Environmental impacts of restructuring the EU's natural gas supply and consumption: Learnings from the 2022 energy crisis.

In 2022, the European Union put forward the REPowerEU plan in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, aiming at enhancing short-term energy security by diversifying imports and reducing natural gas demand while accelerating the deployment of renewable alternatives in the long term. Here, we quantify the life cycle environmental impacts of both REPowerEU's short-term measures, including the controversial extended coal-fired power plant operations, and how the first year of the crisis was managed in practice. We find that the policy measures' impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be negligible, although they could have detrimental effects on other environmental categories.

Abundant repressor binding sites in human enhancers are associated with the fine-tuning of gene regulation.

The regulation of gene expression relies on the coordinated action of transcription factors (TFs) at enhancers, including both activator and repressor TFs. We employed deep learning (DL) to dissect HepG2 enhancers into positive (PAR), negative (NAR), and neutral activity regions. Sharpr-MPRA and STARR-seq highlight the dichotomy impact of NARs and PARs on modulating and catalyzing the activity of enhancers, respectively.

Microbial biopesticides: A one health perspective on benefits and risks.

Controlling insect pests that destroy crop and spread diseases will become increasingly crucial for addressing the food demands of a growing global population and the expansion of vector-borne diseases. A key challenge is the development of a balanced approach for sustainable food production and disease control in 2050 and beyond. Microbial biopesticides, derived from bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, or nematodes, offer potentially significant benefits for promoting One Health and contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

PDA-associated infective endocarditis with pulmonary artery perforation.

Infective endocarditis used to frequently cause mortality in subjects having PDA before the advent of antibiotics and surgical ligation. It has been documented that clinically silent PDAs may cause infective complications of heart valves. We present case of an 18-years-old male who presented with palpitations and fever to our emergency department.

A recurrent variant c.5126C>T in a Han-Chinese family with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Objective: To identify the disease-causing variant in a family with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

Methods: This study including a Han-Chinese pedigree recruited from the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China was conducted between February, 2019 and January, 2023. Detailed clinical examinations were performed on the proband and other family members of a Han-Chinese family with TSC.

The Relationship of Fatty Liver with Body Composition Indices in Individuals with Metabolic Disorders - A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to screen fatty liver in individuals with metabolic disorders, and to investigate the use of some anthropometric calculations and body composition indices in demonstrating fatty liver disease.

Methods: The cross-sectional study included 224 participants with metabolic diseases. Anthropometric measurements of the participants were measured.

Prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients based on ultrasonograhic-clinicopathologic features.

Background & Objective: Determination of axillary lymph-node status plays a pivotal role in decision making for breast cancer treatment. Biopsy is the current standard of care but hold risks of complications as well. We aimed to find out the correlation of sonographic features of lymph node and histo-pathological findings, to predict axillary lymph-node metastasis in breast cancer patients.

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on well child follow-up visits and vaccination: A Single unit experience from Turkey.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on frequency of well-child follow-up visits and immunization rate in Turkish tertiary reference hospital's Well-Child Care Outpatient Clinic.

Methods: Children aged one month to 18 years who presented to the Well Child Care Outpatient Clinic of a tertiary referral hospital in Turkey for child health follow-up and immunisation were included in the study. Children with chronic diseases or children who needed to be immunised with a different scheme due to their special conditions were not included.

Detection of alteration in carotid artery volumetry using standard-of-care computed tomography surveillance scans following unilateral radiation therapy for early-stage tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma survivors: a cross-sectional internally-matched carotid isodose analysis.

Aim: This study leveraged standard-of-care CT scans of patients receiving unilateral radiotherapy (RT) for early tonsillar cancer to detect volumetric changes in the carotid arteries, and determine whether there is a dose-response relationship.

Methods: Disease-free cancer survivors (>3 months since therapy and age > 18 years) treated with intensity modulated RT for early (T1-2, N0-2b) tonsillar cancer with pre- and post-therapy contrast-enhanced CT scans available were included. Patients treated with definitive surgery, bilateral RT, or additional RT before the post-RT CT scan were excluded.

After-hours, Severity, and Distance are Associated with Non-VHA Emergency Department Use for Older Veterans: Insights from a Regional Health Information Exchange.

Background: Older adults treated in emergency departments (EDs) are at higher risk for adverse outcomes. Using multiple facilities can worsen this issue through service duplication and poor care transitions. Veterans with dual insurance coverage can access both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA EDs.

Dual Biologic Therapy Induces Remission in Refractory Crohn's Disease With Vedolizumab and Ustekinumab.

Background: Despite advancements in the therapeutic armamentarium for Crohn's disease (CD), biologic and small molecule monotherapies are associated with sub-optimal response and remission rates. Utilizing dual biologic therapy (DBT) holds the potential to increase efficacy in the treatment of refractory or partially responsive CD. Evidence pertaining to this strategy remains limited.

A mirror-image experiment: Sorting carbon nanotubes by L-DNA.

DNA has found increasing applications in molecular engineering, yet its chiral property has rarely been utilized. Here, we report a mirror-image experiment using naturally occurring D-DNA and its enantiomer L-DNA to sort a chiral mixture of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). We find that parity conservation leads to a robust experimental outcome: changing DNA chirality results in handedness inversion of the purified nanotube.

A novel machine learning based framework for developing composite digital biomarkers of disease progression.

Background: Current methods of measuring disease progression of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD), largely rely on composite clinical rating scales, which are prone to subjective biases and lack the sensitivity to detect progression signals in a timely manner. Digital health technology (DHT)-derived measures offer potential solutions to provide objective, precise, and sensitive measures that address these limitations. However, the complexity of DHT datasets and the potential to derive numerous digital features that were not previously possible to measure pose challenges, including in selection of the most important digital features and construction of composite digital biomarkers.

The Strength of a Story: Partnering With a Community Organization to Destigmatize Substance Use Disorder.

Introduction: Stigmatizing attitudes held by health care professionals against individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) result in worse clinical outcomes. Story-listening has been shown to help mitigate bias for medical trainees. We created a narrative-based small-group facilitated discussion between medical students and an individual in recovery from SUD through a direct partnership with a community peer-recovery organization.

Effect of Fluoride-incorporated Bioactive Glass Toothpaste on Remineralization of Primary Enamel Lesions: An Study.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the enamel remineralization effect of fluoride-incorporated bioactive glass (F-BG) toothpaste on artificial subsurface caries in primary teeth.

Materials And Methods: Forty sound primary maxillary incisors were subjected to a demineralizing solution for four days to induce artificial enamel caries. The teeth were randomly divided into four experimental groups ( = 10 per group): Group I, F-BG toothpaste (530 ppm fluoride) (BiominF); Group II, 0.

Pleiotropic effect of teneligliptin versus glimepiride add-on therapy on hs-CRP and cardiorenal parameters in Indian type 2 diabetes patients: An open-labeled randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The objective of the study was to estimate the pleiotropic effect of teneligliptin on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and some cardiorenal parameters in comparison to glimepiride, both as add-on therapy to metformin.

Methodology: This 12-week open-label, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial was conducted among Indian people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and on metformin monotherapy with poor glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin >7% or 53 mmol/mol). The endpoints were mean change in hs-CRP levels, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum creatinine, blood urea, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and change in cardiovascular (CV) risk categories from baseline to end of 12 weeks.

Intermittent Sinus Pause/Asystole in the Setting of Anticholinergic Overdose.

Anticholinergic toxicity typically presents with symptoms of cutaneous vasodilation, delirium, mydriasis, urinary retention, hyperthermia, anhidrosis, and tachycardia. This case report presents a 68-year-old female patient who exhibited some of these signs and symptoms after ingesting an unknown quantity of dicyclomine. However, she displayed one notable exception to the classic toxidrome.

Predictors for recurrence of drug use among males on probation for methamphetamine use in Japan: a one-year follow-up study.

Background: Methamphetamine use is related to severe health, social, and criminal challenges. However, there is limited evidence regarding the factors associated with the recurrence of drug use among individuals who have used methamphetamine, particularly within populations involved in the criminal justice system. This study aimed to identify predictors of illicit drug use at a one-year follow-up among males in Japan who have used methamphetamine and are involved in the criminal justice system.

An Unexpected Water Channel in the Light-Harvesting Complex of a Diatom: Implications for the Switch between Light Harvesting and Photoprotection.

Many important processes in cells depend on the transfer of protons through water wires embedded in transmembrane proteins. Herein, we have performed more than 55 μs all-atom simulations of the light-harvesting complex of a diatom, i.e.

Structure Characterization of a Disordered Peptide Using In-Droplet Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics.

In-droplet hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX)-mass spectrometry (MS) experiments have been conducted for peptides of highly varied conformational type. A new model is presented that combines the use of protection factors (PF) from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with intrinsic HDX rates ( ) to obtain a structure-to-reactivity calibration curve. Using the model, the relationship of peptide structural flexibility and HDX reactivity for different peptides is elucidated.

Quantum Molecular Dynamics Approach to Understanding Interactions in Betaine Chloride and Amino Acid Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents.

The unique properties and versatile applications of natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) have sparked significant interest in the field of green chemistry. Comprised of natural components that form liquids at room temperature through strong noncovalent electrostatic interaction, these solvents are cost-effective, nontoxic, and versatile. Betaine chloride-based NaDES, in particular, have shown promise in biocatalysis and sugar extraction due to their excellent properties.

The manipulation of odor availability of training aids used in detection canine training.

Detection canines can identify numerous substances for which they have been trained. Historically, and a point of ongoing contention, detection canine threshold (i.e.

Risk and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mexican Americans with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) disproportionately affects Hispanic persons with higher age-specific incidence and increased mortality rates compared to non-Hispanic Whites. These high rates of incidence and mortality may be explained by the variation in risk factors. Given the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) among the Hispanic population, we aimed to assess the risk and prognosis of HCC in Mexican Americans with type 2 DM with consideration of treatment for DM.