Staged repair for infected aortic arch graft and branched endograft post type A dissection repair.

A quinquagenarian underwent zone 2 arch repair for acute type A dissection followed by endovascular repair utilizing a branch endoprosthesis and covered stents. He developed a fever and positive blood culture results 3 weeks after the thoracic endovascular repair. A preoperative left carotid to subclavian artery bypass was performed.

Transcallosal inhibition does not influence subacute motor recovery in mild-to-moderate stroke.

After stroke, upper extremity (UE) motor recovery may be mediated in part by transcallosal projections between hemispheres. The interhemispheric competition model posits that transcallosal inhibition (TI) from the contralesional hemisphere is abnormally strengthened following stroke and interferes with motor recovery. This model has recently been questioned.

Kinetics of radiation-induced Cr(II) and Cr(III) redox chemistry in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic.

Chromium (Cr) is a frequent constituent of the metal alloys proposed for molten salt nuclear reactor (MSR) applications, and is typically the least noble metal ion present. Consequently, chromium is preferentially corroded into molten salt solutions. The redox poise and redox cycling of chromium ions in the salt can greatly influence its corrosivity towards structural alloys, ultimately impacting the longevity of MSR systems.

Large-scale evidence of a general disease ('') factor accounting for both mental and physical health disorders in different age groups.

Background: It is unknown whether there is a general factor that accounts for the propensity for both physical and mental conditions in different age groups and how it is associated with lifestyle and well-being.

Methods: We analyzed health conditions data from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) (age = 17; N = 19,239), the National Child Development Study (NCDS) (age = 44; N = 9293), and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) (age ≥ 50; N = 7585). The fit of three Confirmatory Factor models was used to select the optimal solution by Comparative Fit Index, Tucker-Lewis Index, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation.

An In Situ Curing, Shear-Responsive Biomaterial Designed for Durable Embolization of Microvasculature.

Endovascular embolization is a minimally-invasive technique whereby blood vessels supplying pathological structures are selectively occluded with various embolic agents. In many scenarios, it is desirable for the embolic to distally penetrate to the level of the microvasculature, which maximizes devascularization. Existing agents exhibit inconsistent distal penetration and have other limitations including tendency for proximal reflux, patient pain during infusion, lack of fluoroscopic radiopacity, potential for catheter adhesion, susceptibility to recanalization, and other usability challenges.

Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology.

Objectives: COVID-19 is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Studies from early in the pandemic show increased rates of unfavorable recanalization, poor outcomes, and mortality in patients who were COVID-19 positive at the time of mechanical thrombectomy. However, there are currently no studies examining these parameters during the later pandemic when circulating variants were less virulent.

Cortical Activation and Functional Connectivity Response to Different Interactive Modes of Virtual Reality (VR)-Induced Analgesia: A Prospective Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Study.

Aim: Virtual reality (VR) can be analgesic through intercortical modulation. This study investigated neural activities and correlates during different interactive modes.

Methods: Fifteen healthy participants (4M, 11F, age 21.

Nephrometry Scores Based on Three-dimensional Virtual Models Improve the Accuracy of Predicting Postoperative Complications After Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: Results from a Collaborative ERUS Validation Study.

Background And Objective: The aim of our study was to compare assessment of PADUA and RENAL nephrometry scores and risk/complexity categories via two-dimensional (2D) imaging and three-dimensional virtual models (3DVM) in a large multi-institutional cohort of renal masses suitable for robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN), and evaluate the predictive role of these imaging approaches for postoperative complications.

Methods: Patients were prospectively enrolled from six international high-volume robotic centers, calculating PADUA and RENAL-nephrometry scores and their relative categories with 2D-imaging and 3DVMs. The concordance of nephrometry scores and categories between the two approaches was evaluated using χ tests and Cohen's κ coefficient.

Prevalence and relationship with health of off-label and contraindicated drug use in the United States: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Off-label and contraindicated prescription drug use can result in adverse health outcomes. Despite concerns, the extent and characteristics of such usage patterns remain underexplored in the American population. We conducted a cross-sectional study analysing outpatient prescription data between 2016 and 2021 to determine the prevalence of off-label and contraindicated drug use.

Adolescents and adults with FOXP1 syndrome show high rates of anxiety and externalizing behaviors but not psychiatric decompensation or skill loss.

Background: FOXP1 syndrome is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder associated with complex clinical presentations including global developmental delay, mild to profound intellectual disability, speech and language impairment, autism traits, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a range of behavioral challenges. To date, much of the literature focuses on childhood symptoms and little is known about the FOXP1 syndrome phenotype in adolescence or adulthood.

Methods: A series of caregiver interviews and standardized questionnaires assessed psychiatric and behavioral features of 20 adolescents and adults with FOXP1 syndrome.

Retrospective BReast Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Multisite (BRIMM) multisoftware study.

Introduction: The intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) provides imaging biomarkers for breast tumor characterization. It has been extensively applied for both diagnostic and prognostic goals in breast cancer, with increasing evidence supporting its clinical relevance. However, variable performance exists in literature owing to the heterogeneity in datasets and quantification methods.

Revisiting the druggable genome using predicted structures and data mining.

Identification of novel drug targets is a key component of modern drug discovery. While antimalarial targets are often identified through the mechanism of action studies on phenotypically derived inhibitors, this method tends to be time- and resource-consuming. The discoverable target space is also constrained by existing compound libraries and phenotypic assay conditions.

Policy strategies for inclusion of pregnant and lactating women in vaccine research.

Pregnant and lactating women (PLW) have historically been excluded from vaccine research, creating inequities in vaccine access and uptake for PLW. US federal research policies create the framework for inclusion of diverse populations, including PLW, in research. We conducted a policy analysis and interviews ( = 29) with experts in vaccine research for PLW to characterize the existing policy landscape and to identify policy strategies to promote inclusion of PLW in vaccine trials.

Leveraging spatiotemporal Bayesian analysis to unravel polysubstance use and overdose risk: Opportunities and challenges.

In the current wave of the opioid epidemic, the prevalence of polysubstance use continues to complicate drug-related deaths. Most studies to date use non-spatial statistical approaches to examine the association between polysubstance use and overdose risk, without considering the spatial distribution of these latent sub-patterns of use. This paper describes the utility and potential impact of using disease mapping and Bayesian spatiotemporal approaches for analyzing and monitoring polysubstance use and overdose risk to better respond to the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Ignition of non-equilibrium methane dielectric barrier discharges in a multiphase plasma-liquid microfluidic device.

Atmospheric pressure plasma conversion of methane is usually addressed in gas-only systems, such as dry reforming of methane. Introducing a liquid in such a system enables direct utilization of plasma-produced radicals, such as methyl (CH), as a reactant in the liquid. Methylation of organic liquids by this technique can lead to the sustainable production of high-value products.

Soil pH-dependent nitrogen stimulation of plant biomass: magnesium and calcium as key constraints.

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition can alleviate N limitation and stimulate plant growth in many terrestrial ecosystems. While theoretical models often emphasize phosphorus limitations as a constraint on this positive N effect, the impact of N-induced magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) deficits due to soil acidification has been largely overlooked. Here, we synthesized data from 243 experiments across diverse terrestrial ecosystems to investigate the role of Mg and Ca in plant biomass responses to N addition.

The pH influence on ectomycorrhizal nitrogen acquisition and decomposition.

In theory, ectomycorrhizal (EM) and saprotrophic fungi compete for nitrogen (N) found in soil organic matter. However, both positive and negative effects of EM fungi on decomposition have been observed across systems, with opposing implications for soil carbon (C) storage. The conditions driving the context dependency of fungal guild interactions remain poorly understood, which has limited our ability to predict the effects of EM fungi on biogeochemical cycling at regional and global spatial scales.

Fidgetin-like 2 knockdown increases acute neuroinflammation and improves recovery in a rat model of spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause permanent dysfunction proceeding from multifaceted neuroinflammatory processes that contribute to damage and repair. Fidgetin-like 2 (FL2), a microtubule-severing enzyme that negatively regulates axon growth, microglial functions, and wound healing, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for central nervous system injuries and neuroinflammation. To test the hypothesis that FL2 knockdown increases acute neuroinflammation and improves recovery after SCI, we examined the effects of nanoparticle-encapsulated FL2 siRNA treatment after a moderate contusion SCI in rats.

Trans-ancestral rare variant association study with machine learning-based phenotyping for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified common variants associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, rare coding variant studies have been limited by phenotyping challenges and small sample sizes. We test associations of rare and ultra-rare coding variants with proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and MASLD case-control status in 736,010 participants of diverse ancestries from the UK Biobank, All of Us, and BioMe and performed a trans-ancestral meta-analysis.

Lysosomal acidification impairment in astrocyte-mediated neuroinflammation.

Astrocytes are a major cell type in the central nervous system (CNS) that play a key role in regulating homeostatic functions, responding to injuries, and maintaining the blood-brain barrier. Astrocytes also regulate neuronal functions and survival by modulating myelination and degradation of pathological toxic protein aggregates. Astrocytes have recently been proposed to possess both autophagic activity and active phagocytic capability which largely depend on sufficiently acidified lysosomes for complete degradation of cellular cargos.

A genome-wide association study of methamphetamine use among people with HIV.

Background: Amphetamine-like stimulants are the most used psychostimulants in the world; methamphetamine use is the most prevalent in people with HIV. Prolonged methamphetamine use can cause lasting damage to the heart, gut, and brain, as well as auditory hallucinations and paranoid thinking. However, relatively little is known about methamphetamine use and its genetic contributors.