Protocol for the three-dimensional analysis of rodent skeletal muscle.

Confocal imaging is a powerful tool capable of analyzing cellular spatial data within a given tissue. Here, we present a protocol for preparing optically cleared extensor digitorum longus (EDL) skeletal muscle samples suitable for confocal imaging/computational analysis. We describe steps for sample preparation (including perfusion fixation and tissue clearing of muscle samples), image acquisition, and computational analysis, with sample segmentation/3D rendering outlined.

CASE (CemiplimAb-rwlc Survivorship and Epidemiology): a study in advanced basal cell carcinoma.

Patients diagnosed with metastatic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) have a poor prognosis. The current standard of care for adults with locally advanced or metastatic BCC who are not candidates for surgery or radiation therapy is treatment with hedgehog pathway inhibitors (HHIs). For patients who progress while on this therapy, further treatment options are limited.

Gemcitabine and docetaxel for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: EuroGemDoce group results.

Objective: To evaluate the oncological efficacy and safety of sequential intravesical gemcitabine/docetaxel (Gem/Doce) therapy in a European cohort of patients with high-risk and very-high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after previous Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment.

Materials And Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from 95 patients with NMIBC, treated with Gem/Doce at 12 European centres between 2021 and 2024. Patients previously treated with BCG who had completed a full induction course and received at least one follow-up evaluation were included.

Analysis of healthcare utilization before the diagnosis of radiologically isolated syndrome.

Background: Previous studies have shown that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) had frequent healthcare visits up to 10 years before being diagnosed but with no information from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the connection with the radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS).

Objective: To analyze healthcare use 3 years before the RIS diagnosis.

Methods: We examined healthcare usage before the first scan in RIS cases from 2010 to 2019.

Neonatal Feeding Practices and SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Neonates with Perinatal SARS-CoV-2 Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The risk of neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection from the mother's own milk (MoM) in neonates who are exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 during the perinatal period remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review to assess the association between MoM feeding and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection in neonates who were born to SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant persons. PubMed Central and Google Scholar were searched for studies published by 14 March 2024 that reported neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection by feeding type.

The Impact of Radioactive Iodine on Outcomes Among Pediatric and Adolescent Thyroid Cancer Patients: A SEER Database Analysis.

Background/objectives: Pediatric populations with well-differentiated thyroid cancer typically have favorable prognoses. However, the role of radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation in these patients remains uncertain. This investigation evaluates the national trends, therapeutic practices, and the impact of RAI on clinical outcomes.

Glutaminase-2 Expression Induces Metabolic Changes and Regulates Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Activity in Glioblastoma Cells.

Glutaminase controls the first step in glutaminolysis, impacting bioenergetics, biosynthesis and oxidative stress. Two isoenzymes exist in humans, GLS and GLS2. GLS is considered prooncogenic and overexpressed in many tumours, while GLS2 may act as prooncogenic or as a tumour suppressor.

Molecular Sentinels: Unveiling the Role of Sirtuins in Prostate Cancer Progression.

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a critical global health challenge, with high mortality rates and significant heterogeneity, particularly in advanced stages. While early-stage PCa is often manageable with conventional treatments, metastatic PCa is notoriously resistant, highlighting an urgent need for precise biomarkers and innovative therapeutic strategies. This review focuses on the dualistic roles of sirtuins, a family of NAD+-dependent histone deacetylases, dissecting their unique contributions to tumor suppression or progression in PCa depending on the cellular context.

An Overview of Zika Virus and Zika Virus Induced Neuropathies.

Flaviviruses pose a major public health concern across the globe. Among them, Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging and reemerging arthropod-borne flavivirus that has become a major international public health problem following multiple large outbreaks over the past two decades. The majority of infections caused by ZIKV exhibit mild symptoms.

Adopting GPR75 in treating obesity: unraveling the knowns and unknowns of this orphan GPCR.

G protein-coupled receptor 75 (GPR75) is emerging as a promising target for obesity treatment, but its exact role in energy regulation remains unclear. This article explores the latest research on GPR75's molecular function, potential ligands, and therapeutic challenges in addressing obesity.

Mechanism of Amplified Photoacoustic Effect for Silica-Coated Spherical Gold Nanoparticles.

Plasmonic nanomaterials are effective photoacoustic (PA) contrast agents with diverse biomedical applications. While silica coatings on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been demonstrated to increase PA efficiency, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we systematically investigated the impact of silica coatings on PA generation under picosecond and nanosecond laser pulses.

Creating, Implementing, and Assessing an Elective Queer-iculum: Creating Change Agents Through Pharmacy Education.

Objective: To detail the creation and implementation of an LGBTQIA+ health elective course at a Hispanic Serving Institution and assess its preliminary impact on Doctor of Pharmacy student attitudes and perceptions of LGBTQIA+ healthcare.

Methods: An eight-week course covering various topics related to LGBTQIA+ healthcare was designed and delivered to second- and third-year Doctor of Pharmacy students who voluntarily enrolled in the course from June to July 2023. As part of an IRB approved pilot study, enrolled students completed an electronic survey before and after the elective assessing student pharmacists' perceptions of personal capabilities and attitudes as well as curriculum exposure for several LGBTQIA+ healthcare-related topics.

Exploring In Vivo Human Brain Metabolism at 10.5 T: Initial Insights from MR Spectroscopic Imaging.

Introduction: Ultra-high-field magnetic resonance (MR) systems (7 T and 9.4 T) offer the ability to probe human brain metabolism with enhanced precision. Here, we present the preliminary findings from 3D MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the human brain conducted with the world's first 10.

Intraoperative Anesthetic Care During Emergent/Urgent Craniotomy or Craniectomy for Intracranial Hypertension or Herniation: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aimed to identify and describe best practice for the intraoperative anesthetic management of patients undergoing emergent/urgent decompressive craniotomy or craniectomy for any indication. The PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles related to urgent/emergent craniotomy/craniectomy for intracranial hypertension or brain herniation. Only articles focusing on intraoperative anesthetic management were included; those investigating surgical or intensive care unit management were excluded.

A lever hypothesis for Synaptotagmin-1 action in neurotransmitter release.

Neurotransmitter release is triggered in microseconds by Ca-binding to the Synaptotagmin-1 C-domains and by SNARE complexes that form four-helix bundles between synaptic vesicles and plasma membranes, but the coupling mechanism between Ca-sensing and membrane fusion is unknown. Release requires extension of SNARE helices into juxtamembrane linkers that precede transmembrane regions (linker zippering) and binding of the Synaptotagmin-1 CB domain to SNARE complexes through a "primary interface" comprising two regions (I and II). The Synaptotagmin-1 Ca-binding loops were believed to accelerate membrane fusion by inducing membrane curvature, perturbing lipid bilayers, or helping bridge the membranes, but SNARE complex binding through the primary interface orients the Ca-binding loops away from the fusion site, hindering these putative activities.

Morphogen-induced kinase condensates transduce Hh signal by allosterically activating Gli.

Hedgehog (Hh) morphogen governs embryonic development and tissue homeostasis through the Ci/Gli family transcription factors. Here we report that Hh induces phase separation of the fused (Fu)/Ulk family kinases to allosterically regulate Ci/Gli. We find that Hh-induced phosphorylation of Fu/Ulk3 promotes SUMOylation of their inverted phosphorylation-dependent SUMOylation motifs.

Obesity reshapes regulatory T cells in the visceral adipose tissue by disrupting cellular cholesterol homeostasis.

Regulatory T cells (T) accumulate in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) to maintain systemic metabolic homeostasis but decline during obesity. Here, we explored the metabolic pathways controlling the homeostasis, composition, and function of VAT T under normal and high-fat diet feeding conditions. We found that cholesterol metabolism was specifically up-regulated in ST2 VAT T subsets.

Associations of Central Arterial Stiffness With Brain White Matter Integrity and Gray Matter Volume in MRI Across the Adult Lifespan.

Background: Central arterial stiffening is associated with brain white matter (WM) damage and gray matter (GM) volume loss in older adults, but little is known about this association from an adult lifespan perspective.

Purpose: To investigate the associations of central arterial stiffness with WM microstructural organization, WM lesion load, cortical thickness, and GM volume in healthy adults across the lifespan.

Study Type: This is a cross-sectional study.

The adiponectin-PPARγ axis in hepatic stellate cells regulates liver fibrosis.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are key drivers of local fibrosis. Adiponectin, conventionally thought of as an adipokine, is also expressed in quiescent HSCs. However, the impact of its local expression on the progression of liver fibrosis remains unclear.

The Association Between Dietary Supplement Use and COVID-19 Symptoms.

The scientific evidence supporting recommendations for dietary supplement use to prevent or treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) is not well‑established. This cohort study investigates the relationship between dietary supplement usage and COVID‑19 symptoms among 27,181 adults tested for COVID‑19. Using data from surveys following COVID‑19 testing, conducted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, associations between dietary supplement usage, symptomatology, and COVID‑19 status were explored.

Constant di/dz scanning tunneling microscopy: Atomic precision imaging and hydrogen depassivation lithography on a Si(100)-2 × 1:H surface.

We introduce a novel control mode for Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) that leverages di/dz feedback. By superimposing a high-frequency sinusoidal modulation on the control signal, we extract the amplitude of the resulting tunneling current to obtain a di/dz measurement as the tip is scanned over the surface. A feedback control loop is then closed to maintain a constant di/dz, enhancing the sensitivity of the tip to subtle surface variations throughout a scan.

Inhibition of Unc-51-like-kinase is mitoprotective during infection in corneal epithelial cells.

(PA) is an opportunistic gram-negative pathogen that can infect the cornea, leading to permanent vision loss. Autophagy is a cannibalistic process that drives cytoplasmic components to the lysosome for degradation and/or recycling. Autophagy has been shown to play a key role in the removal of intracellular pathogens and, as such, is an important component of the innate immune response.

Metabolomics-Driven Biomarker Discovery for Breast Cancer Prognosis and Diagnosis.

Breast cancer is a cancer with global prevalence and a surge in the number of cases with each passing year. With the advancement in science and technology, significant progress has been achieved in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer to make ends meet. The scientific intradisciplinary subject of "metabolomics" examines every metabolite found in a cell, tissue, system, or organism from different sources of samples.