Melanocortin 5 receptor signaling protects against podocyte injury in proteinuric glomerulopathies.

Melanocortin therapeutics, exemplified by adrenocorticotropic hormone, have a proven steroidogenic-independent anti-proteinuric and glomerular protective effect. The biological functions of melanocortins are mediated by melanocortin receptors (MCR), including MC1R, which recent studies have shown to protect against glomerular disease. However, the role of other MCRs like MC5R is unknown.

Outcomes of Colectomy for Nonmalignant Polyps and Colon Cancer: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Introduction: In the United States, while most nonmalignant polyps are effectively treated through endoscopic removal, colectomy remains a treatment option for selected cases of nonmalignant polyps (NMPs) and colon cancer. This study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes for colectomies in these two conditions, hypothesizing similar complication rates.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2015 to 2021, including patients who underwent elective colectomies for colon cancer or NMPs.

Health insurance expansion and academic production: The case of Medicare Part D legislation.

Understanding how market demand influences academic research is crucial for comprehending the innovation process and informing policy decisions. This study examines the impact of the 2003 Medicare Part D legislation on biomedical journal article production across diseases. Using a difference-in-differences framework, together with a sample of over 2 million original research articles published between 1987 and 2015 sourced from PubMed database, I find a relatively 18.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of pathogenic GJB2 variants in the Asian population.

Objectives: Define the extent to which pathogenic GJB2 (gap junction beta-2) variants are responsible for non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) in the Asian population.

Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed's MEDLINE were accessed from 1997 to 2023 using permutations of the MeSH terms: "Asian," ''Southeast Asian,'' "South Asian," "East Asian," "Southeastern Asian," and "GJB2.

The contribution of cognitive disengagement syndrome symptoms to depressive symptoms among pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Objective: Pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) are at risk for neurocognitive late effects that can resemble symptoms of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS). In the current study, we compared the CDS symptoms of PBTS to those of healthy comparison classmates (CC) and examined whether CDS might explain group differences in depressive symptoms. We also explored whether CDS symptoms were associated with engagement-based coping strategies and stress responses, thereby testing one mechanism by which CDS could lead to affective difficulties.

A Noncatalytic Cysteine Residue Modulates Cobalamin Reactivity in the Human B Processing Enzyme CblC.

Human CblC catalyzes the indispensable processing of dietary vitamin B by the removal of its β-axial ligand and an either one- or two-electron reduction of its cobalt center to yield cob(II)alamin and cob(I)alamin, respectively. Human CblC possesses five cysteine residues of an unknown function. We hypothesized that Cys149, conserved in mammals, tunes the CblC reactivity.

Cultural differences on baby loss experiences: A comparison of the US and New Zealand.

Prior research has shown that the death of a baby (whether it be through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss) can have profound effects on the parents involved. However, research has yet to adequately understand how these effects differ cross-culturally. Our research addresses these issues through a qualitative study of 47 bereaved mothers in the United States and New Zealand-cultures that have differing perspectives on death.

Dynamic Roles of RNA and RNA Epigenetics in HTLV-1 Biology.

Since the discovery of RNA in the early 1900s, scientific understanding of RNA form and function has evolved beyond protein coding. Viruses, particularly retroviruses like human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), rely heavily on RNA and RNA post-transcriptional modifications to regulate the viral lifecycle, pathogenesis, and evasion of host immune responses. With the emergence of new sequencing technologies in the last decade, our ability to dissect the intricacies of RNA has flourished.

Inhibition of Endothelial Cell Tube Formation by Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor/Anti-Angiopoietin-2 RNA Nanoparticles.

RNA nanoparticles, derived from the packaging RNA three-way junction motif (pRNA-3WJ) of the bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor, have been demonstrated to be thermodynamically and chemically stable, with promise as a nanodelivery system. : A previous study showed that RNA nanoparticles with antiangiogenic aptamers (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and anti-angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) aptamers) inhibited cell proliferation via WST-1 assay. To further investigate the antiangiogenic potential of these RNA nanoparticles, a modified three-dimensional (3D) spheroid sprouting assay model of human umbilical vein endothelial cells was utilized in the present study.

Vitamins K2 and D3 Improve Long COVID, Fungal Translocation, and Inflammation: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Long COVID (LC) is characterized by persistent symptoms at least 3 months after a SARS-COV-2 infection. LC has been associated with fungal translocation, gut dysfunction, and enhanced systemic inflammation. Currently, there is no approved treatment for this condition.

Leveraging Single-Cell Multi-Omics to Decode Tumor Microenvironment Diversity and Therapeutic Resistance.

Recent developments in single-cell multi-omics technologies have provided the ability to identify diverse cell types and decipher key components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), leading to important advancements toward a much deeper understanding of how tumor microenvironment heterogeneity contributes to cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. These technologies are able to integrate data from molecular genomic, transcriptomic, proteomics, and metabolomics studies of cells at a single-cell resolution scale that give rise to the full cellular and molecular complexity in the TME. Understanding the complex and sometimes reciprocal relationships among cancer cells, CAFs, immune cells, and ECs has led to novel insights into their immense heterogeneity in functions, which can have important consequences on tumor behavior.

Identification of Strains from Animal Cases in Ethiopia and Genetic Characterization by Whole-Genome Sequencing.

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease characterized by rapid onset with usual fatal outcomes in livestock and wildlife. In Ethiopia, anthrax is a persistent disease; however, there are limited data on the isolation and molecular characterization of strains. This study aimed to characterize isolated from animal anthrax outbreaks between 2019 and 2024, from different localities in Ethiopia.

Risk-Stratified Venous Thromboembolism Chemoprophylaxis After Total Joint Arthroplasty: Evaluation of an Institutional Approach.

: The optimal venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis approach after hip or knee total joint arthroplasty (TJA) remains controversial. This study aimed to characterize antithrombotic-related complications associated with various chemoprophylaxis regimens after TJA and to assess our current institutional risk-stratified prescribing tool. : This retrospective case-control study and regression analysis included elective unilateral TJA patients at a single institution between 1 July 2015 and 31 December 2021.

Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives in the Conservation of Native Honeybees and Beekeeping in Cambodia.

The four honeybee species native to Cambodia-, , , -play a vital role in ecosystem health and agricultural productivity through their pollination activities. Beekeeping in Cambodia has primarily developed around the introduced species . However, it remains underdeveloped compared to neighboring countries, with wild honey collection continuing to play a significant role.

MicroRNA Expression Profile in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion (LVO) continues to present a considerable challenge to global health, marked by substantial morbidity and mortality rates. Although definitive diagnostic markers exist in the form of neuroimaging, their expense, limited availability, and potential for diagnostic delay can often result in missed opportunities for life-saving interventions. Despite several past attempts, research efforts to date have been fraught with challenges likely due to multiple factors, such as the inclusion of diverse stroke types, variable onset intervals, differing pathobiologies, and a range of infarct sizes, all contributing to inconsistent circulating biomarker levels.

Clinical and Genomic Features of Androgen Indifferent Prostate Cancer.

Androgen-indifferent prostate cancer (AIPC) is increasingly common and particularly lethal. Data describing these tumors are sparse, and AIPC remains a poorly understood malignancy. Utilizing the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN) database, we enriched for tumors with features of AIPC using previously described characteristics.

Drug-Induced Myoclonus: A Systematic Review.

: Myoclonus is already associated with a wide variety of drugs and systemic conditions. As new components are discovered, more drugs are suspected of causing this disabling abnormal involuntary movement. This systematic review aims to assess the medications associated with drug-induced myoclonus (DIM).

Research Progress and Clinical Translation Potential of Coronary Atherosclerosis Diagnostic Markers from a Genomic Perspective.

Coronary atherosclerosis (CAD) is characterized by arterial intima lipid deposition, chronic inflammation, and fibrous tissue proliferation, leading to arterial wall thickening and lumen narrowing. As the primary cause of coronary heart disease and acute coronary syndrome, CAD significantly impacts global health. Recent genetic studies have demonstrated CAD's polygenic and multifactorial nature, providing molecular insights for early diagnosis and risk assessment.

Estimation of Optimal and Maximum Standardized Ileal Digestible Methionine Requirements Based on Performance for Male Broilers Aged 0 to 21 Days.

Two experiments were conducted with Ross 308 male broiler chickens to determine the standardized ileal digestible (SID) methionine (Met) requirement for maximum weight gain during the starter (0 to 10 days) and grower (10 to 21 days) phases. A total of 720 and 288 birds were allocated to Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, and assigned six dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. The experimental diets were formulated with corn, soybean meal, and synthetic amino acids to achieve varying SID Met levels (3.

PLASMA: Partial LeAst Squares for Multiomics Analysis.

: Recent growth in the number and applications of high-throughput "omics" technologies has created a need for better methods to integrate multiomics data. Much progress has been made in developing unsupervised methods, but supervised methods have lagged behind. : Here we present the first algorithm, PLASMA, that can learn to predict time-to-event outcomes from multiomics data sets, even when some samples have only been assayed on a subset of the omics data sets.

Unmasking Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities in United States Chordoma Clinical Trials: Systematic Review.

Background: Chordoma is a rare bone cancer with limited treatment options. Clinical trials are crucial for developing effective therapies, but their success depends on including diverse patient populations. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the reporting of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity in United States clinical trials exploring treatment for chordoma.

Recent Advances in Anticancer Strategies.

Due to the intricate nature of cancer development and progression, various types of cancer are increasingly prevalent worldwide [...

A Case of Prostatic Lymphoma in a Dog with Symptoms of a Uroperitoneum Evaluated with Ultrasonography and Fluoroscopy.

A 10-year-old neutered male Labrador mix dog presented with a few-day history of stranguria and dysuria. Results of physical examination, laboratory findings, and imaging were consistent with a uroperitoneum and prostatomegaly. Ultrasound showed an enlarged, heterogeneous, and lobular prostate with mineralization, and fluoroscopy showed extravasation of contrast from the prostatic urethra through the prostatic parenchyma into the abdomen.

E-Cigarette Use and Depression Among American Indian Adults Who Smoke.

Objective: This study examined the association of e-cigarette use status and history of depression among American Indian (AI) adults who smoke.

Method: We conducted a secondary data analysis using survey data from 375 AI adult smokers collected in 2016 at a tribally operated healthcare facility in northeast Oklahoma. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between e-cigarette use and self-reported history of depression while adjusting for potential confounders.