Perception of Quality of Life by Primary Caregivers of Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers of children diagnosed with CZS and to assess the association of findings with socioeconomic and CZS-associated variables.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study, carried out over three days of multidisciplinary care for patients with CZS. Sixty-four participants underwent a quality of life assessment using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) in Portuguese.

Long-term effects of combined exposures to simulated microgravity and galactic cosmic radiation on the mouse lung: sex-specific epigenetic reprogramming.

Most studies on the effects of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) have relied on terrestrial irradiation using spatially homogeneous dose distributions of mono-energetic beams comprised of one ion species. Here, we exposed mice to novel beams that more closely mimic GCR, namely, comprising poly-energetic ions of multiple species. Six-month-old male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 0 Gy, 0.

The use of cervical interfacet devices and related clinical outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of minimally invasive PCF using an interfacet joint fusion cage.

Methods: The inclusion criteria consisted of patients who underwent a PCF using an interfacet device (Cavux, Providence Medical Technology Inc.) at a single institution and were at least 6 months postoperative.

regulates carbohydrate metabolic functions of the gut microbiome in C57BL/6 mice.

The probiotic impact of microbes on host metabolism and health depends on both host genetics and bacterial genomic variation. is the predominant human gut commensal emerging as a next-generation probiotic. Although this bacterium exhibits substantial intraspecies diversity, it is unclear whether genetically distinct strains might lead to functional differences in the gut microbiome.

Sexual trauma and compulsive sexual behavior in young men and women: A network analysis involving two samples.

Background And Aims: Sexual trauma is associated with multiple negative health and social conditions, including compulsive sexual behavior. The present study examined network structures involving sexual trauma history, psychological distress (defined as depression and/or anxiety symptoms), substance use, transactional sex, and compulsive sexual behavior. Prior network analysis work in this area is limited.

Preventing inappropriate signals pre- and post-ligand perception by a toggle switch mechanism of ERECTA.

Dynamic control of signaling events requires swift regulation of receptors at an active state. By focusing on the Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) receptor kinase, which perceives peptide ligands to control multiple developmental processes, we report a mechanism preventing inappropriate receptor activity. The ER C-terminal tail (ER_CT) functions as an autoinhibitory domain: Its removal confers higher kinase activity and hyperactivity during inflorescence and stomatal development.

CD44-Mediated Metabolic Rewiring is A Targetable Dependency of IDH-Mutant Leukemia.

Recurrent IDH mutations catalyze NADPH-dependent production of oncometabolite R-2HG for tumorigenesis. IDH inhibition provides clinical response in a subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases; however, most patients develop resistance, highlighting the need for more effective IDH-targeting therapies. By comparing transcriptomic alterations in isogenic leukemia cells harboring CRISPR base-edited IDH mutations, we identify the activation of adhesion molecules including CD44, a transmembrane glycoprotein, as a shared feature of IDH-mutant leukemia, consistent with elevated CD44 expression in IDH-mutant AML patients.

Closed-loop ventilation and oxygenation with decision support fluid resuscitation to treat major burn injury with smoke induced acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Introduction: The understanding of the interaction of closed-loop control of ventilation and oxygenation, specifically fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and fluid resuscitation after burn injury and acute lung injury from smoke inhalation is limited. We compared the effectiveness of FiO2, PEEP, and ventilation adjusted automatically using adaptive support ventilation (ASV) and decision support fluid resuscitation based on urine output in a clinically relevant conscious ovine model of lung injury secondary to combined smoke inhalation and major burn injury.

Methods: Sheep were subjected to burn and smoke inhalation injury under deep anesthesia and analgesia.

Chemical and temporal manipulation of early steps in protein assembly tunes the structure and intermolecular interactions of protein-based materials.

The Drosophila intrinsically disordered protein Ultrabithorax (Ubx) undergoes a series of phase transitions, beginning with noncovalent interactions between apparently randomly organized monomers, and evolving over time to form increasingly ordered coacervates. This assembly process ends when specific dityrosine covalent bonds lock the monomers in place, forming macroscale materials. Inspired by this hierarchical, multistep assembly process, we analyzed the impact of protein concentration, assembly time, and subphase composition on the early, noncovalent stages of Ubx assembly, which are extremely sensitive to their environment.

Recent advances in the management of pediatric cholestatic liver diseases.

Pediatric cholestatic liver diseases are rare conditions that can result from multiple specific underlying etiologies. Among the most common etiologies of pediatric cholestatic liver diseases are biliary atresia, Alagille syndrome (ALGS), and inherited disorders of bile acid transport. These diseases are characterized by episodic or chronic unremitting cholestasis.

Trends, Characteristics and Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors With STEMI.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. While advances in detection and treatment have improved survival, breast cancer survivors face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, limited data exist on cardiac outcomes after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in this population.

Peritoneal dialysis in patients with severe obesity: A successful single center experience.

There is growing emphasis on increasing utilization of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD); however, use in patients with severe obesity has still been fraught for various reasons. We aim to assess the viability of PD in patients with severe obesity (BMI > 40 Kg/m). We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients admitted at the home dialysis center of an academic center between 2014 and 2020 (n = 99).

Case report: Surgical closure of a facial defect in an African wild dog () utilizing a transpositional skin flap.

Veterinary intervention in zoological species can be complicated by species-specific social dynamics. African wild dogs are a pack species and removal or separation of an individual may disrupt established pack hierarchy resulting in conspecific aggression. Therefore, medical interventions that optimize a quick return to health are ideal to minimize the duration of absence from the pack.

Preoperative anemia is associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased facility discharges after glioblastoma resection.

Background: Despite numerous operative and non-operative treatment modalities, patients with glioblastoma (GBM) have a dismal prognosis. Identifying predictors of survival and recurrence is an essential strategy for guiding treatment decisions, and existing literature demonstrates associations between hematologic data and clinical outcomes in cancer patients. As such, we provide a novel analysis that examines associations between preoperative hematologic data and postoperative outcomes following GBM resection.

Wildland fire entrainment: The missing link between wildland fire and its environment.

Wildfires are growing in destructive power, and accurately predicting the spread and intensity of wildland fire is essential for managing ecological and societal impacts. No current operational models used for fire behavior prediction resolve critical fire-atmospheric coupling or nonlocal influences of the fire environment, rendering them inadequate in accounting for the range of wildland fire behavior scenarios under increasingly novel fuel and climate conditions. Here, we present a new perspective on a dominant fire-atmospheric feedback mechanism, which we term wildland fire entrainment (WFE).

Efficacy of the Optilume paclitaxel drug-coated balloon after urethroplasty: short-term results from a multicenter study.

Background: The Optilume paclitaxel drug-coated balloon (DCB) is a relatively new-to-market alternative in the management of male anterior urethral stricture disease. The pivotal trial excluded patients with a history of urethroplasty, although these strictures may be amenable to endoscopic management. Therefore, we sought to assess the efficacy of the DCB in the management of recurrent strictures following urethroplasty.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) mediates nicotine-induced podocyte injury.

Introduction: Cigarette smoking is a well-established risk factor for renal dysfunction. Smoking associated with renal damage bears distinct physiological correlations in conditions such as diabetic nephropathy and obesity-induced glomerulopathy. However, the cellular and molecular basis of such an association remains poorly understood.

Obesity, dietary interventions and microbiome alterations in the development and progression of prostate cancer.

Purpose Of Review: The role of the microbiome in prostate cancer is an emerging subject of research interest. Certain lifestyle factors, such as obesity and diet, can also impact the microbiome, which has been implicated in many diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. However, this link has yet to be explored in detail in the context of prostate cancer.

Multi-Institutional Comparison of Quality of Life Between Open Versus Endoscopic Skull Base Approaches.

Objectives: The primary objective of this prospective review was to compare quality of life between patients undergoing endoscopic and open skull base approaches.

Study Type And Design: Prospective Review.

Methods: Five centers recruited consecutive patients treated surgically for skull base neoplasms between 2012 to 2018.

Should we consider microbiota-based interventions as a novel therapeutic strategy for schizophrenia? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by a variety of symptoms broadly categorized into positive, negative, and cognitive domains. Its etiology is multifactorial, involving a complex interplay of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors, and its neurobiology is associated with abnormalities in different neurotransmitter systems. Due to this multifactorial etiology and neurobiology, leading to a wide heterogeneity of symptoms and clinical presentations, current antipsychotic treatments face challenges, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic approaches.

A Rare Case of a Splenic Abscess as the Origin of Illness in Exudative Pleural Effusion.

Background: Pleural effusion, the presence of fluid within the pleural space, is a common condition secondary to a wide range of pathological causes. Splenic abscess, which is rare, has previously been described as a cause of exudative pleural effusion. Splenic abscess is thought to be associated with bacteremia, iatrogenic inoculation, or hematogenous spread from another bacterial focus.

Initial clinical experience with [Lu]Lu-PNT2002 radioligand therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: dosimetry, safety, and efficacy from the lead-in cohort of the SPLASH trial.

Introduction: SPLASH (NCT04647526) is a multicenter phase III trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of [Lu]Lu-PNT2002 radioligand therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study leveraged a lead-in phase to assess tissue dosimetry and evaluate preliminary safety and efficacy, prior to expansion into a randomized phase. Here we report those results.

Research progress of breast cancer surgery during 2010-2024: a bibliometric analysis.

Purpose: This study seeks to systematically analyze the research literature pertaining to breast cancer surgery from 2010 to 2024, as indexed in the PubMed database, employing bibliometric methodologies.

Methods: Employing the "bibliometrix" package in the R programming language, alongside VOSviewer and CiteSpace software, this research conducted a comprehensive visual analysis of 1,195 publications. The analysis encompassed publication trends, collaborative networks, journal evaluation, author and institutional assessments, country-specific analyses, keyword exploration, and the identification of research hotspots.

Effect of Alirocumab Monotherapy vs Ezetimibe Plus Statin Therapy on LDL-C Lowering in Veterans With History of ASCVD.

Background: Guidelines recommend a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal of < 70 mg/dL for patients with very high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). While alirocumab monotherapy and ezetimibe plus statin therapy have both shown efficacy in independently reducing LDL-C, a direct comparison has not been conducted.

Methods: A retrospective chart review at the Veterans Affairs Sioux Falls Health Care System compared 20 patients with a history of ASCVD events who received alirocumab monotherapy to 60 patients receiving ezetimibe plus statin therapy.