are unknown. This study aimed to assess the associations of maternal zinc intake during pregnancy with MRI measures of brain tissue microstructure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, as well as to determine whether MRI measures of the brain mediated the relationship between maternal zinc intake and neurodevelopmental indices.

Methods: Forty-one adolescent mothers were recruited for a longitudinal study during pregnancy.

Novel Visualization of Building Earthquake Response Recorded by a Dense Network of Sensors.

The strong motion records collected in full-scale structures provide the ultimate evidence of how real structures, in situ, respond to earthquakes. This paper presents a novel method for visualization, in three dimensions (3D), of the collective motion by a dense array of sensors in a building. The method is based on one- and two-dimensional biharmonic spline interpolation of the motion recorded by multiple sensors on the same or multiple floors.

Robotically Assisted vs. Manual Total Hip Arthroplasty in Developmental Hip Dysplasia: A Comparative Analysis of Radiological and Functional Outcomes.

: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), defined by the malalignment of the femoral head and acetabulum, is a major precursor to coxarthrosis, posing substantial challenges during total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients with coxarthrosis secondary to DDH often exhibit acetabular bone insufficiency, which makes challenging surgical reconstruction difficult. This study aimed to compare the radiologic and functional outcomes of robotically assisted and conventional manual THA techniques in patients with coxarthrosis secondary to Crowe type III-IV DDH.

Motivation to Clinical Trial Participation: Health Information Distrust and Healthcare Access as Explanatory Variables and Gender as Moderator.

: There is significant underrepresentation in clinical trials across diverse populations. Less is known about how health system-related factors, such as relationships and trust, mediate the motivation for clinical trial participation. We aimed to investigate whether health system-related factors explain the association between sociodemographic factors and motivation for participation.

Neuroinflammation: A Driving Force in the Onset and Progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

: The goal of this commentary is to highlight several key components of the inflammatory process as it relates to amyloid toxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD), including the role of neuroinflammatory factors and peripheral inflammatory events. : Google Scholar and PubMed were used to find articles with the following keywords: Alzheimer's disease, amyloids, neuroinflammation, peripheral inflammation, microglia, cytokines, and treatments. Sources that were case reports, not peer-reviewed, or older than 30 years were excluded.

Clinical and Genomic Features of Androgen Indifferent Prostate Cancer.

Androgen-indifferent prostate cancer (AIPC) is increasingly common and particularly lethal. Data describing these tumors are sparse, and AIPC remains a poorly understood malignancy. Utilizing the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN) database, we enriched for tumors with features of AIPC using previously described characteristics.

Exploring the Potential of AI-Assisted Technology in Joint Range-of-Motion Measurements: A Reliability Study.

: Measuring joint range of motion (ROM) is essential for diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal diseases. However, most clinical measurements are conducted using conventional devices, and their reliability may significantly depend on the tester. This study implemented an RGB-D (red/green/blue-depth) sensor-based artificial intelligence (AI) device to measure joint ROM and compared its reliability with that of a universal goniometer (UG).

Gastric Microbiota Associated with Gastric Precancerous Lesions in -Negative Patients.

Studies on the gastric microbiota associated with gastric precancerous lesions remain limited. This study aimed to profile the gastric mucosal microbiota in patients with -negative precancerous lesions. Gastric mucosal samples were obtained from 67 -negative patients, including those with chronic gastritis (CG), intestinal metaplasia (IM), and dysplasia.

Spore-Derived Isolates from a Single Basidiocarp of Bioluminescent Reveal Multifaceted Phenotypic and Physiological Variations.

The fungal genus is noted for its bioluminescence and the production of biologically active secondary metabolites. We isolated 47 fungal strains of germinated from spores of a single mushroom. We first noted a high degree of variation in the outward appearances in radial growth and pigmentation among the cultures.

Gene Therapy and Diabetes: A Narrative Review of Recent Advances and the Role of Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams.

Gene therapy has emerged as a promising frontier in the management of diabetes, offering innovative approaches to address both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This narrative review examines the advancements in gene therapy applications, focusing on both animal and human studies, and includes a total of 11 studies in adherence to PRISMA guidelines. These studies utilize various viral vectors, such as adeno-associated virus (AAV) and lentivirus, to deliver genes that regulate insulin production and enhance angiogenesis.

Bicarbonate Within: A Hidden Modulator of Antibiotic Susceptibility.

Since its standardization, clinical antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) has relied upon a standard medium, Mueller-Hinton Broth/Agar (MHB/A), to determine antibiotic resistance. However, this microbiologic medium bears little resemblance to the host milieu, calling into question the physiological relevance of resistance phenotypes it reveals. Recent studies investigating antimicrobial susceptibility in mammalian cell culture media, a more host-mimicking environment, demonstrate that exposure to host factors significantly alters susceptibility profiles.

A Review of Therapies for Infection.

is an urgent public health threat that affects approximately half a million patients annually in the United States. Despite concerted efforts aimed at the prevention of infection (CDI), it remains a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections. CDI is associated with significant clinical, social, and economic burdens.

Improved Survival and Symptom Relief Following Palliative Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion for Leptomeningeal Disease from Brain Cancers: A Case Series and Systematic Review.

Background: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) from cancer indicates advanced cancer and can lead to obstructive hydrocephalus, for which palliative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion may be indicated to alleviate symptoms. We investigated surgical outcomes for hydrocephalus for adult patients with LMD and conducted a systematic review on pediatric and adult cases.

Methods: We analyzed outcomes from a 10-year period of patients with neoplastic LMD, obstructive hydrocephalus, and documented date of death.

Oxidative Stress, Glutathione Insufficiency, and Inflammatory Pathways in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Implications for Therapeutic Interventions.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is significantly associated with oxidative stress, resulting from the imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant defenses. This imbalance contributes to insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction, and complications in organs like the vasculature and nervous system. Glutathione (GSH), a major antioxidant, is crucial for neutralizing ROS, but GSH levels are notably low in T2DM, exacerbating oxidative stress and inflammation.

Distinct Urinary Metabolite Signatures Mirror In Vivo Oxidative Stress-Related Radiation Responses in Mice.

Exposure to ionizing radiation disrupts metabolic pathways and causes oxidative stress, which can lead to organ damage. In this study, urinary metabolites from mice exposed to high-dose and low-dose whole-body irradiation (WBI HDR, WBI LDR) or partial-body irradiation (PBI BM2.5) were analyzed using targeted and untargeted metabolomics approaches.

Effects of Different Voided Urine Sample Storage Time, Temperature, and Preservatives on Analysis with Multiplex Bead-Based Oncuria Bladder Cancer Immunoassay.

Urinalysis accuracy requires reliable sample stability that is dependent on the chosen collection and storage conditions. The multiplex Oncuria bladder cancer immunoassay currently needs urine samples stored at 4 °C until analysis, which requires more effort, equipment, and workflow than storing samples at room temperature. Thus, successful sample storage at room temperature (20 °C) may reduce laboratory handling time and expenses.

Trait mindfulness in early pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Mindfulness centered therapy has been shown to improve perinatal mental health outcomes. There is emerging evidence that mindfulness training (MT) can also be harnessed to improve somatic outcomes. Yet, little is known about which perinatal populations might benefit the most from mindfulness training interventions.

Cell Storage Conditions Impact Single-Cell Proteomic Landscapes.

Single cell transcriptomics (SCT) has revolutionized our understanding of cellular heterogeneity, yet the emergence of single cell proteomics (SCP) promises a more functional view of cellular dynamics. A challenge is that not all mass spectrometry facilities can perform SCP, and not all laboratories have access to cell sorting equipment required for SCP, which together motivate an interest in sending bulk cell samples through the mail for sorting and SCP analysis. Shipping requires cell storage, which has an unknown effect on SCP results.

TRIM28-dependent developmental heterogeneity determines cancer susceptibility through distinct epigenetic states.

Mutations in cancer risk genes increase susceptibility, but not all carriers develop cancer. Indeed, while DNA mutations are necessary drivers of cancer, only a small subset of mutated cells go on to cause the disease. To date, the mechanisms underlying individual cancer susceptibility remain unclear.

Interlayer reconstruction phase transition in van der Waals materials.

Van der Waals materials display rich structural polymorphs with distinct physical properties. An atomistic understanding of the phase-transition dynamics, propagation pathway and associated evolution of physical properties is essential for capturing their potential in practical technologies. However, direct visualization of the rapid phase-transition process is fundamentally challenging due to the inherent trade-offs among atomic resolution, field of view and imaging frame rate.

Pre-injury narcotic drug use in isolated severe traumatic brain injury: effect on outcomes.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the association between pre-injury narcotic drug use (opioids, methadone, and/or oxycodone) and outcomes in isolated severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients.

Methods: ACS TQIP study included adult trauma patients (≥ 16 years) with complete drug and alcohol screening. Isolated severe TBI was defined as head trauma with AIS 3-5 and without significant extracranial trauma.

Dietary fiber content in clinical ketogenic diets modifies the gut microbiome and seizure resistance in mice.

The gut microbiome modulates the anti-seizure effects of the ketogenic diet, but how specific dietary formulations differentially modify the gut microbiome in ways that impact seizure outcome is poorly understood. We find that medical ketogenic infant formulas vary in macronutrient ratio, fat source, and fiber content and differentially promote resistance to 6-Hz seizures in mice. Dietary fiber, rather than fat ratio or source, drives substantial metagenomic shifts in a model human infant microbial community.