Action inflexibility and compulsive-like behavior accompany neurobiological alterations in the anterior orbitofrontal cortex and associated striatal nuclei.

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a large cortical structure, expansive across anterior-posterior axes. It is essential for flexibly updating learned behaviors, and paradoxically, also implicated in inflexible and compulsive-like behaviors. Here, we investigated mice bred to display inflexible reward-seeking behaviors that are insensitive to action consequences.

A broad spectrum Shigella vaccine based on VirG multiepitope region produced in a cell-free system.

Dysentery caused by Shigella species remains a major health threat to children in low- and middle-income countries. There is no vaccine available. The most advanced candidates, i.

Probabilistic nested model selection in pharmacokinetic analysis of DCE-MRI data in animal model of cerebral tumor.

Best current practice in the analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI is to employ a voxel-by-voxel model selection from a hierarchy of nested models. This nested model selection (NMS) assumes that the observed time-trace of contrast-agent (CA) concentration within a voxel, corresponds to a singular physiologically nested model. However, admixtures of different models may exist within a voxel's CA time-trace.

Evaluation of Drug-Drug Interactions in Pharmacoepidemiologic Research.

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) represent a significant concern for clinical care and public health, but the health consequences of many DDIs remain largely underexplored. This knowledge gap underscores the critical need for pharmacoepidemiologic research to evaluate real-world health outcomes of DDIs. In this review, we summarize the definitions commonly used in pharmacoepidemiologic DDI studies, discuss common sources of bias, and illustrate through examples how these biases can be mitigated.

Long-Term Opioid Therapy and Risk of Opioid Overdose by Derived Clinical Indication in North Carolina, 2006-2018.

Purpose: Long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) has been shown to be associated with opioid overdose, but the definition of LTOT varies widely across studies. We use a rigorous LTOT definition to examine risk of opioid overdose by duration of treatment.

Methods: Data were from a large private health insurance provider in North Carolina linked to mortality records from 2006-2018.

Staudinger Reaction-Responsive Coacervates for Cytosolic Antibody Delivery and TRIM21-Mediated Protein Degradation.

A low-molecular-weight compound whose structure strikes a fine balance between hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity may form coacervates via liquid-liquid phase separation in an aqueous solution. These coacervates may encapsulate and convoy proteins across the plasma membrane into the cell. However, releasing the cargo from the vehicle to the cytosol is challenging.

Unlocking the Photoluminescence and Photostability of Au11 Clusters through Pt-Mediated Band-Gap Engineering.

Au nanoclusters often demonstrate useful optical properties such as visible/near-infrared photoluminescence in addition to remarkable thermodynamic stability owing to their superatomic behavior. The smallest of the 8e- superatomic Au nanoclusters, Au11, has limited applications due to its lack of luminescence and relatively low stability. In this work, we investigate the introduction of a single Pt dopant to the center of a halide- and triphenylphosphine-ligated Au11 nanocluster, obtaining a cluster with a proposed molecular formula PtAu10(PPh3)7Br3.

Metal-rich lacustrine sediments from legacy mining perpetuate copper exposure to aquatic-riparian food webs.

Historic copper mining left a legacy of metal-rich tailings resulting in ecological impacts along and within Torch Lake, an area of concern in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, USA. Given the toxicity of copper to invertebrates, this study assessed the influence of this legacy on present day nearshore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. We measured the metal (Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd) and metalloid (As) concentrations in sediment, pore water, surface water, larval and adult insects, and two riparian spider taxa collected from Torch Lake and a nearby reference lake.

Evaluation of an AI-Based Voice Biomarker Tool to Detect Signals Consistent With Moderate to Severe Depression.

Purpose: Mental health screening is recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force for all patients in areas where treatment options are available. Still, it is estimated that only 4% of primary care patients are screened for depression. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of machine learning technology (Kintsugi Voice, v1, Kintsugi Mindful Wellness, Inc) to detect and analyze voice biomarkers consistent with moderate to severe depression, potentially allowing for greater compliance with this critical primary care public health need.

Engaging Students in a Dialysis Unit: A Pilot Study.

Background: Seeking to provide early paediatric nephrology exposure to medical students in the United States, we implemented the Kids In Dialysis, Nephrology Exposure and Education (KIDNEE) club. This club served as an educational intervention in which preclinical medical students were paired with paediatric dialysis patients, as patient buddies.

Approach: Students were recruited for involvement in the club through the medical school Paediatric Interest Group.

Comparison of Oncology Drug Lag in Japan and South Korea Based on the Interval between the U.S. Approval and the Local Approval.

Drug lag is a serious issue for patients with life-threatening diseases such as cancer. Japan and Korea have been facing a large drug lag, despite having a large market and a good clinical trial environment. We analyzed drug lags for anticancer drugs between these countries, using the information on 82 anticancer drugs approved in the United States between 2017 and 2022.

Health Literacy Curricula in Pediatric Residency Programs: A National Survey.

Objective: Using health literacy informed communication strategies can mitigate health inequities. Despite the high prevalence of limited health literacy among parents and children, pediatricians infrequently use clear communication techniques and further education is imperative. There is minimal literature exploring health literacy curricula in pediatric residencies.

Long working hours and cardiovascular disease mortality: Prospective evidence from the United States.

Aims: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.).

A Subtype Specific Probe for Targeted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of M2 Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Brain Tumors.

Pro-tumoral M2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a critical role in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), making them an important therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Approaches for imaging and monitoring M2 TAMs, as well as tracking their changes in response to tumor progression or treatment are highly sought-after but remain underdeveloped. Here, we report an M2-targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probe based on sub-5 nm ultrafine iron oxide nanoparticles (uIONP), featuring an anti-biofouling coating to prevent non-specific macrophage uptake and an M2-specific peptide ligand (M2pep) for active targeting of M2 TAMs.

Video versus Direct Laryngoscopy for Tracheal Intubation Following Cardiac Arrest: a Secondary Analysis of the DEVICE Trial.

Background: Airway management is a critical component of the care of patients experiencing cardiac arrest, but data from randomized trials on the use of video vs direct laryngoscopy for intubation in the setting of cardiac arrest are limited. Current AHA guidelines recommend placement of an endotracheal tube either during CPR or shortly after return of spontaneous circulation but do not provide guidance around intubation methods, including the choice of laryngoscope.

Research Question: Does use of video laryngoscopy improve the incidence of successful intubation on the first attempt, compared to use of direct laryngoscopy, among adults undergoing tracheal intubation after experiencing cardiac arrest?

Study Design And Methods: This secondary analysis of the Direct versus Video Laryngoscope (DEVICE) trial compared video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy in the subgroup of patients who were intubated following cardiac arrest.

Differential reductions in alcohol consumption and cue-induced alcohol-seeking behavior following mGlu5 receptor inhibition in the prelimbic vs. infralimbic subregions of the rat prefrontal cortex.

Glutamatergic signaling is one of the primary targets of actions of alcohol in the brain, and dysregulated excitatory transmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may contribute problematic drinking and relapse. A prominent component of glutamate signaling is the type 5 metabotropic glutamate (mGlu5) receptor. However, little is known about the role of this receptor type in subregions of the PFC that regulate either alcohol intake or alcohol-seeking behavior.

Cost-Utility of Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Background Context: Lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) is a common surgical intervention for treating lumbar degenerative disorders. Increasing demand has contributed to ever-increasing healthcare expenditure and economic burden. To address this, cost-utility analyses (CUAs) compare value in the context of patient outcomes.

A qualitative study exploring the feasibility and acceptability of embedding an overdose prevention sites in a U.S. hospital.

Introduction: Community-based overdose prevention sites (OPS) are recognized for reducing overdose deaths and the spread of HIV and hepatitis C among people who use drugs (PWUD). While some hospitals in Europe and Canada have successfully integrated OPS into their facilities, such integration remains illegal in the United States. This study explores the feasibility and acceptability of implementing an OPS at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), situated in an urban area with high rates of overdose.

14-3-3θ phosphorylation exacerbates alpha-synuclein aggregation and toxicity.

Aggregation of alpha-synuclein (αsyn) plays an integral role in Parkinson's disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). 14-3-3θ is a highly expressed brain protein with chaperone-like activity that regulates αsyn folding. 14-3-3θ overexpression reduces αsyn aggregation, transmission between cells, and neuronal loss, while 14-3-3 inhibition promotes αsyn pathology.

Anorectal malformation with rectoperineal fistula in males treated with a posterior rectal advancement anoplasty (PRAA) - report of early outcomes.

A novel modification of the cutback procedure, a posterior rectal advancement anoplasty (PRAA) for select male patients with an anorectal malformation and a rectoperineal fistula was recently described which incised only within the limits of the sphincteric ellipse and eliminated an anterior rectal dissection, thus avoiding any possibility of a urethral injury. This report provides longer term postoperative outcomes after PRAA. Method A retrospective, single institution study was performed examining male patients with a rectoperineal fistula between 1/2020-12/2023.

Personalized μ-transcranial alternating current stimulation improves online brain-computer interface control.

Objective: A motor imagery (MI)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) enables users to engage with external environments by capturing and decoding electroencephalography (EEG) signals associated with the imagined movement of specific limbs. Despite significant advancements in BCI technologies over the past 40 years, a notable challenge remains: many users lack BCI proficiency, unable to produce sufficiently distinct and reliable MI brain patterns, hence leading to low classification rates in their BCIs. The objective of this study is to enhance the online performance of MI-BCIs in a personalized, biomarker-driven approach using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS).

Assessment of pandemic-related pregnancy stress from seven western countries using Rasch analyses.

Introduction: This study examined psychometric properties of the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS) using a Rasch Model (RM) in a large sample of pregnant women from Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the United States of America (USA).

Material And Methods: Rasch analyses were used to analyze a sample of 7185 pregnant women who completed the PREPS during the COVID-19 pandemic onset from April to August 2020. Psychological, sociodemographic, and obstetric factors were also collected and analyzed.

Automated system for diagnosing pulmonary fibrosis using crackle analysis in recorded lung sounds based on iterative envelope mean fractal dimension filter.

Patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) often experience long waits before getting a correct diagnosis, and this delay in reaching specialized care is associated with increased mortality, regardless of the severity of the disease. Early diagnosis and timely treatment of PF can potentially extend life expectancy and maintain a better quality of life. Crackles present in the recorded lung sounds may be crucial for the early diagnosis of PF.

Striking Improvement of N Selectivity in NH Oxidation Reaction on FeO-Based Catalysts via SiO Doping.

The emission of NH has been reported to pose a serious threat to both human health and the environment. To efficiently eliminate NH, catalysts for the selective catalytic oxidation of NH (NH-SCO) have been intensively studied. FeO-based catalysts were found to exhibit superior NH oxidation activity; however, the low N selectivity made it less attractive in practical applications.