BaNDyT: Bayesian Network Modeling of Molecular Dynamics Trajectories.

Bayesian network modeling (BN modeling, or BNM) is an interpretable machine learning method for constructing probabilistic graphical models from the data. In recent years, it has been extensively applied to diverse types of biomedical data sets. Concurrently, our ability to perform long-time scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on proteins and other materials has increased exponentially.

Effect of an Electronic Pill Bottle on Hydroxychloroquine Adherence in Pediatric Lupus: Results of a Novel Direct-to-Family Pilot Trial.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of an electronic pill bottle with automated reminders on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) adherence in children with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE).

Methods: This was a self-controlled, open label, direct-to-family pilot trial. Children with pSLE treated with HCQ were recruited from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry.

MRI detects tubulointerstitial changes in mouse models of radiation-induced nephropathy.

Purpose: We hypothesized that radiation-induced tubulointerstitial changes in the kidney can be assessed using MRI-based T relaxation time measurements.

Methods: We performed MRI, histology, and serum biochemistry in two mouse models of radiation nephropathy: one involving external beam radiotherapy and the other using internal irradiation with an α-particle-emitting actinium-225 radiolabeled antibody. We compared the mean T values of different renal compartments between control and external beam radiotherapy or α-particle-emitting actinium-225 radiolabeled antibody-treated groups and between the two radiation-treated groups using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

Structural insights into the role of the prosegment binding loop in a papain-superfamily cysteine protease from Treponema denticola.

Periodontal diseases afflict 20-50% of the global population and carry serious health and economic burdens. Chronic periodontitis is characterized by inflammation of the periodontal pocket caused by dysbiosis. This dysbiosis is coupled with an increase in the population of Treponema denticola, a spirochete bacterium with high mobility and invasivity mediated by a number of virulence factors.

Vertical Graphene Growth on LDH Nanosheets and Carbon Cloth Nanofibers with NiCo Nanoparticles as a Freestanding Host for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries have been recognized as one of the excellent candidates for next-generation energy storage batteries because of their high energy density and low cost and low pollution. However, lithium-sulfur batteries have been challenged by low conductivity, low sulfur utilization, poor cycle life, and the shuttle effect of polysulfides. To address these problems, we report here an independent mixed sulfur host.

Gut Microbiota Alterations in Patients With Kawasaki Disease.

The intestinal microbiota influences many host biological processes, including metabolism, intestinal barrier functions, and immune responses in the gut and distant organs. Alterations in its composition have been associated with the development of inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular diseases, including Kawasaki disease (KD). KD is an acute pediatric vasculitis of unknown etiology and the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in the United States.

A Commensurate Prior Model With Random Effects for Survival and Competing Risk Outcomes to Accommodate Historical Controls.

Clinical trials (CTs) often suffer from small sample sizes due to limited budgets and patient enrollment challenges. Using historical data for the CT data analysis may boost statistical power and reduce the required sample size. Existing methods on borrowing information from historical data with right-censored outcomes did not consider matching between historical data and CT data to reduce the heterogeneity.

Quantifying the Impact of State Health Policy on State Population Health Outcomes.

Thirty-five years after the Institute of Medicine report, (1988), multiple authors have considered what needs to be achieved to build a robust public health system that improves health for all. A central theme is the renewed emphasis on the role of evidence-based policy. This study provides clear evidence using a ranking methodology of how important policy is to achieving better health outcomes across the United States.

Development of the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), on pork tissue at two temperatures.

The house fly, Musca domestica, L. (Diptera: Muscidae), is a filth fly that is often associated with criminal and civil investigations surrounding abuse, neglect, and death of humans and other vertebrates. However, development data, which are crucial for determining the age of immatures collected under forensically relevant circumstances, are limited.

Trends and Themes in the Study of Value in Orthopedic Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Background: The study of value in orthopedic surgery aims to maximize health outcomes gained per unit cost through various health economic tools but is fragmented across various subspecialties and geographies. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain whether this research methodology is being used to its full potential across all orthopedic subspecialties and geographies.

Purpose: We sought to assess the distribution of prior health economics literature in orthopedic surgery across subspecialties and geographies.

Diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease after solid organ transplantation in the era of biologic therapy: a case series.

Introduction: The clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease (dnIBD) diagnosed after solid organ transplant (SOT) are not well-described, particularly since the advent of biologic therapy for treatment of IBD.

Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective review of SOT recipients between 2010 and 2022 at the University of Minnesota Medical Center who were diagnosed with IBD after transplant.

Results: Of 89 patients at our center with IBD and a history of SOT, five (5.

The future of flourishing in veterinary medicine: a systems-informed positive psychology approach in veterinary education.

Individuals in the veterinary profession are experiencing significant mental health and wellbeing challenges. A holistic view of wellbeing, which encompasses both physical and mental health, underscores their interconnected nature. This integrated approach reduces the artificial separation of wellbeing facets, and highlights how mental states influence not only individuals, but also their interactions with animals, the environment, and others in the workplace.

Maternal-fetal cytokine profiles in acute SARS-CoV-2 "breakthrough" infection after COVID-19 vaccination.

Objective: Vaccination is protective against severe COVID-19 disease, yet whether vaccination reduces COVID-19-associated inflammation in pregnancy has not been established. The objective of this study is to characterize maternal and cord cytokine profiles of acute SARS-CoV-2 "breakthrough" infection (BTI) after vaccination, compared with unvaccinated infection and uninfected controls.

Study Design: 66 pregnant individuals enrolled in the MGH COVID-19 biorepository (March 2020-April 2022) were included.

Murine model of cross-IgE sensitization and cross-anaphylactic reactions among multiple group food allergens.

Rationale: Approximately 32 million people in the United States suffer from food allergies. Some food groups, such as legumes - peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish, have a high risk of cross-reactivity. However, the murine model of multiple food group cross-reactivity is limited.

Drp1-associated genes implicated in sepsis survival.

Sepsis is a severe and life-threatening medical syndrome that can lead to organ failure and death. Despite advances in medical treatment, current therapies are often inadequate, with high septic mortality rates. Therefore, there is a critical need for reliable prognostic markers to be used in clinical settings to improve the management and outcomes of patients with sepsis.

Bibliometric analysis of metformin as an immunomodulator (2013-2024).

Background: Metformin, the frontline treatment for diabetes, has considerable potential as an immunomodulator; however, detailed bibliometric analyses on this subject are limited.

Methods: This study extracted 640 relevant articles from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection and conducted visual analyses using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.

Results: The findings showed that research on the immunomodulatory function of metformin has grown steadily since 2017, with China and the United States being the leading contributors.

Is the freezing index a valid outcome to assess freezing of gait during turning in Parkinson's disease?

Introduction: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a disabling symptom for people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD). Turning on the spot for one minute in alternating directions (360 turn) while performing a cognitive dual-task (DT) is a fast and sensitive way to provoke FOG. The FOG-index is a widely used wearable sensor-based algorithm to quantify FOG severity during turning.

Molecular profiling of frontal and occipital subcortical white matter hyperintensities in Alzheimer's disease.

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are commonly detected on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, occurring in both typical aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite their frequent appearance and their association with cognitive decline in AD, the molecular factors contributing to WMHs remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the transcriptomic profiles of two commonly affected brain regions with coincident AD pathology-frontal subcortical white matter (frontal-WM) and occipital subcortical white matter (occipital-WM)-and compared with age-matched cognitively intact controls.

Safety of tenecteplase vs. alteplase in telestroke: a large multistate experience (STAT).

Introduction: Prompt treatment with IV thrombolytics (IVT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients is critical for improved recovery and survival. Recently, hospital systems have switched to the IVT tenecteplase (TNK) instead of the FDA-approved alteplase (tPA) for treatment. Multiple studies and meta-analyses evaluating the efficacy and safety of TNK demonstrate similar or superior outcomes when compared to tPA.

Diet quality and physical activity affect metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, metabolic dysfunction and etiology-associated steatohepatitis, and compensated advanced chronic liver disease among United States adults: NHANES 2017-2020.

Background And Aim: Clinical data on the prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction and etiology-associated steatohepatitis (MetALD) in a multi-ethnic U.S. population are limited.

Impact of mask wearing time on fluid consumption and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: To examine the associations between mask-wearing on fluid consumption and physical activity behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: 137 college students (female, 72.5%; age, 26 ± 9 y) completed a survey detailing their fluid intake, physical activity behaviors, and time spent wearing a mask throughout the day during the previous month in the Fall 2020 academic semester.

Dissecting the biophysical mechanisms of oleate hydratase association with membranes.

This study investigates the dynamics of oleate hydratase (OhyA), a bacterial flavoenzyme from , and its interactions with lipid membranes, focusing on the factors influencing membrane binding and oligomerization. OhyA catalyzes the hydration of unsaturated fatty acids, playing a key role in bacterial pathogenesis by neutralizing host antimicrobial fatty acids. OhyA binds the membrane bilayer to access membrane-embedded substrates for catalysis, and structural studies have revealed that OhyA forms oligomers on membrane surfaces, stabilized by both protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions.