Sex-Specific Effects of In Utero Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances on Placental Development.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants that may impact placental function, and potentially gestational age acceleration (GAA), a deviation from reported and predicted gestational age. GAA potentially represents differences in cell maturation in response to a challenging environment.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the effects of individual and mixtures of PFAS on GAA, cell composition, birth length, and birthweight.

Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Antibody Titers and Infections in Childhood.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent and ubiquitous chemicals posing environmental and health risks. Impact on the human immune system is of particular concern, especially during fetal immune development. Alterations to fetal immune development can impact immunity later in life, e.

Assessing the potential role of deer in the dissemination of Mycobacterium bovis infection to cattle in Northern Ireland.

Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of animal tuberculosis, exhibits a broad host range - infecting, inducing pathology and transmitting from both bovine and wildlife hosts. Considerable effort has been extended to understanding the role wildlife may play in persistence and spread of infection. Infected cervids can spread infection to conspecifics and sympatric livestock as observed in the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus) population of Michigan, USA.

The big, the small and the weird: A phylogenomic analysis of extant Priapulida.

Priapulida is a small phylum of 22 described species that are divided into two size classes (microscopic and macroscopic), distinguished by adult and larval morphology. Most priapulidans are rare or live in inaccessible habitats, and freshly collected material for molecular studies is difficult to obtain. With this study, we for the first time aim to resolve the phylogeny of extant Priapulida using transcriptomic, genomic, and morphological data.

Historical biogeography of the Mugil cephalus species complex and its rapid global colonization.

Our understanding of speciation processes in marine environments remains very limited and the role of different reproductive barriers are still debated. While physical barriers were considered important drivers causing reproductive isolation, recent studies highlight the importance of climatic and hydrological changes creating unsuitable habitat conditions as factors promoting population isolation. Although speciation in marine fish has been investigated from different perspectives, these studies often have a limited geographical extant.

Diagnostic accuracy of self-collected tongue swabs for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex detection in individuals being assessed for TB in South Africa using the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay.

Objectives: Tongue swabs (TS) have shown potential for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) through downstream molecular testing. Analytical performance varies, depending on the processing protocol and the molecular test used. This study aimed to first investigate ease-of-use of TS collection in addition to acceptability by individuals being assessed for TB and second to determine the performance of self-collected TS on the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for MTBC and Rifampicin (RIF) resistance detection.

Recommending Surgery Increases Patient Satisfaction with Arthroplasty Surgeons.

Background: Current guidelines recommend shared decision-making in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis, but the impact of individual treatment decisions on patient satisfaction scores is unknown. We hypothesized that clinic Press Ganey satisfaction ratings would be higher for patients who later underwent arthroplasty than patients who did not have surgery.

Methods: Press Ganey satisfaction surveys were obtained from all patient visits at a single academic institution's arthroplasty clinic from 2010 to 2018.

Bicarbonate, calcium ions, hydrogen peroxide and trypsin modulate activation of Anopheles gambiae sperm motility and protein tyrosine phosphorylation.

With the increasing concern of potential loss of transgenic mosquitoes which are candidates as new tools for mosquito-borne disease control, methods for cryopreservation are actively under investigation. Methods to cryopreserve Anopheles gambiae sperm have recently been developed, but there are no artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization tools available. As a step to achieve this, we sought to identify a suitable medium for in vitro incubation of An.

Impact of Early Menopause and Hormonal Therapy Replacement on Aortic Stenosis Progression.

Background: Early menopause has been associated with several cardiovascular diseases. Its impact on the progression of aortic stenosis (AS) remains unknown. We conducted an analysis to examine the impact of early menopause without hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) on the progression of AS in postmenopausal women with AS.

The impact of childhood stressful life events on atopic dermatitis disease activity and severity.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent condition that has been associated with stress, but epidemiologic data on the impact of both common and severe childhood stressors are limited. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of stressful life events throughout early childhood on AD activity and severity. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of 13,972 children ages 1 to 8.

Atgl-dependent adipocyte lipolysis promotes lipodystrophy and restrains fibrogenic responses during skin fibrosis.

During skin fibrosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are overproduced, and resident lipid-filled, mature dermal adipocytes are depleted in both human disease and mouse models. However, the mechanisms by which the reduction in lipid-filled adipocytes occurs during fibrosis are not well understood. Here, we identify that adipocyte lipolysis via the rate limiting enzyme, adipocyte triglyceride lipase (Atgl), is required for loss of adipose tissue during skin fibrosis in mice.

Comprehensive Extractables and Leachables Sensitization Analysis and Practical Application of a Risk-Based Approach to Sensitization Assessment for Parenteral Drug Products.

The Extractables and Leachables Safety Information Exchange (ELSIE) Consortium added to the sensitization potency analysis of Parris et al. (2023) by including the Product Quality Research Institute (PQRI) extractable and leachable dataset (Johnson et al., 2024; Product Quality Research Institute, 2021).

PREDICTIVE MODELS OF CLINICAL OUTCOME OF ENDOVASCULAR TREATMENT FOR ANTERIOR CIRCULATION STROKE USING MACHINE LEARNING.

Background And Purpose: Mechanical Thrombectomy (MT) has recently become the standard of care for anterior circulation stroke with large vessel occlusion, but predictive factors of successful MT are still not clearly defined. To tailor treatment individually for each patient, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performances of Machine Learning to predict clinical outcome (mRS) at 3 months after MT.

Material And Methods: From the ETIS French prospective multicenter registry, data from patients who underwent MT for anterior circulation stroke with large vessel occlusion between January 2018 and December 2020 were extracted.

The Diagnostic Utility of TRBC1 Immunohistochemistry in Mature T-Cell Lymphomas.

T-cell clonality assessment constitutes an essential part of the diagnostic evaluation of suspected T-cell neoplasms. Recent advances in flow cytometry-based analysis of TCR β chain constant region 1 (TRBC1) have introduced an accurate method of assessment of T-cell clonality. Its broader applicability is constrained due to the requirement of viable cells.

Microscopic Origin of the Spatial and Temporal Precision in Biological Systems.

All living systems display remarkable spatial and temporal precision, despite operating in intrinsically fluctuating environments. It is even more surprising given that biological phenomena are regulated by multiple chemical reactions that are also random. While the underlying molecular mechanisms of surprisingly high precision in biology remain not well understood, a novel theoretical picture that relies on the coupling of relevant stochastic processes has been recently proposed and applied to explain different phenomena.

Overexpression, Biophysical and Functional Characterization of a Recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21).

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) is an endocrine FGF that plays a vital role in regulating essential metabolic pathways. FGF21 increases glucose uptake by cells, promotes fatty acid oxidation, reduces blood glucose levels, and alleviates metabolic diseases. However, detailed studies on its stability and biophysical characteristics have not been reported.

Efficacy of surgical ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion in patients with AF undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: A network meta-analysis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia that greatly elevates the risk of stroke. This risk increases both during and after cardiac procedures, such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). There is an increasing interest in non-pharmacological treatments such as left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) and surgical ablation, intending to enhance both immediate and long-term postoperative results.

Public perceptions of brain health in young and middle-aged adults in Cuba: Opportunities for intervention.

Understanding brain health is increasingly important, particularly in light of growing public health challenges related to neurological and psychiatric conditions. These include the rising prevalence of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, as well as neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Lifestyle factors, including stress, poor diet, and insufficient physical activity, also significantly impact cognitive function.

In-vivo high-resolution χ-separation at 7T.

A recently introduced quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) technique, χ-separation, offers the capability to separate paramagnetic (χ) and diamagnetic (χ) susceptibility distribution within the brain. In-vivo high-resolution mapping of iron and myelin distribution, estimated by χ-separation, could provide a deeper understanding of brain substructures, assisting the investigation of their functions and alterations. This can be achieved using 7T MRI, which benefits from a high signal-to-noise ratio and susceptibility effects.

Damage sensing through TLR9 regulates inflammatory and antiviral responses during influenza infection.

Host response aimed at eliminating the infecting pathogen, as well as the pathogen itself, can cause tissue injury. Tissue injury leads to the release of a myriad of cellular components including mitochondrial DNA, which the host senses through pattern recognition receptors. How the sensing of tissue injury by the host shapes the anti-pathogen response remains poorly understood.

Quantification of Escherichia coli transfer from plastic mulch to field-grown tomatoes and bell peppers.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) prohibits distribution of fruit that is dropped from the plant and contacts the ground during harvest. This includes fruit which contacts the ground while attached to the plant, called "drooping" fruit. In the Southeastern US, tomato and pepper are trellised and grown on plastic mulch.