Specific immune response to and ability to control mycobacterial replication are not impaired in subjects with immune-mediated inflammatory disease and tuberculosis infection.

Background: Subjects with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID), such as rheumatoid arthritis, with tuberculosis infection (TBI), have a high probability of progressing to tuberculosis disease (TB). We aim to characterize the impact of IMID on the immune response to (Mtb) in patients with TBI and TB disease.

Methods: We enrolled TBI and TB patients with and without IMID.

Association between governmental spending on social services and health care use among low-income older adults.

Prior research demonstrates that local government spending on social policies, excluding health care, is linked to improved population health. Whether such spending is associated with better access to primary care and reduced acute care utilization remains unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the associations between county-level social spending and individual-level health care utilization among low-income Medicare beneficiaries, aged ≥65 years, from 2016 to 2018.

Probing and imaging phospholipid dynamics in live cells.

Distinct phospholipid species display specific distribution patterns across cellular membranes, which are important for their structural and signaling roles and for preserving the integrity and functionality of the plasma membrane and organelles. Recent advancements in lipid biosensor technology and imaging modalities now allow for direct observation of phospholipid distribution, trafficking, and dynamics in living cells. These innovations have markedly advanced our understanding of phospholipid function and regulation at both cellular and subcellular levels.

AI-assisted neurocognitive assessment protocol for older adults with psychiatric disorders.

Introduction: Evaluating neurocognitive functions and diagnosing psychiatric disorders in older adults is challenging due to the complexity of symptoms and individual differences. An innovative approach that combines the accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) with the depth of neuropsychological assessments is needed.

Objectives: This paper presents a novel protocol for AI-assisted neurocognitive assessment aimed at addressing the cognitive, emotional, and functional dimensions of older adults with psychiatric disorders.

Revision quadriceps tendon repair: A case series and technique guide to a novel repair.

Introduction: Revision quadriceps tendon repair is a challenging problem. In this four-case series, novel quadriceps tendon revision resulted in improved range of motion and durable repair for patients with recurrent rupture.

Methods: Our technique includes a combination of a running locked #5 FiberWire or 2 mm SutureTape suture placed through parallel medial, lateral, and central drill holes in the patella with running Krackow-type quadriceps tendon repair medially and laterally resulting in four strands, delivering the vastus medialis and medial quadriceps tendon to an anatomic repair at the superior pole of the patella, with 2 sutures passed centrally and 1 each passed medially and laterally and then tied.

On the substrate turnover rate of NBCe1 and AE1 SLC4 transporters: structure-function considerations.

A transport protein's turnover rate (TOR) is the maximum rate of substrate translocation under saturating conditions. This parameter represents the number of transporting events per transporter molecule (assuming a single transport site) per second (s). From this standpoint, a transporter's TOR is similar to an enzyme's catalytic constant.

Population imaging of internal state circuits relevant to psychiatric disease: a review.

Internal states involve brain-wide changes that subserve coordinated behavioral and physiological responses for adaptation to changing environments and body states. Investigations of single neurons or small populations have yielded exciting discoveries for the field of neuroscience, but it has been increasingly clear that the encoding of internal states involves the simultaneous representation of multiple different variables in distributed neural ensembles. Thus, an understanding of the representation and regulation of internal states requires capturing large population activity and benefits from approaches that allow for parsing intermingled, genetically defined cell populations.

The gut microbiome and cross-reactivity of food allergens: current understanding, insights, and future directions.

This mini-review examines the emerging role of the gut microbiome in influencing food allergen cross-reactivity. It specifically focuses on how microbial diversity, antigens, and metabolites impact IgE-mediated allergic responses. Cross-reactivity occurs when structurally similar food and microbial antigens trigger hypersensitivities, affecting millions of people worldwide.

Myokines: metabolic regulation in obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Skeletal muscle plays a vital role in the regulation of systemic metabolism, partly through its secretion of endocrine factors which are collectively known as myokines. Altered myokine levels are associated with metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). The significance of interorgan crosstalk, particularly through myokines, has emerged as a fundamental aspect of nutrient and energy homeostasis.

A Novel Technique for Nasopharyngeal Stenosis Repair: Combined Transoral Robotic and Endonasal Approaches for Enhanced Visualization and Surgical Precision.

Nasopharyngeal stenosis is a challenging condition characterized by a narrowed nasopharynx, leading to nasal congestion, impaired breathing, and recurrent sinus issues. In this report, we present a unique surgical approach that combines the use of both the Da Vinci Xi robot and a 70-degree nasal endoscope in a patient with a type II stenosis of the nasopharynx. The benefits of improved visualization, maneuverability, and precision of this novel combined approach are highlighted.

Computational discovery of co-expressed antigens as dual targeting candidates for cancer therapy through bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics.

Motivation: Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) that bind to two distinct surface antigens on cancer cells are emerging as an appealing therapeutic strategy in cancer immunotherapy. However, considering the vast number of surface proteins, experimental identification of potential antigen pairs that are selectively expressed in cancer cells and not in normal cells is both costly and time-consuming. Recent studies have utilized large bulk RNA-seq databases to propose bispecific targets for various cancers.

A comprehensive analysis of erectile dysfunction prevalence and the impact of prostate conditions on ED among US adults: evidence from NHANES 2001-2004.

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is characterized by the inability to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for intercourse. While previous research suggests a potential link between ED and prostate pathologies, the association between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, prostatic cancer (PCa), and ED remains to be elucidated.

Methods: Data from participants (40-80 years, n=2225) were extracted from the NHANES 2001-2004 for this observational study.

A trend of osteocalcin in diabetes mellitus research: bibliometric and visualization analysis.

Background: Osteocalcin has attracted attention for its potential role in diabetes management. However, there has been no bibliometric assessment of scientific progress in this field.

Methods: We analysed 1680 articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) between 1 January 1986 and 10 May 2024 using various online tools.

Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease: A Review.

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of chronic liver disease (CLD) contributing to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. While liver transplantation (LT) has shown favorable outcomes, early identification and management of AKI is imperative for survival. This review aims to highlight the epidemiology, pathophysiology, management, and prognosis of AKI in CLD.

The Evolution of Immunosuppressive Therapy in Pig-to-Nonhuman Primate Organ Transplantation.

An overview is provided of the evolution of strategies towards xenotransplantation during the past almost 40 years, focusing on advances in gene-editing of the organ-source pigs, pre-transplant treatment of the recipient, immunosuppressive protocols, and adjunctive therapy. Despite initial challenges, including hyperacute rejection resulting from natural (preformed) antibody binding and complement activation, significant progress has been made through gene editing of the organ-source pigs and refinement of immunosuppressive regimens. Major steps were the identification and deletion of expression of the three known glycan xenoantigens on pig vascular endothelial cells, the transgenic expression of human "protective" proteins, e.

Dental manifestations of hypophosphatasia: translational and clinical advances.

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inherited error in metabolism resulting from loss-of-function variants in the gene, which encodes tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP). TNAP plays a crucial role in biomineralization of bones and teeth, in part by reducing levels of inorganic pyrophosphate (PP), an inhibitor of biomineralization. HPP onset in childhood contributes to rickets, including growth plate defects and impaired growth.

Environment scan of generative AI infrastructure for clinical and translational science.

This study reports a comprehensive environmental scan of the generative AI (GenAI) infrastructure in the national network for clinical and translational science across 36 institutions supported by the CTSA Program led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the United States. Key findings indicate a diverse range of institutional strategies, with most organizations in the experimental phase of GenAI deployment. The results underscore the need for a more coordinated approach to GenAI governance, emphasizing collaboration among senior leaders, clinicians, information technology staff, and researchers.

A cross-sectional study to estimate the cost of managing patients with acute on chronic liver failure at a tertiary care centre.

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a life threatening disease. This study seeks to identify factors that contribute to greater financial burden in ACLF.

Methods: In total, 55 patients were included.

Fatty acid oxidation-induced HIF-1α activation facilitates hepatic urate synthesis through upregulating NT5C2 and XDH.

Dyslipidemia affects approximately half of all people with gout, and prior Mendelian randomization analysis suggested a causal role for elevated triglycerides in hyperuricemia (HU), but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We hypothesize that dyslipidemia promotes hepatic urate biosynthesis in HU and gout and fatty acid (FA) oxidation (FAO) drives this process. Here we developed a targeted metabolomics to quantify major metabolites in purine metabolic pathway in the sera of a human cohort with HU, gout, and normaluricemic controls.

Exploring age and gender disparities in cardiometabolic phenotypes and lipidomic signatures among Chinese adults: a nationwide cohort study.

Understanding sex disparities in modifiable risk factors across the lifespan is essential for crafting individualized intervention strategies. We aim to investigate age-related sex disparity in cardiometabolic phenotypes in a large nationwide Chinese cohort. A total of 254,670 adults aged 40 years or older were selected from a population-based cohort in China.

Exploring the association between caffeine intake and benign prostatic hyperplasia: results from the NHANES 2005-2008.

Background: Coffee is a physiologically active food component prevalent throughout the world, but the association between caffeine intake and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has been limited in extensive epidemiological studies.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the association between caffeine intake and BPH in adults in the United States using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2008. Caffeine intake (mg/day) was evaluated based on a 24-h dietary recall.

Age-dependent interaction between serum zinc and triglyceride-glucose index among American adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Introduction: Zinc plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism. The association between serum zinc and insulin resistance has recently been investigated as well, but the findings are inconsistent. The triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) is frequently utilized in epidemiological research to assess insulin resistance.

Association between Healthy Eating Index-2015 total and metabolic associated fatty liver disease in Americans: a cross-sectional study with U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Utilizing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset to investigate the relationship between dietary quality, as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015), and the prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) among adults in the United States, our analysis revealed that an increased dietary quality was significantly correlated with a reduced risk of MAFLD in the American population.

Method: The NHANES dataset, encompassing the years 2017-2018 and comprising 3,557 participants, was incorporated into our analytical framework. Weighted multivariate linear regression model was performed to assess the linear relationship between the HEI-2015 and MAFLD.

Challenges to Achieving Surgical Equity in Slums.

There is a critical lack of surgical data on individuals who live in urban slums, which hampers the allocation of healthcare resources and the provision of preventative measures. The complex interplay of factors affecting surgical care in slums, such as trust deficits, mental health concerns, and socioeconomic barriers, necessitates a distinct academic approach. We propose that researchers should consider "slum surgical health" as an area of study separate from urban health or slum health.

Association between sedentary behavior, physical activity, and osteoarthritis: results from NHANES 2007-2020 and Mendelian randomization analysis.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent and debilitating disorder that affects the joints and has a complex array of causes. While sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) have been implicated in OA risk, the relationship between these factors and OA development remains unclear. This study investigates the correlation and potential causality between SB, PA, and OA using both cross-sectional and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.