Impact of antiparasitic therapy on cardiovascular outcomes in chronic Chagas disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Endemic in more than 20 countries, Chagas disease affects 6.3 million people worldwide, leading to 28,000 new infections and 7700 deaths each year. Previous meta-analyses on antiparasitic treatment need updates to encompass recent studies and to assess key clinically meaningful endpoints.

The Modified Frailty 5-Factor Index Predicts Adverse Outcomes After Ventral Hernia Repair in a National Database.

Background: Ventral hernia repair (VHR) is a common procedure performed on a comorbid patient population at risk for complications, necessitating effective preoperative risk assessment. Previous research suggests that frailty better predicts adverse outcomes compared with historical risk proxies including age. We examined the association between frailty as measured by the 5-factor modified frailty index and postoperative complications following VHR as reported in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.

Reinnervation of Free Nipple Grafts Associated With Improved Erection Function.

Background: Most patients undergoing breast surgery with free nipple grafts lose nipple erection (NE) function. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of nerve preservation and reconstruction with targeted nipple-areola complex reinnervation (TNR) on NE following gender-affirming mastectomy with free nipple grafting.

Methods: Patients undergoing gender-affirming mastectomy with free nipple grafts were prospectively enrolled.

Evaluating the effect of denoising submillimeter auditory fMRI data with NORDIC.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has emerged as an essential tool for exploring human brain function. Submillimeter fMRI, in particular, has emerged as a tool to study mesoscopic computations. The inherently low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at submillimeter resolutions warrants the use of denoising approaches tailored at reducing thermal noise-the dominant contributing noise component in high-resolution fMRI.

Excess cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents initiating antipsychotic treatment compared to young adults: results from a nationwide cohort study.

Antipsychotic treatment is associated with cardiometabolic risks that may be especially detrimental to children and adolescents. In this Danish population-based cohort study, we included individuals with psychiatric diagnoses who initiated antipsychotics in 2000-2021 at age 6-31 years. We assessed the risk of cardiometabolic adverse events up to 10 years following incident exposure to antipsychotics, compared to age- and sex-matched unexposed individuals with psychiatric diagnoses.

The current clinical approach to feeding and eating disorders aimed to increase personalization of management.

Feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) are a heterogeneous grouping of disorders at the mind-body interface, with typical onset from childhood into emerging adulthood. They occur along a spectrum of disordered eating and compensatory weight management behaviors, and from low to high body weight. Psychiatric comorbidities are the norm.

Post-traumatic stress disorder: evolving conceptualization and evidence, and future research directions.

The understanding of responses to traumatic events has been greatly influenced by the introduction of the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this paper we review the initial versions of the diagnostic criteria for this condition and the associated epidemiological findings, including sociocultural differences. We consider evidence for post-traumatic reactions occurring in multiple contexts not previously defined as traumatic, and the implications that these observations have for the diagnosis.

Real-world study of patients with HR+/ HER2- metastatic breast cancer treated with palbociclib and fulvestrant.

Aims: To investigate real-world treatment patterns and outcomes among patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) who initiated first-line palbociclib-fulvestrant.

Patients & Methods: Retrospective observational study of iKnowMed electronic health records among patients who initiated first-line palbociclib-fulvestrant between 1 February 2016 and 31 December 2019 and were followed through 30 June 2020. Demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics were evaluated descriptively.

Cell size has pervasive effects on the functional composition and morphology of leaves: a case study in Rhododendron (Ericaceae).

The leaf economics spectrum (LES) characterizes a tradeoff between building a leaf for durability versus for energy capture and gas exchange, with allocation to leaf dry mass per projected surface area (LMA) being a key trait underlying this tradeoff. However, regardless of the biomass supporting the leaf, high rates of gas exchange are typically accomplished by small, densely packed stomata on the leaf surface, which is enabled by smaller genome sizes. Here, we investigate how variation in genome size-cell size allometry interacts with variation in biomass allocation (i.

The role of human intestinal mucus in the prevention of microplastic uptake and cell damage.

An increase in plastic waste and its release into the environment has led to health concerns over microplastics (MPs) in the environment. The intestinal mucosal layer is a key defense mechanism against ingested MPs, preventing the migration of particles to other parts of the body. MP migration through intestinal mucus is challenging to study due to difficulties in obtaining intact mucus layers for testing and numerous formulations, shapes, and sizes of microplastics.

A novel susceptibility locus to () identified by genetic mapping of automated microscopy computer vision data in grapevines.

Powdery mildew, caused by the fungus , is one of the primary causes of grape yield loss across the globe. While numerous resistance loci have been identified in various grapevine species, the genetic determinants of susceptibility to remain largely unexplored. Understanding the genetics of susceptibility for pathogenesis is equally important for developing durable resistance grapevines against this pathogen.

Toward a phylogenomic classification of magnoliids.

Premise: Magnoliids are a strongly supported clade of angiosperms. Previous phylogenetic studies based primarily on analyses of a limited number of mostly plastid markers have led to the current classification of magnoliids into four orders and 18 families. However, uncertainty remains regarding the placement of several families.

Construction and characterization of chimeric FcγR T cells for universal T cell therapy.

Background: Several approaches are being explored for engineering off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. In this study, we engineered chimeric Fcγ receptor (FcγR) T cells and tested their potential as a versatile platform for universal T cell therapy.

Methods: Chimeric FcγR (CFR) constructs were generated using three distinct forms of FcγR, namely CD16A, CD32A, and CD64.

The interaction of tPA with NMDAR1 drives neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in α-synuclein-mediated neurotoxicity.

The thrombolytic protease tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is expressed in the CNS, where it regulates diverse functions including neuronal plasticity, neuroinflammation, and blood-brain-barrier integrity. However, its role in different brain regions such as the substantia nigra (SN) is largely unexplored. In this study, we characterize tPA expression, activity, and localization in the SN using a combination of retrograde tracing and β-galactosidase tPA reporter mice.

Phosphorylation of Bok at Ser-8 blocks its ability to suppress IPR-mediated calcium mobilization.

Background: Bok is a poorly characterized Bcl-2 protein family member with roles yet to be clearly defined. It is clear, however, that Bok binds strongly to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP) receptors (IPRs), which govern the mobilization of Ca from the endoplasmic reticulum, a signaling pathway required for many cellular processes. Also known is that Bok has a highly conserved phosphorylation site for cAMP-dependent protein kinase at serine-8 (Ser-8).

Genomic strategies to facilitate breeding for increased β-Glucan content in oat (Avena sativa L.).

Background: Hexaploid oat (Avena sativa L.) is a commercially important cereal crop due to its soluble dietary fiber β-glucan, a hemicellulose known to prevent cardio-vascular diseases. To maximize health benefits associated with the consumption of oat-based food products, breeding efforts have aimed at increasing the β-glucan content in oat groats.

Blood absolute lymphocyte count and trajectory are important in understanding severe COVID-19.

Background: Low blood absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) may predict severe COVID-19 outcomes. Knowledge gaps remain regarding the relationship of ALC trajectory with clinical outcomes and factors associated with lymphopenia.

Methods: Our post hoc analysis of the Therapeutics for Inpatients with COVID-19 platform trial utilized proportional hazards models to assess relationships between Day (D) 0 lymphopenia (ALC < 0.

2-[F]Fluoropropionic Acid PET Imaging of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity.

Purpose: Treatment of pediatric cancers with doxorubicin is a common and predictable cause of cardiomyopathy. Early diagnosis of treatment-induced cardiotoxicity and intervention are major determinants for the prevention of advanced disease. The onset of cardiomyopathies is often accompanied by profound changes in lipid metabolism, including an enhanced uptake of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).

Obstetric Sonar, Media Archaeology, Feminist Critique.

The snub-nosed, reclining, and serene image of the fetus is commonplace in cultural representations and analyses of obstetric ultrasound. Yet following the provocation of various feminist scholars, taking the fetal sonogram as the automatic object of concern vis-à-vis ultrasound cedes ground to anti-abortionists, who deploy fetal images to argue that life begins at conception and that the unborn are rights bearing subjects who must be protected. How might feminists escape this analytical trap, where discussions of ultrasonics must always be engaged in the act of debunking? This article orients away from the problem of fetal representation by employing a method which may appear to be wildly unsuitable: media archaeology.