Risk Factors for Delayed (>30 Days) Readmission Following Rectal Cancer Surgery.

Introduction: Unplanned, delayed readmissions (>30 ds) following oncologic surgeries can increase mortality and care costs and affect hospital quality indices. However, there is a dearth of literature on rectal cancer surgery. Hence, we aimed to assess the risk factors associated with delayed readmissions following rectal cancer surgery to improve targeted interventions, patient outcomes, and quality indices.

Association between pituitary adenoma consistency, resection techniques, and patient outcomes: a single-institution experience.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the association between pituitary adenoma (PA) consistency and other measurable tumor characteristics, extent of resection (EOR), postoperative complications, and outcomes.

Methods: In total, 507 PA resections were intraoperatively assigned a consistency grade from 1 (cystic/hemorrhagic tumors) to 5 (calcified tumors) based on intraoperative tumor characteristics. Tumor consistency was analyzed in tertiles (grades 1 and 2, grade 3, and grades 4 and 5) to determine associations with tumor characteristics, EOR, recurrence, postoperative outcomes, and complications.

Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania 2021-2024.

SARS-CoV-2 continues to transmit and evolve in humans and animals. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been previously identified as a zoonotic reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 with high rates of infection and probable spillback into humans. Here we report sampling 1,127 white-tailed deer (WTD) in Pennsylvania, and a genomic analysis of viral dynamics spanning 1,017 days between April 2021 and January 2024.

Sulfur dioxide exposure of mice induces peribronchiolar fibrosis-A defining feature of deployment-related constrictive bronchiolitis.

Deployment-related constrictive bronchiolitis (DRCB) has emerged as a health concern in military personnel returning from Southwest Asia. Exposure to smoke from a fire at the Al-Mishraq sulfur enrichment facility and/or burn pits was reported by a subset of Veterans diagnosed with this disorder. DRCB is characterized by thickening and fibrosis of small airways (SA) in the lung, but whether these are related to toxin inhalation remains uncertain.

Virtual reality perimetry compared to standard automated perimetry in adults with glaucoma: A systematic review.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to consolidate and summarize available data comparing virtual reality perimetry (VRP) with standard automated perimetry (SAP) in adults with glaucoma. Understanding the utility and diagnostic performance of emerging VRP technology may expand access to visual field testing but requires evidence-based validation.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in 3 databases (PubMed Central, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) from the date of inception to 10/09/2024.

Altered Effective Connectivity Within a Thalamocortical Corollary Discharge Network in Individuals With Schizophrenia.

Background And Hypothesis: Sequential saccade planning requires corollary discharge (CD) signals that provide information about the planned landing location of an eye movement. These CD signals may be altered among individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), providing a potential mechanism to explain passivity and anomalous self-experiences broadly. In healthy controls (HC), a key oculomotor CD network transmits CD signals from the thalamus to the frontal eye fields (FEF) and the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and also remaps signals from FEF to IPS.

Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions in Hematologic Malignancies.

Over the last two decades, there have been extensive efforts to develop small-molecule inhibitors of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) as novel therapeutics for cancer, including hematologic malignancies. Despite the numerous challenges associated with developing PPI inhibitors, a significant number of them have advanced to clinical studies in hematologic patients in recent years. The US Food and Drug Administration approval of the very first PPI inhibitor, venetoclax, demonstrated the real clinical value of blocking protein-protein interfaces.

Biofield Therapies Clinical Research Landscape: A Scoping Review and Interactive Evidence Map.

Biofield Therapies, with a historical lineage spanning millennia and continuing relevance in contemporary practices, have been used to address various health conditions and promote wellbeing. The scientific study and adoption of these therapies have been hindered by cultural challenges and institutional barriers. In addition, the current research landscape for Biofield Therapies is insufficiently documented.

Direct Observation of Substantial Phonon Nonequilibrium Near Nanoscale Hotspots in Gallium Nitride.

Phonon modal nonequilibrium is believed to widely exist around nanoscale hotspots, which can significantly affect the performance of nano-electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, such a phenomenon has not been explicitly observed in 3D device semiconductors at the nanoscale. Here, by employing a tip-enhanced Raman thermal measurement approach, substantial phonon nonequilibrium in gallium nitride near sub-10 nm laser-excited hotspots is directly revealed for the first time.

Permanent Left Bundle Branch Area DF-4 Defibrillator Lead Implantation-Feasibility, Procedural Caveats, Safety, and Follow-Up.

Introduction: Permanent implantation of a DF-4 implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) lead in the left bundle branch area (LBBA-ICD) is the next paradigm in amalgamating cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and defibrillation. We systematically investigated feasibility/success rate, procedural caveats, and complications associated with a permanent DF-4 LBBA ICD implant and pertinent data at short-term follow-up.

Methods: We prospectively attempted implantation of 7 Fr Durata (Abbott, Chicago, IL, USA) single coil DF-4 ICD lead at the LBBA using a fixed-curve non-deflectable CPS locator delivery sheath.

Machine learning-driven discovery of structurally related natural products as activators of the cardiac calcium pump SERCA2a.

A key molecular dysfunction in heart failure is the reduced activity of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a) in cardiac muscle cells. Reactivating SERCA2a improves cardiac function in heart failure models, making it a validated target and an attractive therapeutic approach for heart failure therapy. However, finding small-molecule SERCA2a activators is challenging.

Enhancing surface energy and characterizing optical properties of ultra-high translucency zirconia via an innovative heat treatment process.

Purpose: Ultra-high translucency zirconia (UT-Zr) is known for its high esthetic quality; however, its inert surface results in low hydrophilicity and surface energy (SE). To address this limitation, this study proposes an innovative zirconia heat treatment process (ZHTP) and aims to evaluate the effects of ZHTP on the surface characteristics of UT-Zr, offering a novel and practical approach for surface pretreatment in dental practice.

Material And Methods: The plate-shaped UT-Zr samples were fabricated.

Polychlorinated biphenyls induced toxicities upon cell lines and stem cells: a review.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants emitted during e-waste activities. Upon release into the environment, PCBs can pose harmful effects to the humans and environment. The present review focused on the effects of PCBs on cell proliferation, apoptosis, functional and developmental toxicity and potential possible molecular mechanisms upon cells and stem cells.

Proximal remote sensing: an essential tool for bridging the gap between high-resolution ecosystem monitoring and global ecology.

A new proliferation of optical instruments that can be attached to towers over or within ecosystems, or 'proximal' remote sensing, enables a comprehensive characterization of terrestrial ecosystem structure, function, and fluxes of energy, water, and carbon. Proximal remote sensing can bridge the gap between individual plants, site-level eddy-covariance fluxes, and airborne and spaceborne remote sensing by providing continuous data at a high-spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we review recent advances in proximal remote sensing for improving our mechanistic understanding of plant and ecosystem processes, model development, and validation of current and upcoming satellite missions.

Demographic and Experiential Characteristics of Asexual Individuals and Associations with Well-Being.

The visibility and number of people identifying as asexual-those with little to no sexual attraction-have been increasing in recent years. In the current study, we examined variation in experiential and developmental milestones and psychosocial functioning in 1,726 individuals on the asexual spectrum (61.2% women, 15.

Predictive strength of inflammatory scores for in-hospital mortality in infective endocarditis.

Background: Inflammatory markers have been proposed as prognostic tools for predicting in-hospital mortality in infective endocarditis (IE). Nonetheless, it is unclear whether these markers provide additional prognostic value over established indicators. This study compared nine different inflammation scores to assess their effectiveness in enhancing the prediction of in-hospital mortality.

Systemic Mastocytosis: Current Status and Challenges in 2024.

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare disease and has had significant discoveries in its biology, prognostication, and management in the past two decades. The latest update of the WHO classification and the new ICC classification are current standards in the diagnosis and prognostication of SM. In clinical practice, SM can be divided into two main categories: non-advanced SM (nonAdvSM) and advanced SM (AdvSM).

Circulating and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers of Intestinal Fibrosis in Small Bowel Crohn's Disease.

Background: We previously identified circulating and MRI biomarkers associated with the surgical management of Crohn's disease (CD). Here we tested associations between these biomarkers and ileal resection inflammation and collagen content.

Methods: Fifty CD patients undergoing ileal resection were prospectively enrolled at 4 centers.

Prenatal Lipopolysaccharide Stimulation Modulates Gastrointestinal Immunity and Oxidative Status in Weaned Pigs.

Gastrointestinal immunity and antioxidant defenses may be bolstered in young animals through prenatal immune system stimulation (PIS), but this is largely uninvestigated in swine. This study tested the hypothesis that PIS could regulate offspring's gastrointestinal immune response and oxidative stress profile. To this end, a PIS model was utilized in sows, delivering low-dose LPS during the final third of gestation to target the developing immune system.

Associations Between Ambient PM and Thyroid Hormones in Pregnant Persons in Puerto Rico.

Introduction: This study investigates associations between fine particulate air pollution (PM) exposure and thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy in Puerto Rican individuals, a vulnerable population facing socioeconomic and environmental disparities.

Methods: This research draws on data from the PROTECT cohort study and involves 1040 participants to measure the effect of PM on developmentally important thyroid hormones (TSH, T3, T4, and FT4). Pollution concentrations were linked to participant locations using EPA air quality data and analyzed across two visits during gestational weeks 16-20 and 24-28.

Nonlinear Optical Properties of Bis(dehydrobenzoannuleno)benzenes: An Experimental and Computational Approach.

Given their molecular properties and electronic structure, graphyne and graphdiyne are promising materials with numerous applications in different fields of material science. Dehydrobenzoannules (DBAs) are candidates that can serve as building blocks for synthesizing and designing new 2D carbon allotropes; however, only a few graphynes have been produced on a practical scale. Herein, we present our investigation of three DBAs, which serve as a model to understand the relationship between the structure and property, contributing to 2D carbon allotropes' rational design and synthetic effort.