Prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and chronic hypertension increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in South Carolina (2015-2021).

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and chronic hypertension (CHTN) are related to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess HDP and CHTN prevalence changes before (January 2015-February 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-December 2021) in South Carolina (SC). SC live births (2015-2021) were included (194,841 non-Hispanic White [NHW]); 108,195 non-Hispanic Black [NHB]; 25,560 Hispanic; 16,346 other race/ethnicity).

Machine learning photodynamics decode multiple singlet fission channels in pentacene crystal.

Crystalline pentacene is a model solid-state light-harvesting material because its quantum efficiencies exceed 100% via ultrafast singlet fission. The singlet fission mechanism in pentacene crystals is disputed due to insufficient electronic information in time-resolved experiments and intractable quantum mechanical calculations for simulating realistic crystal dynamics. Here we combine a multiscale multiconfigurational approach and machine learning photodynamics to understand competing singlet fission mechanisms in crystalline pentacene.

Global water gaps under future warming levels.

Understanding the impacts of climate change on water resources is crucial for developing effective adaptation strategies. We quantify "water gaps", or unsustainable water use - the shortfall where water demand exceeds supply, resulting in scarcity. We quantify baseline and future water gaps using a multi-model analysis that incorporates two plausible future warming scenarios.

Stress landscape of folding brain serves as a map for axonal pathfinding.

Understanding the mechanics linking cortical folding and brain connectivity is crucial for both healthy and abnormal brain development. Despite the importance of this relationship, existing models fail to explain how growing axon bundles navigate the stress field within a folding brain or how this bidirectional and dynamic interaction shapes the resulting surface morphologies and connectivity patterns. Here, we propose the concept of "axon reorientation" and formulate a mechanical model to uncover the dynamic multiscale mechanics of the linkages between cortical folding and connectivity development.

Rhesus Cytomegalovirus-encoded Fcγ-binding glycoproteins facilitate viral evasion from IgG-mediated humoral immunity.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes four viral Fc-gamma receptors (vFcγRs) that counteract antibody-mediated activation in vitro, but their role in infection and pathogenesis is unknown. To examine their in vivo function in an animal model evolutionarily closely related to humans, we identified and characterized Rh05, Rh152/151 and Rh173 as the complete set of vFcγRs encoded by rhesus CMV (RhCMV). Each one of these proteins displays functional similarities to their prospective HCMV orthologs with respect to antagonizing host FcγR activation in vitro.

Advancing the genetic engineering toolbox by combining AsCas12a knock-in mice with ultra-compact screening.

Cas12a is a next-generation gene editing tool that enables multiplexed gene targeting. Here, we present a mouse model that constitutively expresses enhanced Acidaminococcus sp. Cas12a (enAsCas12a) linked to an mCherry fluorescent reporter.

Versatile nitrate-respiring heterotrophs are previously concealed contributors to sulfur cycle.

Heterotrophic denitrifiers play crucial roles in global carbon and nitrogen cycling. However, their inability to oxidize sulfide renders them vulnerable to this toxic molecule, which inhibits the key enzymatic reaction responsible for reducing nitrous oxide (NO), thereby raising greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we applied microcosm incubations, community-isotope-corrected DNA stable-isotope probing, and metagenomics to characterize a cohort of heterotrophic denitrifiers in estuarine sediments that thrive by coupling sulfur oxidation with denitrification through chemolithoheterotrophic metabolism.

Stroma-derived Dickkopf-1 contributes to the suppression of NK cell cytotoxicity in breast cancer.

Mechanisms related to tumor evasion from NK cell-mediated immune surveillance remain enigmatic. Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is a Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor, whose levels correlate with breast cancer progression. We find DKK1 to be expressed by tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in patient samples and orthotopic breast tumors, and in bone.

MetaQ: fast, scalable and accurate metacell inference via single-cell quantization.

To overcome the computational barriers of analyzing large-scale single-cell sequencing data, we introduce MetaQ, a metacell algorithm that scales to arbitrarily large datasets with linear runtime and constant memory usage. Inspired by cellular development, MetaQ conceptualizes each metacell as a collective ancestor of biologically similar cells. By quantizing cells into a discrete codebook, where each entry represents a metacell capable of reconstructing the original cells it quantizes, MetaQ identifies homogeneous cell subsets for efficient and accurate metacell inference.

Phase separation of a microtubule plus-end tracking protein into a fluid fractal network.

Microtubule plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs) participate in nearly all microtubule-based cellular processes and have recently been proposed to function as liquid condensates. However, their formation and internal organization remain poorly understood. Here, we have study the phase separation of Bik1, a CLIP-170 family member and key +TIP involved in budding yeast cell division.

Oncolytic reprogramming of tumor microenvironment shapes CD4 T-cell memory via the IL6ra-Bcl6 axis for targeted control of glioblastoma.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) emerge as a promising cancer immunotherapy. However, the temporal impact on tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment, and the nature of anti-tumor immunity post-therapy remain largely unclear. Here we report that CD4 T cells are required for durable tumor control in syngeneic murine models of glioblastoma multiforme after treatment with an oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) engineered to express IL-12.

Upregulated FoxO1 promotes arrhythmogenesis in mice with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction.

Myocardial fibrosis leads to cardiac dysfunction and arrhythmias in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, RNA sequencing identifies Forkhead Box1 (FoxO1) signaling as abnormal in male HFpEF hearts. Genetic suppression of FoxO1 alters the intercellular communication between cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts, alleviates abnormal diastolic relaxation, and reduces arrhythmias.

SEC-MX: an approach to systematically study the interplay between protein assembly states and phosphorylation.

A protein's molecular interactions and post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as phosphorylation, can be co-dependent and reciprocally co-regulate each other. Although this interplay is central for many biological processes, a systematic method to simultaneously study assembly states and PTMs from the same sample is critically missing. Here, we introduce SEC-MX (Size Exclusion Chromatography fractions MultipleXed), a global quantitative method combining Size Exclusion Chromatography and PTM-enrichment for simultaneous characterization of PTMs and assembly states.

Atmospheric wind energization of ocean weather.

Ocean weather comprises vortical and straining mesoscale motions, which play fundamentally different roles in the ocean circulation and climate system. Vorticity determines the movement of major ocean currents and gyres. Strain contributes to frontogenesis and the deformation of water masses, driving much of the mixing and vertical transport in the upper ocean.

Tailored topotactic chemistry unlocks heterostructures of magnetic intercalation compounds.

The construction of thin film heterostructures has been a widely successful archetype for fabricating materials with emergent physical properties. This strategy is of particular importance for the design of multilayer magnetic architectures in which direct interfacial spin-spin interactions between magnetic phases in dissimilar layers lead to emergent and controllable magnetic behavior. However, crystallographic incommensurability and atomic-scale interfacial disorder can severely limit the types of materials amenable to this strategy, as well as the performance of these systems.

Declines in anthropogenic mercury emissions in the Global North and China offset by the Global South.

Human activities have emitted substantial mercury into the atmosphere, significantly impacting ecosystems and human health worldwide. Currently, consistent methodologies to evaluate long-term mercury emissions across countries and industries are scant, hindering efforts to prioritize emission controls. Here, we develop a high-spatiotemporal-resolution dataset to comprehensively analyze global anthropogenic mercury emission patterns.

Metagenomic global survey and in-depth genomic analyses of Ruminococcus gnavus reveal differences across host lifestyle and health status.

Ruminococcus gnavus is a gut bacterium found in > 90% of healthy individuals, but its increased abundance is also associated with chronic inflammatory diseases, particularly Crohn's disease. Nevertheless, its global distribution and intraspecies genomic variation remain understudied. By surveying 12,791 gut metagenomes, we recapitulated known associations with metabolic diseases and inflammatory bowel disease.

An mTOR inhibitor discovery system using drug-sensitized yeast.

Inhibition of the target of rapamycin (TOR/mTOR) protein kinase by the drug rapamycin extends lifespan and health span across diverse species. However, rapamycin has potential off-target and side effects that warrant the discovery of additional TOR inhibitors. TOR was initially discovered in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) which contains two TOR paralogs, TOR1 and TOR2.

Role for neurological and immunological resilience in the pathway of the aging muscle powerpenia: InCHIANTI study longitudinal results.

The neuromuscular junction shows several degenerative changes with aging, resulting in a reduction of transmission efficacy. These changes, paired with low-grade chronic inflammation, were considered triggers of the aging muscle processes. The main objective of this study is to assess the role of leukocyte count-derived ratios, nerve conduction velocity (NCV), and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in determining time-dependent reduction in lower limb muscle explosive strength, a condition that has been defined as powerpenia.

Comparison of postoperative oxygenation in children receiving sugammadex versus neostigmine for reversal of neuromuscular blockade: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Residual neuromuscular blockade can impair postoperative respiratory mechanics, promoting hypoxemia and pulmonary complications. Sugammadex, with its unique mechanism of action, may offer a more effective reversal of neuromuscular blockade and respiratory function than neostigmine. We sought to test the primary hypothesis that children undergoing noncardiac surgery exhibit better initial recovery oxygenation when administered sugammadex than those administered neostigmine.

Therapeutic Focus on Strengths is Associated with Improved Functioning and Higher Clinical Progress in Children's Public Mental Health Care.

Prior findings suggest a greater therapeutic focus on strengths is associated with a higher likelihood of successful treatment discharge in youth public mental health treatment. To build upon previous research, the present study examined whether and to what extent therapeutic focus on strengths was associated with changes in day-to-day functioning and treatment progress over the course of therapy. This study used multilevel modeling techniques to analyze 12 consecutive years of standardized routine clinical service data from a public mental health care system which served youth and families who were typically from underserved and low-income backgrounds.

Firearm Deaths Impacting Older Adults.

Each year in the United States (U.S.) thousands of older adults die from firearm-related injuries.

Long-term outcomes of robotic inguinal hernia repair (r-TAPP): a retrospective review of 434 consecutive cases by a single surgeon with 3-8 years of follow-up.

When evaluating the long-term follow-up of robotic-assisted transabdominal preperitoneal (r-TAPP) approach to inguinal hernias, research remains limited due to small patient cohorts and shorter follow-up durations. The most significant research on inguinal hernia repair utilizing r-TAPP procedure includes follow-up periods of up to 2 years and examines approximately 150 cases. This article presents data from 434 consecutive r-TAPP procedures conducted on 324 patients, with follow-up ranging from a minimum of 3 years to 8 years.

Abdominal and Pelvic MRI Protocol Prediction Using Natural Language Processing.

Exam protocoling is a significant non-interpretive task burden for radiologists. The purpose of this work was to develop a natural language processing (NLP) artificial intelligence (AI) solution for automated protocoling of standard abdomen and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams from basic associated order information and patient metadata. This Institutional Review Board exempt retrospective study used de-identified metadata from consecutive adult abdominal and pelvic MRI scans performed at our institution spanning 2.