Analysis of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its metabolites using LC-MS/MS for forensic purposes.

Ayahuasca contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the primary alkaloid responsible for its psychedelic effects. DMT oxidative deamination yields indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) as the predominant metabolite, while N-oxidation produces N,N-dimethyltryptamine-N-oxide (DMT-NO) as the second most abundant metabolite. An LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated to quantify DMT, IAA, and DMT-NO in human plasma, as well as DMT and DMT-NO in human urine.

Mortality Risk Among Patients With Influenza Illness Admitted to the ICU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Despite vaccination programs and available treatments, seasonal influenza carries a large mortality burden, especially in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. Understanding the influenza mortality burden in ICU settings can inform treatment planning and resource allocation. Nonetheless, surveillance data on mortality in ICU-admitted patients are scarce and estimates vary greatly.

Left atrial to coronary sinus shunting in more advanced heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: Inter-atrial shunt device therapy has shown mixed results in clinical trials, with clinical 'non-responders' typically showing features of more advanced heart failure. We aimed to analyse the haemodynamic and clinical response of a novel left atrial to coronary sinus (LA-CS) shunt device in patients with higher natriuretic peptide (NP) levels, a marker of disease severity.

Methods And Results: An analysis population (n = 95) of patients from the ALT-FLOW early feasibility study with left ventricular ejection fraction >40% and 1-year follow up was analysed.

Hypotheses in light detection by vertebrate ancient opsin in the bird brain.

Extra-retinal photoreception is common across fish and avian species. In birds, the hypothalamus contains non-visual photoreceptors that detect light and regulate multiple endocrine systems. To date, light-dependent control of seasonal reproduction is one of the most well-studied systems that require deep brain photoreception.

Coherence-Based Graph Convolution Network to Assess Brain Reorganization in Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

Motor imagery (MI) engages a broad network of brain regions to imagine a specific action. Investigating the mechanism of brain network reorganization during MI after spinal cord injury (SCI) is crucial because it reflects overall brain activity. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) data from SCI patients, we conducted EEG-based coherence analysis to examine different brain network reorganizations across different frequency bands, from resting to MI.

Ultrastructural Contributions to Extrasynaptic Glutamatergic Signaling in Olfactory Bulb Glomeruli.

Olfactory bulb glomeruli have a complex organization that includes axodendritic synapses between olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and excitatory mitral cells (MCs) and tufted cells (TCs), as well as dendrodendritic synapses between MCs/TCs and GABAergic periglomerular cells (PGCs). MCs also receive excitatory signals from one subclass of TCs, the external tufted cells (eTCs). While these signals are driven by glutamate released from eTC dendrites, they appear not to reflect direct eTC > MC synaptic connections but rather "spill-over" of glutamate released at eTC > PGC synapses acting on nearby MC dendrites.

Brainwide Projections of Mouse Dopaminergic Zona Incerta Neurons.

The zona incerta (ZI) supports diverse behaviors including binge feeding, sleep-wake cycles, nociception, and hunting. Diverse ZI functions can be attributed to its heterogeneous neurochemical characterization, cytoarchitecture, and efferent connections. The ZI is predominantly GABAergic, but we recently identified a subset of medial ZI GABA cells that are marked by the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and produce dopamine (DA).

Improved DNA recovery and STR profile development from weathered Bos taurus bones using demineralized bone slices.

Current processing techniques for harvesting DNA from osseous elements are destructive, and success rates vary widely. When skeletal elements are homogenized into a fine powder, endogenous DNA may be subjected to fragmentation, and the likelihood of introducing co-purified inhibitory substances to the sample increases. While a limited number of articles in the relevant literature have challenged the status quo of pulverization, powdering hard tissue samples before DNA isolation continues to be standard practice in the forensic and ancient DNA communities.

Characterization and differentiation of aluminum powders used in improvised explosive devices-Part 3: Comparison of statistical analysis methods.

Determining the extent to which sources of aluminum (Al) powders, often used as fuel in improvised explosive devices (IEDs), can be differentiated is important for forensic investigations and gathering intelligence. Previous work developed effective methods of characterizing Al powders using micromorphometric features of the Al particles and a multistage sampling approach. Since then, ~100 additional samples from Al powder sources representing five powder types used in IEDs and 33 product distributors have been added to the dataset.

Digital PCR Assay Utilizing In-Droplet Methylation-Sensitive Digestion for Estimation of Fetal cfDNA From Plasma.

Objective: Recent guidelines suggest that non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) should be offered to all patients with singleton and twin pregnancies. Accurate determination of fetal fraction in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is vital for reliable NIPS outcomes. We propose a methylation-based approach using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (MSRE) digestion for fetal fraction quantification as an affordable and fast solution.

Implementation of digital storytelling in an occupational therapy gross anatomy course.

This discursive article explores the integration of digital storytelling into an occupational therapy gross anatomy course as a novel pedagogical approach to deepen students' understanding of the functional significance of hand anatomy. Digital storytelling utilizes technology to produce self-narrated meaningful stories and presentations that allow for a rich interaction with the audience. Digital storytelling in the classroom has been demonstrated to engage students, improve literacy skills, and stimulate creativity.

The importance of science communication and public engagement to professional associations.

Scientific associations exist to serve their members and advance their science. They also provide a platform for scientists to communicate their science and engage with the public, such as hosting free resources on their web pages and organizing outreach activities with local communities. Historically, scientific associations were often internally focused.

Impact of Combining Ultrasound Parameter and the Caprini Score on Predicting Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis After Orthopedic Surgery.

Aims: This study combined a new ultrasound venous filling degree (VFD) parameter with the Caprini score to assess the clinical value of the Caprini score in predicting deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities.

Methods: This retrospective study included 150 inpatients undergoing orthopedic lower extremity surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Medical University between June 2023 and June 2024. They included 41 (27.

Next-Generation Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccines: Clinical Data and Future Directions.

Current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have prevented millions of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Yet, current vaccines have critical limitations: (1) they elicit poor mucosal immune responses with reduced protection against infection and viral transmission, (2) immune responses wane quickly, and (3) new immune evasive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants continue to emerge. Next-generation vaccines aim to induce improved mucosal immunity via mucosal administration, and to elicit a greater duration and breadth of immune responses through new platforms like self-amplifying RNA.

Differential candidate characteristics associated with increasing ALD and MASH among liver transplant listings in the US.

Background And Aim: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and metabolic associated steatohepatitis (MASH) are leading indications for liver transplant (LT). Data are limited on their trends and association with candidate characteristics.

Methods And Results: UNOS database (2002-22) examined on proportion of ALD or of NASH etiology among LT listings comparing 2002-11 vs.

How healthcare organizations provide disability accommodations to promote equitable care: A qualitative study.

Background: Federal laws require healthcare organizations (HCOs) to provide patients' disability accommodations when requested. However, patients' accommodations needs are often unmet, contributing to inequities in healthcare access and outcomes. Little is known about the systems and processes HCOs use to provide accommodations in varied settings.

Efficacy and utility of clinical examination in predicting meibomian gland atrophy.

Purpose: To investigate the role of clinical examination findings in predicting meibomian gland atrophy (MGA).

Methods: A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted. Subjective reports of dry eye symptoms were collected via a SPEED questionnaire.

Brain health PRO/Santé cerveau PRO: The development of a web-based program for dementia literacy and risk factor reduction.

Background: Online educational programs focused on ways to improve brain health could increase participant literacy, empowerment, and engagement in activities that support personal brain health, potentially reducing dementia risk.

Objectives: Our goal was to develop an evidence-based online educational program with a focus on risk and protective factors for dementia. Here we present the rationale and features of the program and include results from a pilot study that assessed usability and acceptability.

A critical awareness approach to cluster hiring for academic inclusion.

Minoritized groups experience interpersonal, structural, and systemic marginalization that is also perpetuated within academic institutions. This marginalization produces barriers that exclude racial/ethnic minoritized groups within academic medicine from career opportunities and advancement. Racial/ethnic minoritized faculty are often expected to take on additional labor to serve the diversity needs of the program and/or institution that are often unrecognized or undervalued in the tenure or promotion process or detract from additional responsibilities.

Predicting the complexity of minimally invasive liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma using machine learning.

Background: Despite technical advancements, minimally invasive liver surgery (MILS) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging. Nonetheless, effective tools to assess MILS complexity are still lacking. Machine learning (ML) models could improve the accuracy of such tools.

Analysis of a modified surgical desirability of outcome ranking (mDOOR) among patients undergoing surgery for Hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Composite measures represent a validated method for evaluating surgical care quality. We defined a modified Desirability Of Outcome Ranking (mDOOR) and compared it with textbook outcome (TO).

Methods: In this cohort study, patients undergoing curative-intent surgery for HCC were identified from an international cohort.

Two-dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography and Fetal Cardiac Performance During Fetoscopic Repair of Myelomeningocele.

Objective: No clinical standard exists for intraoperative fetal cardiac monitoring during maternal-fetal surgery for fetal myelomeningocele (fMMC). This pilot study explores the feasibility of using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived functional measurements to characterize cardiac performance throughout fetoscopic fMMC and compares these measures with other common intraoperative cardiac function parameters.

Methods: Continuous fetal echocardiography was performed during fetoscopic fMMC repair with fetal heart rate assessment every 2 minutes and a 4-chamber cine clip and mitral and tricuspid Doppler inflow patterns captured every 5 minutes.

Feasibility and impact of an expanded upper extremity musculoskeletal health for musicians (MHM) program on arm and hand pain in musicians.

Background: This easibility cohort study follows a prior randomized control pilot trial that examined the feasibility and impact of a formal Musculoskeletal Health for Musicians (MHM) program. In this follow-up study, an expanded program was designed to target hand and arm pain by adding exercises for the wrist, elbow, forearm, and hand intrinsic muscles. The MHM program combines education with exercise instruction to prevent pain and injury in musicians.