What has brain diffusion magnetic resonance imaging taught us about chronic primary pain: a narrative review.

Chronic pain is a pervasive and debilitating condition with increasing implications for public health, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Despite its high prevalence, the underlying neural mechanisms and pathophysiology remain only partly understood. Since its introduction 35 years ago, brain diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a powerful tool to investigate changes in white matter microstructure and connectivity associated with chronic pain.

Oncogenic IDH1 drives robust loss of histone acetylation and increases chromatin heterogeneity.

Malignant gliomas are heterogeneous tumors, mostly incurable, arising in the central nervous system (CNS) driven by genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic aberrations. Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1/2) enzymes are predominantly found in low-grade gliomas and secondary high-grade gliomas, with IDH1 mutations being more prevalent. Mutant-IDH1/2 confers a gain-of-function activity that favors the conversion of a-ketoglutarate (α-KG) to the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), resulting in an aberrant hypermethylation phenotype.

Modular DNA origami-based electrochemical detection of DNA and proteins.

The diversity and heterogeneity of biomarkers has made the development of general methods for single-step quantification of analytes difficult. For individual biomarkers, electrochemical methods that detect a conformational change in an affinity binder upon analyte binding have shown promise. However, because the conformational change must operate within a nanometer-scale working distance, an entirely new sensor, with a unique conformational change, must be developed for each analyte.

Multiomics dissection of human RAG deficiency reveals distinctive patterns of immune dysregulation but a common inflammatory signature.

Human recombination-activating gene (RAG) deficiency can manifest with distinct clinical and immunological phenotypes. By applying a multiomics approach to a large group of -mutated patients, we aimed at characterizing the immunopathology associated with each phenotype. Although defective T and B cell development is common to all phenotypes, patients with hypomorphic variants can generate T and B cells with signatures of immune dysregulation and produce autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens, including type I interferons.

Sacubitril/valsartan versus valsartan initiation in patients naïve to renin-angiotensin system inhibitors: Insights from PARAGLIDE-HF.

Aims: Whether prior treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) modifies efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan (Sac/Val) in patients with heart failure (HF) and ejection fraction (EF) >40% is unclear, thus Sac/Val according to ACEi/ARB status at baseline was assessed.

Methods And Results: This was a pre-specified analysis of Prospective comparison of ARNI with ARB Given following stabiLization In DEcompensated HFpEF (PARAGLIDE-HF), a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of Sac/Val versus valsartan, categorizing patients according to baseline ACEi/ARB status. The primary endpoint was time-averaged proportional change in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) from baseline through weeks 4 and 8.

A review of Kilovoltage (kV) Radiotherapy Treatment in the UK: Quality Control, Radiation Dosimetry, Treatment Equipment and Workload.

Objectives: To survey kilovoltage (kV) radiotherapy in the UK, updating a 2016 study, focussing on radiotherapy physics, including equipment quality control (QC) and radiation dosimetry, with information on installed equipment and clinical activity.

Methods: All UK radiotherapy physics departments (n = 68) were invited to complete a comprehensive survey. An analysis of the installed equipment base, patient numbers, clinical activity, QC testing and radiation dosimetry processes were undertaken.

Influence of Graphene Oxide on Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Nafion Membranes.

This study explored the influence of graphene oxide (GO) on morphological and mechanical properties of Nafion 115 membranes with the objective of enhancing the mechanical properties of the most widely employed membrane in Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers (PEMWE) applications. The membrane surface was modified by ultrasonically spraying a GO solution and different annealing temperatures were tested. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) cross-sectional images revealed that annealing the composite membranes was sufficient to favor an interaction between the graphene oxide and the surface of the Nafion membranes.

Separation of Highly Pure Semiconducting Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes in Alkane Solvents via Double Liquid-Phase Extraction.

This study delves into the distinctive selective property exhibited by a non-conjugated cholesterol-based polymer, poly(CEM--EHA), in sorting semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) within isooctane. Comprised of 11 repeating units of cholesteryloxycarbonyl-2-hydroxy methacrylate (CEM) and 7 repeating units of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA), this non-conjugated polymer demonstrates robust supramolecular interactions across the sp surface structure of carbon nanotubes and graphene. When coupled with the Double Liquid-Phase Extraction (DLPE) technology, the polymer effectively segregates s-SWCNTs into the isooctane phase (nonpolar) while excluding metallic SWCNTs (m-SWCNTs) in the water phase (polar).

TGFβ1 Restores Energy Homeostasis of Human Trophoblast Cells Under Hyperglycemia In Vitro by Inducing PPARγ Expression, AMPK Activation, and HIF1α Degradation.

Elevated glucose levels at the fetal-maternal interface are associated with placental trophoblast dysfunction and increased incidence of pregnancy complications. Trophoblast cells predominantly utilize glucose as an energy source, metabolizing it through glycolysis in the cytoplasm and oxidative respiration in the mitochondria to produce ATP. The TGFβ1/SMAD2 signaling pathway and the transcription factors PPARγ, HIF1α, and AMPK are key regulators of cell metabolism and are known to play critical roles in extravillous trophoblast cell differentiation and function.

Time-efficient HPLC Validation Methodology for the Qualitative Analysis of 68Ga PSMA-11 in Routine Clinical Usage under Isocratic Method.

Background: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has shown to be a promising agent for prostate cancer imaging under PET-CT. With the automation in radiolabeling with 68Ga, using iTG 68Ge/68Ga generator, it has helped introduce various new diagnostic agents and achieve good manufacturing practices (GMP) simultaneously. However, before any radiopharmaceutical is put into clinical usage, it should always be checked for its radiochemical purity and other quality parameters before injecting in the patient.

Severe neonatal hypotonia due to variant affecting function of ZnT5 zinc transporter.

The tightly-regulated spatial and temporal distribution of zinc ion concentrations within cellular compartments is controlled by two groups of Zn transporters: the 14-member ZIP/SLC39 family, facilitating Zn influx into the cytoplasm from the extracellular space or intracellular organelles; and the 10-member ZnT/SLC30 family, mobilizing Zn in the opposite direction. Genetic aberrations in most zinc transporters cause human syndromes. Notably, previous studies demonstrated osteopenia and male-specific cardiac death in mice lacking the ZnT5/ zinc transporter, and suggested association of two homozygous frameshift variants with perinatal mortality in humans, due to hydrops fetalis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Photochemical Stabilization of Self-Assembled Spherical Nucleic Acids.

Oligonucleotide therapeutics, including antisense oligonucleotides and small interfering RNA, offer promising avenues for modulating the expression of disease-associated proteins. However, challenges such as nuclease degradation, poor cellular uptake, and unspecific targeting hinder their application. To overcome these obstacles, spherical nucleic acids have emerged as versatile tools for nucleic acid delivery in biomedical applications.

Evolving trends in novel sleep tracking and sleep testing technology publications between 2020-2022.

Study Objectives: To update sleep medicine providers regarding (1) published research on the uses and performance of novel sleep tracking and testing technologies (2) the use of artificial intelligence to acquire and process sleep data and (3) research trends and gaps regarding the development and/or evaluation of these technologies.

Methods: Medline and Embase electronic databases were searched for studies utilizing screening and diagnostic sleep technologies, published between 2020 and 2022 in journals focusing on human sleep. Studies' quality was determined based on the Study Design criteria of The Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence.

Safety of Triple-Dose Rifampin in Tuberculosis Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: There is growing interest in using high-dose rifampin for tuberculosis treatment. Recent studies suggest that triple-dose rifampin (TDR; ≥30 mg/kg/day) may be unsafe. We updated a systematic review to investigate the safety and efficacy of TDR.

The level of cognitive functioning in school-aged children is predicted by resting EEG Directed Phase Lag Index.

Quantifying cognitive potential relies on psychometric measures that do not directly reflect cortical activity. While the relationship between cognitive ability and resting state EEG signal dynamics has been extensively studied in children with below-average cognitive performances, there remains a paucity of research focusing on individuals with normal to above-average cognitive functioning. This study aimed to elucidate the resting EEG dynamics in children aged four to 12 years across normal to above-average cognitive potential.

Deacetylated SNAP47 recruits HOPS to facilitate autophagosome-lysosome fusion independent of STX17.

Autophagy, a conserved catabolic process implicated in a diverse array of human diseases, requires efficient fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes to function effectively. Recently, SNAP47 has been identified as a key component of the dual-purpose SNARE complex mediating autophagosome-lysosome fusion in both bulk and selective autophagy. However, the spatiotemporal regulatory mechanisms of this SNARE complex remain unknown.

Balancing Data Quality and Bias: Investigating Functional Connectivity Exclusions in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development℠ (ABCD Study) Across Quality Control Pathways.

Analysis of resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) typically excludes images substantially degraded by subject motion. However, data quality, including degree of motion, relates to a broad set of participant characteristics, particularly in pediatric neuroimaging. Consequently, when planning quality control (QC) procedures researchers must balance data quality concerns against the possibility of biasing results by eliminating data.

Comorbidity of migraine and fibromyalgia in patients with cluster headache: psychological burden and healthcare resource utilization. A cross-sectional study.

The aim was to describe the comorbidity and impact of fibromyalgia and/or migraine on patients with cluster headache. Comorbid diseases can exacerbate the physical and psychological burden experienced by patients. The comorbidities of cluster headache have been scarcely investigated, with the exception of migraine, which is well-known to coexist with cluster headache.

Nose-to-brain delivery of DHA-loaded nanoemulsions: A promising approach against Alzheimer's disease.

Reduced docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations seem to be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and DHA accretion to the brain across the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) can be modulated by various factors. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify an efficient and non-invasive method to ensure brain DHA enrichment. In the present study, a safe and stable DHA-enriched nanoemulsion, designed to protect DHA against oxidation, was designed and administered intranasally in a transgenic mouse model of AD, the J20 mice.

Diet supplementation with a mixture of essential oils: Effects on enteric methane emissions, apparent total-tract nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilization, and lactational performance.

This study examined the effects of supplementing dairy cows with a mixture of essential oils on enteric CH emissions, apparent total-tract nutrient digestibility, N utilization, and lactational performance (production, components and efficiency). Thirty-two multiparous lactating Holstein cows were used in a randomized complete block design. Cows averaged (mean ± SD) 95 ± 15.

Toward a functional future for the cognitive neuroscience of human aging.

The cognitive neuroscience of human aging seeks to identify neural mechanisms behind the commonalities and individual differences in age-related behavioral changes. This goal has been pursued predominantly through structural or "task-free" resting-state functional neuroimaging. The former has elucidated the material foundations of behavioral decline, and the latter has provided key insight into how functional brain networks change with age.

PFAS contamination in tap water: Target and suspect screening of zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic species across Canada and beyond.

This study investigated the occurrence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic compounds, in drinking water. Between 2021-2023, an expanded list of 76 target PFAS was screened in tap water samples mainly from Canada, but also including tap water samples from the Eastern United States, Mexico, South America (Argentina), the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Cuba), Africa (Algeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Morocco, Rwanda, Tunisia), Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and Asia (Japan, Vietnam, Iran, and Türkiye). An additional ∼ 200 suspect-target PFAS were screened using high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Exploring delusional themes and other symptoms in first episode psychosis: A network analysis over two timepoints.

Delusions are a defining feature of psychosis and play an important role in the conceptualization and diagnosis of psychotic disorders; however, the particular role that different delusions play in the prognosis of these disorders is not well understood. This study explored relationships between delusions and other symptoms in 674 first episode psychosis (FEP) individuals by comparing symptom networks between baseline and 12 months after intake to an early intervention service. Specifically, we (1) estimated regularized partial correlation networks at baseline and month 12, (2) identified the most central symptoms in each network, (3) identified clusters of highly connected symptoms, and (4) compared networks to examine changes in structure and connectivity.

Acute Effect of High-Intensity Interval Exercise on Blood Pressure in Females Living with Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension.

Background: The acute effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on blood pressure (BP) may depend on the exercise protocol performed. Purpose: To compare the acute effect of high and low-volume HIIT on post-exercise and ambulatory BP in untrained older females diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension (HTN). Methods: Fifteen females (69 [65 ─ 74] years) completed a crossover study with three experimental conditions: 1) REST (35 min in sitting position); 2) HIIT10 (10 × 1 min at 90% heart rate max [HRmax]), and 3) HIIT4 (4 × 4 min at 90% HRmax).