Evolutionary insights into gut acidification: Invertebrate-like mechanisms in the basal vertebrate hagfish.

Acidification is a key component of digestion throughout metazoans. The gut digestive fluid of many invertebrates is acidified by the vesicular-type H+-ATPase (VHA). In contrast, vertebrates generate acidic gut fluids using the gastric H+/K+-ATPase (HKA); an evolutionary innovation linked with the appearance of a true stomach that greatly improves digestion, absorption, and immune function.

An Assessment of the Nutritional Profile of Foods Accessible to Incarcerated Males in Alabama.

Many chronic medical conditions that can result from poor nutrition are more prevalent in the incarcerated population than in the general population. With the increasing prevalence of chronic medical conditions and limited knowledge on foods accessible to the population, this study assessed the 4-week menu fed to all incarcerated males at state-run facilities in Alabama. Compared with the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for the average incarcerated male, the percentage of energy from total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol exceeded the recommendation.

Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Non-University Tertiary Care Center Experience.

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) presents a significant clinical challenge due to its high fatality rate and limited surgical candidacy. With only 30-40% of patients eligible for surgery upon diagnosis, alternative therapies are imperative. This study assesses the efficacy of Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization for unresectable ICC patients in a non-university tertiary care center (NUTCC).

Unraveling of cannulated screw threads during fixation of medial epicondyle humerus fractures in adolescents: short communication.

Cannulated screws have significant advantages, including ease of insertion and increased accuracy, during fracture fixation. Unraveling of screw threads is an uncommon complication related to cannulated screws. This single-institution case series aims to highlight four cases of unraveling of cannulated screw threads during the fixation of medial epicondyle humerus fractures in adolescents.

Integrated genomic analysis to reduce chromosomal analysis for the diagnosis of pediatric hematologic malignancies: addressing the shortage of cytogenetic technologists.

Not available.

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver and kidney stones: what is going on?

Purpose Of Review: Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasing throughout the world, affecting nearly one in three individuals. Kidney stone disease, which is also increasing, is associated with MASLD. Common risk factors for both, including obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome, are likely drivers of this association.

Costimulation blockade: the next generation.

Purpose Of The Review: Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are central to immunosuppression in kidney transplantation (KT), improving short-term outcomes but falling short in enhancing long-term outcomes due to cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal complications. Belatacept, an FDA-approved costimulation blocker, offers a less toxic alternative to CNIs but is limited by its intravenous administration and reduced efficacy in high-immunological-risk patients.

Recent Findings: Emerging therapies target more specific pathways to improve efficacy and accessibility.

Defining Substantial Clinical Benefits of PROMIS Pain Interference and Physical Function in Patients Undergoing Lumbar and Thoracolumbar Spine Surgery.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aims to define Substantial Clinical Benefit (SCB) thresholds for PROMIS physical function (PF) and pain interference (PI) in lumbar or thoracolumbar spine surgery population.

Summary Of Background Data: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are widely used in spine surgery to assess treatment efficacy.

Modelling a pathological GSX2 variant that selectively alters DNA binding reveals hypomorphic mouse basal ganglia and hindbrain defects.

Gsx2 is a homeodomain transcription factor critical for development of the ventral telencephalon and hindbrain of the mouse. Loss of Gsx2 function results in severe basal ganglia dysgenesis as well as defects in the nucleus tractus solitarius (nTS) of the hindbrain together with respiratory failure at birth. De Mori et al.

Emergent Carotid Stenting During Thrombectomy in Tandem Occlusions Secondary to Dissection: A STOP-CAD Secondary Study.

The optimal endovascular management of cervical carotid dissection causing tandem occlusion remains uncertain. We investigated the impact of emergent carotid stenting during endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients with tandem occlusion secondary to cervical carotid artery dissection. This was a secondary analysis of patients treated with EVT for AIS due to occlusive carotid artery dissection and tandem occlusion included in the retrospective international Antithrombotic Treatment for Stroke Prevention in Cervical Artery Dissection (STOP-CAD) study.

Patent ductus arteriosus closure in infants weighing less than 1500 g via a tiny microcatheter: a simple technique with zero-contrast exposure.

Background: Despite patent ductus arteriosus closure in premature infants is a relatively fast procedure, it involves specific steps for equipment exchange and the use of a 4-Fr catheter, which may be large for tiny infants, potentially causing haemodynamic instability or tricuspid valve regurgitation.

Objectives: This study aims to describe the early experience with a new technique designed to simplify transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus closure in premature infants. It enables the closure using the KA micro plug device via a single microcatheter without equipment exchanges and contrast exposure.

Trends in Dupilumab-Related Payments to Physicians Across Five Specialties.

Background: Dupilumab was first approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 2017 for atopic dermatitis and has since been approved for many other indications. The use of dupilumab has grown, but industry payments to physicians have yet to be explored.

Objective: The study objective is to characterize the change in payments by pharmaceutical companies to physicians for dupilumab-related promotional activities.

Cost-effectiveness of semaglutide in people with obesity and cardiovascular disease without diabetes.

AimsThe cardioprotective effects of semaglutide 2.4 mg reported in the SELECT cardiovascular (CV) outcomes trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03574597) provide clinical benefit for subjects with overweight or obesity and established CV disease without type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Finding a "NEW VOICE to tell my story" through the Unmasking Brain Injury project: a mixed-method analysis of wellness after brain injury.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the narratives of people with acquired brain injury (ABI) who participated in the Unmasking Brain Injury project. Through this inquiry, the multifaceted nature of wellbeing after ABI was described in the narratives, which were characterized by identifying facilitators and barriers to overall wellness.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was utilized for this study.

US general population food allergy treatment preferences: a discrete choice experiment.

Objective: To quantify treatment preferences for food allergy management options (oral immunotherapy, biologic therapy, and allergen avoidance), overall and by sociodemographic strata.

Methods: A US general population (≥13 years) discrete choice experiment (DCE) conducted comprised of 12 treatment-feature focused DCE choice sets; the Intolerance of Uncertainty─12 Scale (IUS-12); and clinical/demographic questions. Conditional logistic regression analyses were conducted overall and by age, income, urbanization, educational attainment, food and other sociodemographic factors, and presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Ultra-precise ruler for ammonia nitrogen quantification in electrochemical synthesis experiments.

The field of electrochemical ammonia synthesis has made rapid advancements, attracting a large number of scientists to contribute to this area of research. Accurate detection of ammonia is crucial in this process for evaluating the efficiency and selectivity of electrocatalysts. In this study, we systematically investigate the indophenol blue method for ammonia detection, examining the effects of key factors such as solution pH, nitrate concentration, and metal ion concentration on measurement accuracy.

Point-of-care ultrasound of the common carotid arteries for detection of large vessel occlusion stroke: Results of the POCUS-LVO study.

Introduction: Distal arterial occlusions can cause measurable changes in the flow wave profile in proximal segments of the feeding artery. Our objective was to study the diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the common carotid arteries (CCA) for detection of anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (ac-LVO) in patients with suspected stroke.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a prospective, single-center, observational study of adult patients with suspected stroke admitted in the emergency department.

EXPRESS: Implementation of telepsychiatry in an urban pediatric satellite emergency department (ED).

While pediatric mental health emergencies are increasing in frequency and severity, psychiatric resources remain concentrated in tertiary care facilities. Telepsychiatry has successfully mitigated these challenges in rural emergency departments (EDs), suggesting potential benefits for urban EDs that lack psychiatric resources. We implemented telepsychiatry in an urban ED to reduce ED length of stay and the need for transferring pediatric patients with mental and behavioral health complaints.

Natural biomolecules for cell-interface engineering.

Cell-interface engineering is a way to functionalize cells through direct or indirect self-assembly of functional materials around the cells, showing an enhancement to cell functions. Among the materials used in cell-interface engineering, natural biomolecules play pivotal roles in the study of biological interfaces, given that they have good advantages such as biocompatibility and rich functional groups. In this review, we summarize and overview the development of studies of natural biomolecules that have been used in cell-biointerface engineering and then review the five main types of biomolecules used in constructing biointerfaces, namely DNA polymers, amino acids, polyphenols, proteins and polysaccharides, to show their applications in green energy, biocatalysis, cell therapy and environmental protection and remediation.

Functional Remediation Improves Serum BDNF and TrkB Levels in Euthymic Patients with Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized Trial Study.

Purpose: We aimed to verify the impact of functional remediation (FR) on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) levels, to explore the biomechanism of FR intervention in patients with euthymic bipolar disorder (BD).

Patients And Methods: This is a randomized controlled, 12-week intervention study with participants randomized into the FR group (n=39) and the treatment as usual group (TAU, n=42) at the 1∶1 ratio. 17-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HDRS-17), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) were used to assess affective symptoms and cognitive functioning both at baseline and week 12, respectively.

Clinical Utility of Zuranolone for Postpartum Depression: A Narrative Review.

Peripartum depression (PPD) affects approximately one in every eight birthing individuals. Despite a high prevalence, PPD is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Several PPD treatment options exist including psychotherapies, conventional serotonergic-based antidepressants and alternative and integrative medicine approaches.

Incidence and Risk of Thromboembolic and Cardiovascular Adverse Events with PARP Inhibitor Treatment in Patients with Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Safety Meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: PARP inhibitor (PARPi) treatment is an effective option for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). There are few data on the cardiovascular and thromboembolic safety of these agents in mCRPC, as cardiovascular and thromboembolic adverse events (AEs) are uncommon. Our aim was to analyze the incidence and risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), thromboembolic events, and hypertension with PARPi therapy in mCRPC.

Construction of functional tissue-engineered microvasculatures using circulating fibrocytes as mural cells.

Mural cells are essential for maintaining the proper functions of microvasculatures. However, a key challenge of microvascular tissue engineering is identifying a cellular source for mural cells. We showed that , circulating fibrocytes (CFs) can (1) shear and stabilize the microvasculatures formed by vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in a collagen gel, (2) form gap junctions with VECs and (3) induce basement membrane formation.

Barriers and facilitators for healthcare access among immigrants in Japan: a mixed methods systematic review and meta-synthesis.

Background: While Japan provides universal healthcare, immigrants may experience hampered access to healthcare. A comprehensive review of immigrant healthcare access is also lacking. This systematic review aims to examine barriers and facilitators of healthcare access among immigrants in Japan.

New Bipolar Electrosurgical Vessel Sealing Device Provides Improved Performance and Procedural Efficiency.

Purpose: This study compared the performance of the new LigaSure™ XP Maryland Jaw Sealer/Divider (XP Maryland) to that of LigaSure Atlas™ (Atlas) and LigaSure™ Dolphin Tip (Dolphin Tip), two early LigaSure™ (LigaSure) devices characterized by consistent and reliable clinical performance.

Methods: Ex vivo bench testing on porcine renal arteries compared burst pressures, seal times, and rates of sticking, incomplete cuts, and charring between XP Maryland and Atlas and between XP Maryland and Dolphin Tip. In vivo acute testing on a porcine model compared thermal spread, seal times, and rates of hemostasis, sticking, and incomplete cuts between XP Maryland and the two early LigaSure devices.