Designer Organs: Ethical Genetic Modifications in the Era of Machine Perfusion.

Gene therapy is a rapidly developing field, finally yielding clinical benefits. Genetic engineering of organs for transplantation may soon be an option, thanks to convergence with another breakthrough technology, ex vivo machine perfusion (EVMP). EVMP allows access to the functioning organ for genetic manipulation prior to transplant.

Cross-species comparison of AlphaFold-derived G protein-coupled receptor structures reveals novel melatonin-related receptor in Neurospora crassa.

Melatonin, a molecule with diverse biological functions, is ubiquitously present in living organisms. There is significant interest in understanding melatonin signal transduction pathways in humans, particularly due to its critical role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. However, a knowledge gap remains in fully elucidating the mechanisms by which melatonin influences circadian regulation.

Organismal complexity strongly correlates with the number of protein families and domains.

In the pregenomic era, scientists were puzzled by the observation that haploid genome size (the C-value) did not correlate well with organismal complexity. This phenomenon, called the "C-value paradox," is mostly explained by the fact that protein-coding genes occupy only a small fraction of eukaryotic genomes. When the first genome sequences became available, scientists were even more surprised by the fact that the number of genes (G-value) was also a poor predictor of complexity, which gave rise to the "G-value paradox.

Optimizing Nanobubble Production in Ceramic Membranes: Effects of Pore Size, Surface Hydrophobicity, and Flow Conditions on Bubble Characteristics and Oxygenation.

Precise control of nanobubble size is essential for optimizing the efficiency and performance of nanobubble applications across diverse fields, such as agriculture, water treatment, and medicine. Producing fine bubbles, including nanobubbles, is commonly achieved by purging gas through porous media, such as ceramic or polymer membranes. Many operational factors and membrane properties can significantly influence nanobubble production and characteristics.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin and Curcumin Alleviate Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Maintaining Intestinal Epithelial Integrity and Regulating Gut Microbiota in Mice.

Curcuminoids, found in turmeric ( L.), include curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC). Although CUR and DMC are well-studied, the anti-inflammatory effects of BDMC remain less explored.

Exploration of Vitamin D Hydroxy Metabolites C3 Epimers in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: an observational study.

Roughly 90% of the Polish population experiences vitamin D deficiency. The 3-epi-25(OH)D2 and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 are stereoisomers of 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3, and they can inadvertently be included in measurements of 25(OH)D levels, potentially leading to its overestimating. We aimed to measure 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3, their epimers 3-epi-25(OH)D2 and 3-epi-25(OH)D3, and biologically active 1,25(OH)2D3 in patients with cardiovascular disease and healthy volunteers.

Optimal processing of tongue swab samples for detection by the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay.

Tongue swabs represent a potential alternative to sputum as a sample type for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) with molecular diagnostic tests. The methods used to process tongue swabs for testing in the World Health Organization-recommended Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) assay vary greatly. Here, we aimed to identify the optimal tongue swab processing for Xpert Ultra testing.

Measurement of multidifferential cross sections for dijet production in proton-proton collisions at .

A measurement of the dijet production cross section is reported based on proton-proton collision data collected in 2016 at by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of up to 36.3 . Jets are reconstructed with the anti- algorithm for distance parameters of and 0.

Near-universal prevalence of central adiposity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: the PARAGON-HF trial.

Background And Aims: An expansion of fat mass is an integral feature of patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). While body mass index (BMI) is the most common anthropometric measure, a measure of central adiposity-the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)-focuses on body fat content and distribution; is not distorted by bone or muscle mass, sex, or ethnicity; and may be particularly relevant in HFpEF.

Methods: The PARAGON-HF trial randomized 4796 patients with heart failure and ejection fraction ≥45% to valsartan or sacubitril/valsartan.

Spindle Cell Sarcoma With Novel JAZF1::NUDT5 Gene Fusion: Report of a Previously Undescribed Neoplasm.

Gene fusions involving JAZF1 are a recurrent event in low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, and have been more recently described in few instances of endometrial stromal sarcoma-like tumors in the genitourinary tract of men. In this article, we describe a previously unreported spindle cell sarcoma harboring an in-frame JAZF1::NUDT5 gene fusion, arising in the chest wall of a 51-year-old man. The tumor had unique morphologic features resembling both endometrial stromal sarcoma and endometrial stromal sarcoma-like tumors, consisting of a mixture of cytologically bland and pleomorphic spindle cells with brisk mitotic activity, within an alternating myxoid and fibrous stroma.

Women Ridesharing Drivers' Responses to Sexual Violence on the Job: The Role of Confrontation.

One critical area where sexual violence has been underexplored is in the ridesharing industry in the United States, where women drivers frequently must interact with unknown male passengers. Sexual violence against them is categorized as technology-facilitated gender-based violence in the online to offline world, where services such as transportation are ordered through an online app and result in a person-to-person interaction once the driver picks the passenger up. Since ridesharing drivers are mostly independent contractors, they do not have at their disposal traditional legal and strong organizational remedies to address sexual violence; moreover, like all victims of violence, these methods usually can only be accessed after the incident has taken place.

How to educate patients and caregivers on end-of-life nutrition care and support.

Background: There are numerous articles, book chapters, and published guidelines on the topic of clinical ethics in the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration, which often incorporates end-of-life (EOL) nutrition care and support. Components of clinical ethics involve the importance of ethical principles, patient-centered care, and shared decision-making. However, there is sparse information on how to educate patients and caregivers on this subject.

Pandemic-associated food insecurity in northern, coastal Ecuador.

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened food insecurity worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the pandemic on perceived food insecurity among households in rural Esmeraldas, Ecuador. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to characterize pandemic impacts on household livelihoods and food insecurity in five communities.

Successful Percutaneous Coronary Stenting in End-Stage Liver Disease Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with poor outcomes after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We report on six high-risk end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stents during the preoperative evaluation process. There was no mortality or major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 90 days of OLT.

Extracting Housing and Food Insecurity Information From Clinical Notes Using cTAKES.

Objective: To assess the utility and challenges of using natural language processing (NLP) in electronic health records (EHRs) to ascertain health-related social needs (HRSNs) among older adults.

Study Setting And Design: We extracted HRSN information using the NLP system Clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System (cTAKES), combined with Concept Unique Identifiers and Systematized Nomenclature for Medicine codes. We validated cTAKES performance, via manual chart review, on two HRSNs: food insecurity, which was included in the healthcare system's HRSN screening tool, and housing insecurity, which was not.

Model-Informed Recommendation of Mavacamten Posology for Chinese Adults With Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Mavacamten is a cardiac myosin inhibitor for adults with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Dose optimization is performed 4 weeks after starting mavacamten, guided by periodic echo measurements of Valsalva left ventricular outflow tract gradient (VLVOTg) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Previously, a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model was developed and exposure-response (E-R) of VLVOTg (efficacy) and LVEF (safety) was used to identify the mavacamten titration regimen with the optimal benefit/risk ratio, now included in the US prescribing information.

Protocol for visual-acoustic intervention with service delivery in-person and via telepractice (VISIT) non-inferiority trial for residual speech sound disorder.

Background: Residual speech sound disorder (RSSD) is a high-prevalence condition that negatively impacts social and academic participation. Telepractice service delivery has the potential to expand access to technology-enhanced intervention methods that can help remediate RSSD, but it is not known whether remote service delivery is associated with a reduction in the efficacy of these methods. This project will systematically measure the outcomes of visual-acoustic biofeedback intervention when delivered in-person or online.

Bilateral hippocampal toxicity in a patient using kratom.

As an emerging toxic recreational drug, kratom use has been associated with a range of adverse effects, but reports of structural changes in the central nervous system are rare. We report a case of a young man in his 20s with a history of anxiety and depression who presented with an altered mental status and anterograde and retrograde amnesia following kratom use. His labs showed elevated alanine aminotransferase and ammonia levels, and his MRI revealed bilateral hippocampal T2 hyperintensity signal changes.

Cardiovascular, cancer, and infection risks of Janus kinase inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis: A nationwide cohort study.

Background: Evolving evidence suggests that patients undergoing treatment with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) may face an increased risk of cardiovascular events, malignancies, and serious infections.

Objectives: We assessed cardiovascular, malignancy, and serious infection risks associated with JAKi use compared to tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) use, which served as the active comparator, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: This study emulated a target trial using South Korea's nationwide claims database (2013-2023).