A Multiplex High-Resolution Melting (HRM) assay to differentiate Fusarium graminearum chemotypes.

Fusarium graminearum is a primary cause of Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat and barley. The fungus produces trichothecene mycotoxins that render grain unsuitable for food, feed, or malt. Isolates of F.

Multifunctional 2D FETs exploiting incipient ferroelectricity in freestanding SrTiO nanomembranes at sub-ambient temperatures.

Incipient ferroelectricity bridges traditional dielectrics and true ferroelectrics, enabling advanced electronic and memory devices. Firstly, we report incipient ferroelectricity in freestanding SrTiO nanomembranes integrated with monolayer MoS to create multifunctional devices, demonstrating stable ferroelectric order at low temperatures for cryogenic memory devices. Our observation includes ultra-fast polarization switching (~10 ns), low switching voltage (<6 V), over 10 years of nonvolatile retention, 100,000 endurance cycles, and 32 conductance states (5-bit memory) in SrTiO-gated MoS transistors at 15 K and up to 100 K.

Combining synchrotron vacuum-ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for isomer-specific mechanistic analysis with application to the benzyl self-reaction.

Elucidating the formation mechanism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is crucial to understand processes in the contexts of combustion, environmental science, astrochemistry, and nanomaterials synthesis. An excited electronic-state pathway has been proposed to account for the formation of 14π aromatic anthracene in the benzyl (b-CH) self-reaction. Here, to improve our understanding of anthracene formation, we investigate CH bimolecular reactions in a tubular SiC microreactor through an isomer-resolved method that combines in situ synchrotron-radiation VUV photoionization mass spectrometry and ex-situ gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Real-Time 2D Phase-Contrast MRI to Assess Cardiac- and Respiratory-Driven CSF Movement in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Background And Purpose: In idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow is typically evaluated with a cardiac-gated two-dimensional (2D) phase-contrast (PC) MRI through the cerebral aqueduct. This approach is limited by the evaluation of a single location and does not account for respiration effects on flow. In this study, we quantified the cardiac and respiratory contributions to CSF movement at multiple intracranial locations using a real-time 2D PC-MRI and evaluated the diagnostic value of CSF dynamics biomarkers in classifying iNPH patients.

Non-Analog Behaviour of Eastern African Herbivore Communities During the Last Glacial Period.

Modern African ungulates navigate seasonal variation in resource availability through diet-switching (primarily mixed-feeders) and/or migrating (primarily grass grazers). These ecological generalisations are well-documented today, but the extent to which they apply to the non-analog ecosystems of the Pleistocene are unclear. Drawing from serially-sampled stable isotope measurements from 18 Kenyan large herbivore species from the Last Glacial Period (LGP), we evaluate how diet, diet-switching, and migration compare to observations from present-day settings.

Supplemental Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Patients With a Co-Occurring Anxiety Disorder: Technical Development and Functional Testing of an Autonomous Digital Program.

Background: Anxiety disorders are common in alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment patients. Such co-occurring conditions ("comorbidity") have negative prognostic implications for AUD treatment outcomes, yet they commonly go unaddressed in standard AUD care. Over a decade ago, we developed and validated a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention to supplement standard AUD care that, when delivered by trained therapists, improves outcomes in comorbid patients.

Microstructural mapping of neural pathways in Alzheimer's disease using macrostructure-informed normative tractometry.

Introduction: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) is sensitive to the microstructural properties of brain tissues and shows great promise in detecting the effects of degenerative diseases. However, many approaches analyze single measures averaged over regions of interest without considering the underlying fiber geometry.

Methods: We propose a novel macrostructure-informed normative tractometry (MINT) framework to investigate how white matter (WM) microstructure and macrostructure are jointly altered in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

Do Factors Influencing Acceptance of Kidney Stone Formers as Donors Predict Subsequent Stone Events?

Purpose: This study aimed to assess whether kidney stone burden and risk factors at the time of kidney donor evaluation were associated with a symptomatic stone event post-donor evaluation.

Methods: We identified adults evaluated at Mayo Clinic (two sites) (2000-2011) for living kidney donation and had either a personal history or radiological evidence of kidney stone disease. We analyzed demographics, stone risk factors, stone number/size, and the committee's donation decision and reasons.

Intravascular Imaging-Guided Versus Angiography-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the United States.

Background: The role of Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) is still unclear in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI in the current second-generation DES era.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the trends and outcomes of IVUS-guided PCI in patients with STEMI.

Methods: We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2016 to 2021.

Bias-Based Bullying Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Living With Disabilities.

Both sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) and youth living with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by bias-based bullying in school settings. While research has separately examined how sexual and gender minority status and disability status are associated with experiences of bullying, very little research has explored the experiences of youth living with these identities simultaneously. This study examined to what extent SGMY report differential experiences of bias-based bullying depending on various identities and the type of disability an individual reports.

Widening Racial Disparities in the US Overdose Epidemic.

Introduction: . More Americans died in 2021 from drug overdose than from vehicle accidents and firearms combined. Unlike earlier phases, the current epidemic is marked by its disproportionate impact on communities of color.

Factors Associated with Pediatric Drowning-Associated Lung Injury.

Objective: To identify risk factors for clinically-important drowning-associated lung injury (ciDALI) in children.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study of children (0 through18 years) who presented to 32 pediatric emergency departments (EDs) from 2010 through 2017. We reviewed demographics, comorbidities, prehospital data, chest radiographs reports, and ED course from emergency medical services, medical, and fatality records.

Association of SARS-CoV-2 Infection during pregnancy with placental weight and histopathologic lesions.

Introduction: The reported gross and histopathologic changes in the placenta associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection are heterogeneous. We sought to summarize placental histopathologic findings from pregnancies affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection according to timing of infection and symptom severity.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy who had deliveries at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, from April 2020 through June 2021.

Syncope: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment 2024.

Aim: In light of many recent advances in the field of vasovagal syncope, a selective review has been undertaken of these developments.

Methods: Recent publications on the following topics were reviewed; understanding of vasovagal syncope pathophysiology, tilt-testing methodology and interpretation, drug, ablation and pacemaker therapy.

Results And Conclusions: The vasovagal syncope field is very active in researching its pathophysiology, using it to gain better understanding of the process and applying this knowledge to therapy.

Intersections of Structural State-Level Racism and Neighborhood Deprivation on Nutrition and Obesity for Black Adolescents.

Purpose: Black adolescents in the United States face disproportionate poor nutrition and obesity risk due to racism. Intersections of larger structural contexts that pose differential access to Black adolescents' health resources, such as state-level racism and neighborhood-level disadvantage, may govern these risks. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the associations between state-level racism, neighborhood disadvantage, and their intersection with nutrition and obesity for Black adolescents in a longitudinal study.

Circadian Disruption in Glaucoma: Causes, Consequences, and Countermeasures.

This review explores the intricate relationship between glaucoma and circadian rhythm disturbances. As a principal organ for photic signal reception and transduction, the eye plays a pivotal role in coordinating the body's circadian rhythms through specialized retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), particularly intrinsically photosensitive RGCs (ipRGCs). These cells are critical in transmitting light signals to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the central circadian clock that synchronizes physiological processes to the 24-hour light-dark cycle.

Individualized Cell-Free DNA Monitoring With Chromosomal Junctions for Mesothelioma.

Introduction: The spatially complex nature of mesothelioma and interventions like pleurodesis, surgery, and radiation often complicate imaging-based assessment. Further, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) based monitoring strategies are inadequate for mesothelioma, given the presence of a few recurring nonsynonymous somatic variants. However, patient-specific chromosomal rearrangements are commonly found in mesothelioma.

Effectiveness of a Breast Cancer Educational Conference Targeting Healthcare Workers in Honduras.

Previous studies have demonstrated that many healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) lack the appropriate training and knowledge to recognize and diagnose breast cancer at an early stage. As a result, women in LMICs are frequently diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer (Stage III/IV) with a poor prognosis. We hosted a 1-day breast cancer educational conference directed towards healthcare workers in Honduras.

Diversity-Related, Student-Led National Medical Organizations: Leadership Opportunities for Learners.

Introduction: In light of the lack of diversity in academic medicine leadership, diversity-related, student-led national medical organizations (NMOs) provide a space for solace and reprieve among common peers while providing an opportunity to develop leadership competencies in a supportive environment. Despite the impact NMOs have had on cultivating generations of leaders in medicine, trainees may not identify opportunities for leadership development that are transferable to future careers in academic medicine.

Methods: We designed and implemented a dynamic 60-minute workshop with an interactive PowerPoint presentation, author-owned video testimonials (from past student leaders of NMOs), two case presentations, and reflection exercises.

Cognitive abilities are associated with rapid dynamics of electrophysiological connectome states.

Time-varying changes in whole-brain connectivity patterns, or connectome state dynamics, hold significant implications for cognition. However, connectome dynamics at fast (>1 Hz) timescales highly relevant to cognition are poorly understood due to the dominance of inherently slow fMRI in connectome studies. Here, we investigated the behavioral significance of rapid electrophysiological connectome dynamics using source-localized EEG connectomes during resting state ( = 926, 473 females).

Rapid dynamics of electrophysiological connectome states are heritable.

Time-varying changes in whole-brain connectivity patterns, or connectome state dynamics, are a prominent feature of brain activity with broad functional implications. While infraslow (<0.1 Hz) connectome dynamics have been extensively studied with fMRI, rapid dynamics highly relevant for cognition are poorly understood.

Revisiting Injectable Estrogen Dosing Recommendations for Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy.

Injectable estrogens are options for gender-affirming hormone therapy per guidelines, which suggest intramuscular dosages of 5-30 mg every 2 weeks or 2-10 mg weekly with estradiol cypionate or valerate interchangeably. Data among transgender and gender-diverse patients are limited due to local unavailability and concerns around laboratory assay variability and estradiol (E2) level fluctuation. We note a concerning trend where patients are prescribed high-dose injections based on the guidelines leading to serum E2 levels well above the range recommended in the same guidelines.

Racial Disparities in Clinical Trial Enrollment Among Patients Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort of Oncology Practices.

Although clinical trials should be accessible to all patients, persistent racial and ethnic disparities in clinical trial enrollment exist. Herein, we examine racial disparities in clinical trial enrollment among prostate cancer patients from a large population-based cohort of oncology practices in the United States. Using CancerLinQ Discovery, we identified men with regional (N1+) and/or metastatic (M1) prostate cancer diagnosed from 2011 to 2023.

CRISPR/Cas9-Based Protocol for Precise Genome Editing in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

The advent of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing has marked a significant advancement in genetic engineering technology. However, the editing of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with CRISPR presents notable challenges in ensuring cell survival and achieving high editing efficiency. These challenges become even more complex when considering the specific target site.

Pedicle Screw Pull-Out Strength Between the Jamshidi Needle and Pedicle Probe Techniques in an Osteoporotic Cancellous Bone Model: A Biomechanical Study.

Introduction Spinal fusion surgery with pedicle screws is commonly performed to stabilize the spine of osteoporotic patients. However, securing a strong screw fixation in osteoporotic bone presents significant challenges due to the reduced bone density. This study aimed to compare the biomechanical performance in an osteoporotic bone model of pedicle screws inserted using two different techniques, the Jamshidi needle technique and the pedicle probe technique, as well as the influence of tapping on both these techniques.