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Background and Purpose: Hemodynamic factors significantly influence the onset, progression, and rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Current rupture risk prediction scores focus primarily on the clinical, anatomic, and morphologic aspects. This study aimed to investigate the hemodynamic characteristics differences between ruptured and unruptured IAs., Materials and Methods: Conducted from July 2021 to July 2022, this prospective cohort study involved patients with ruptured and unruptured IAs undergoing DSA. Hemodynamic characteristics were assessed by using the AneurysmFlow tool. Hemodynamic, clinical, anatomic, and morphologic parameters were compared between ruptured and unruptured IA groups., Results: The study included 127 patients with 135 aneurysms (67 ruptured, 68 unruptured). Complex flow patterns (type 3 and 4) were observed more frequently in ruptured aneurysms compared with unruptured aneurysms (OR, 5.57; 95% CI, 2.49-12.45; P < .001) in univariate analysis, and were also more common in unruptured aneurysms associated with daughter sac features ( P = .015). The mean aneurysm flow amplitude (MAFA) was lower in ruptured aneurysms, and associated with lower flow velocity in the parent artery related to vasospasm. MAFA in the aneurysmal dome or any additional daughter sacs was lowest compared with other regions inside the aneurysms. The technical failure rate of AneurysmFlow measurements was 8.5% (12 of 139 patients). Additionally, hypertension (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.30-0.54; P < .001), bifurcation location (anterior communicating artery/anterior cerebral artery/MCA/posterior communicating artery/posterior circulation) (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.05-0.29; P = .005), and irregular shape (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.05-0.35; P = .012) were identified as independently associated with rupture., Conclusions: Complex flow patterns identified on the AneurysmFlow tool are significantly more common in ruptured and unruptured aneurysms associated with daughter sac features. The lowest MAFA in the aneurysmal dome and daughter sacs likely indicates specific pathophysiologic changes within the aneurysm wall associated with rupture incidence. Hypertension, bifurcation location, and an irregular shape are independently associated with the risk of rupture. Further multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings., (© 2025 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.)

Synchronization of neural activity in the gamma frequency band is associated with various cognitive phenomena. Abnormalities of gamma synchronization may underlie symptoms of several neurological and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Properties of neural oscillations in the gamma band depend critically on the synaptic properties of the underlying circuits. This study explores how synaptic properties in pyramidal-interneuronal circuits affect not only the average synchronization strength but also the fine temporal patterning of neural synchrony. If two signals show only moderate synchrony strength, it may be possible to consider these dynamics as alternating between synchronized and desynchronized states. We use a model of connected circuits that produces pyramidal-interneuronal gamma oscillations to explore the temporal patterning of synchronized and desynchronized intervals. Changes in synaptic strength may alter the temporal patterning of synchronized dynamics (even if the average synchrony strength is not changed). Larger values of local synaptic connections promote longer desynchronization durations, while larger values of long-range synaptic connections promote shorter desynchronization durations. Furthermore, we show that circuits with different temporal patterning of synchronization may have different sensitivity to synaptic input. Thus, the alterations of synaptic strength may mediate physiological properties of neural circuits not only through change in the average synchrony level of gamma oscillations, but also through change in how synchrony is patterned in time over very short time scales., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

The gastrointestinal microbiota are important for human health. Dietary intake may modulate the composition and metabolic function of the gut microbiome. We examined how the breakdown of prebiotic dietary fibers by the gut microbiome affects mucin secretion by intestinal epithelial cells. Metagenomic analyses of in vitro gut microbiome consortia revealed taxonomic profiles and genetic diversity of carbohydrate-active enzymes that digest polysaccharides. Two independent consortia exhibited different abilities to produce acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid via the fermentation of polysaccharides derived from dietary fibers of grains and mushrooms. Although acetic acid generally had the highest concentration, the ratios of butyric acid and propionic acid to acetic acid varied depending on the polysaccharide source. These short-chain fatty acids affected morphological differentiation and mucin secretion in HT-29 human intestinal epithelial cells. These results suggest that prebiotic dietary fibers can be digested and metabolized by the gut microbiome to short-chain fatty acids, which can affect gut epithelial cells both directly and indirectly via the modulation of the gut microbiota and their enzymes.

With rising global obesity rates, the demand for effective dietary strategies for obesity management has intensified. This study evaluated the potential of kimchi with various probiotics and bioactive compounds as a dietary intervention for high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in rats. Through a comprehensive analysis incorporating global and targeted metabolomics, gut microbiota profiling, and biochemical markers, we investigated the effects of the 12-week kimchi intake on HFD-induced obesity. Kimchi intake modestly mitigated HFD-induced weight gain and remarkably altered gut microbiota composition, steroid hormones, bile acids, and metabolic profiles, but did not reduce adipose tissue accumulation. It also caused significant shifts in metabolomic pathways, including steroid hormone metabolism, and we found substantial interactions between dietary interventions and gut microbiota composition. Although more research is required to fully understand the anti-obesity effects of kimchi, our findings support the beneficial role of kimchi in managing obesity and related metabolic disorders.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been responsible for the globally devastating epidemics in wild and domesticated pigs. Of the 24 identified ASFV genotypes, genotype II is the primary cause for the pandemic occurring in Europe and Asia since its emergence in Georgia in 2007. The current study aimed to characterize the full-length genomic pattern of the ASFV strain from Thailand, TH1&#95;22/CR (Accession No. PP915735), which was then compared with genomic diversity across other Asian isolates using Georgia 2007/1 (Accession No. FR682468) as the reference. Viral DNA was isolated from the pig spleen sample following library preparation and paired-end sequencing using the MiSeq Illumina platform. The sequenced TH1&#95;22/CR isolate spanned 189,395 nucleotides encoding 193 open reading frames (ORFs), exhibiting maximum nucleotide similarity (99.99%) with Georgian (Georgia 2007/1) and Chinese (Wuhan 2019-1 and China HLJ) isolates. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the TH1&#95;22/CR isolate (Accession No. PP915735) was characterized as genotype II, serogroup 8, and IGR-II due to the presence of three tandem repeat sequences (TRSs). Genetic variations including SNPs and single and polynucleotide indels were identified in TH1&#95;22/CR in agreement with other Asian isolates. For comprehensive analysis, the genome was divided into four regions (I-IV) based on gene location. Overall, the TH1&#95;22/CR isolate demonstrated eight SNPs and indels in its genome. Two unique SNPs were reported in the coding regions of the TH1&#95;22/CR isolate, out of which, a C-591-T substitution was seen in MGF 360-4L and a C-297-T was found in A238L, and four unique SNPs were reported in non-coding regions (NCRs). Furthermore, a 29 bp deletion was observed in the IGR between MGF 110-13La and MGF 110-13Lb, as well as 52 bp deletion in the ASFV G ACD 00350 gene. This comparative analysis establishes the foundational information for future studies on the diversity and phylogeography of this regionally significant genetic sub-group of ASFV.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a lethal contagious hemorrhagic viral disease affecting the swine population. The causative agent is African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). There is no treatment or commercial vaccine available at present. This virus poses a significant threat to the global swine industry and economy, with 100% mortality rate in acute cases. ASFV transmission occurs through both direct and indirect contact, with control measures limited to early detection, isolation, and culling of infected pigs. ASFV exhibits a complex genomic structure and encodes for more than 50 structural and 100 non-structural proteins and has 150 to 167 open reading frames (ORFs). While many of the proteins are non-essential for viral replication, they play crucial roles in mediating with the host to ensure longevity and transmission of virus in the host. The dynamic nature of ASFV research necessitates constant updates, with ongoing exploration of various genes and their functions, vaccine development, and other ASF-related domains. This comprehensive review aims to elucidate the structural and functional roles of both newly discovered and previously recorded genes involved in distinct stages of ASFV infection and immunomodulation. Additionally, the review discusses the virulence genes and genes with unknown functions, and proposes future interventions.

A landslide involves the downward movement of a mass of rock, debris, earth, or soil. Landslides happen when gravitational forces and other types of shear stresses on a slope surpass the shear strength of the materials. Additionally, landslides can be triggered by processes that weaken the shear strength of the slope's material. Shear strength primarily depends on two factors such as frictional strength, which is the resistance to movement between the interacting particles of the slope material, and cohesive strength, which is the bonding between those particles. A landslide is a terrible natural disaster that causes much damage to both human life and the economy. It often occurs in steep mountainous areas or hilly regions, ranging in scale from medium to large. It progresses slowly (20-50 mm/year), but when it occurs, it can move at a speed of 3 m/s. Therefore, early detection or prevention of this disaster is an essential and significant task. This paper developed a method to collect and analyze data, with the purpose of determining the possibility of landslide occurrences to reduce its potential losses.•The proposed method is convenient for users to grasp information of landslide phenomenon.•A machine learning model is applied to forecast landslide phenomenon.•Internet of things (IoT) system is utilized to manage and send a warning text to individual email address and mobile devices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Targeted tissue ablation involving the anterior hippocampus is the standard of care for patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. However, a substantial proportion continues to suffer from seizures even after surgery. We identified the fasciola cinereum (FC) neurons of the posterior hippocampal tail as an important seizure node in both mice and humans with epilepsy. Genetically defined FC neurons were highly active during spontaneous seizures in epileptic mice, and closed-loop optogenetic inhibition of these neurons potently reduced seizure duration. Furthermore, we specifically targeted and found the prominent involvement of FC during seizures in a cohort of six patients with epilepsy. In particular, targeted lesioning of the FC in a patient reduced the seizure burden present after ablation of anterior mesial temporal structures. Thus, the FC may be a promising interventional target in epilepsy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Longitudinal studies have identified childhood asthma as a risk factor for obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) where persistent airflow limitation can develop more aggressively. However, a causal link between childhood asthma and COPD/ACO remains to be established. Our study aimed to model the natural history of childhood asthma and COPD and to investigate the cellular/molecular mechanisms that drive disease progression., Methods: Allergic airways disease was established in three-week-old young C57BL/6 mice using house dust mite (HDM) extract. Mice were subsequently exposed to cigarette smoke (CS) and HDM for 8 weeks. Airspace enlargement (emphysema) was measured by the mean linear intercept method. Flow cytometry was utilised to phenotype lung immune cells. Bulk RNA-sequencing was performed on lung tissue. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in bronchoalveolar lavage-fluid were analysed to screen for disease-specific biomarkers., Results: Chronic CS exposure induced emphysema that was significantly augmented by HDM challenge. Increased emphysematous changes were associated with more abundant immune cell lung infiltration consisting of neutrophils, interstitial macrophages, eosinophils and lymphocytes. Transcriptomic analyses identified a gene signature where disease-specific changes induced by HDM or CS alone were conserved in the HDM-CS group, and further revealed an enrichment of Mmp12, Il33 and Il13, and gene expression consistent with greater expansion of alternatively activated macrophages. VOC analysis also identified four compounds increased by CS exposure that were paradoxically reduced in the HDM-CS group., Conclusions: Early-life allergic airways disease worsened emphysematous lung pathology in CS-exposed mice and markedly alters the lung transcriptome., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Epilepsy is a prevalent disorder involving neuronal network hyperexcitability, yet existing therapeutic strategies often fail to provide optimal patient outcomes. Chemogenetic approaches, where exogenous receptors are expressed in defined brain areas and specifically activated by selective agonists, are appealing methods to constrain overactive neuronal activity. We developed BARNI (Bradanicline- and Acetylcholine-activated Receptor for Neuronal Inhibition), an engineered channel comprised of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligand-binding domain coupled to an α1 glycine receptor anion pore domain. Here we demonstrate that BARNI activation by the clinical stage α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-selective agonist bradanicline effectively suppressed targeted neuronal activity, and controlled both acute and chronic seizures in male mice. Our results provide evidence for the use of an inhibitory acetylcholine-based engineered channel activatable by both exogenous and endogenous agonists as a potential therapeutic approach to treating epilepsy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Rice holds a significant position in the global food supply chain, particularly in Asian, African, and Latin American countries. However, rice pests and diseases cause significant damage to the supply and growth of the rice cultivation industry. Therefore, this article provides a high-quality dataset that has been reviewed by agricultural experts. The dataset is well-suited to support the development of automation systems and smart farming practices. It plays a vital role in facilitating the automatic construction, detection, and classification of rice diseases. However, challenges arise due to the diversity of the dataset collected from various sources, varying in terms of disease types and sizes. This necessitates support for upgrading and enhancing the dataset through various operations in data processing, preprocessing, and statistical analysis. The dataset is provided completely free of charge and has been rigorously evaluated by agricultural experts, making it a reliable resource for system development, research, and communication needs., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Little is known about the short- and long-term healthcare costs of invasive Scedosporium/Lomentospora prolificans infections, particularly in patient groups without haematological malignancy. This study investigated excess index hospitalization costs and cumulative costs of these infections. The predictors of excess cost and length of stay (LOS) of index hospitalization were determined. These estimates serve as valuable inputs for cost-effectiveness models of novel antifungal agents., Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at six Australian hospitals. Cases of proven/probable invasive Scedosporium/L. prolificans infections between 2011 and 2021 (n = 34) were matched with controls (n = 66) by predefined criteria. Cost data were retrieved from activity-based costing systems and analysis was performed from the Australian public hospital perspective. All costs were presented in 2022 Australian dollars (AUD). Median regression analysis was used to adjust excess costs of index hospitalization whereas cumulative costs up to 1.5 years follow-up were estimated using interval-partitioned survival probabilities., Results: Invasive Scedosporium/L. prolificans infections were independently associated with an adjusted median excess cost of AUD36 422 (P = 0.003) and LOS of 16.27 days (P < 0.001) during index hospitalization. Inpatient stay was the major cost driver (42.7%), followed by pharmacy cost, of which antifungal agents comprised 23.8% of the total cost. Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant increased the excess cost (P = 0.013) and prolonged LOS (P < 0.001) whereas inpatient death within ≤28 days reduced both cost (P = 0.001) and LOS (P < 0.001). The median cumulative cost increased substantially to AUD203 292 over 1.5 years in cases with Scedosporium/L. prolificans infections., Conclusions: The economic burden associated with invasive Scedosporium/L. prolificans infections is substantial., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The oxidation of arsenite (As(III)) to arsenate (As(V)) has received significant attention because it helps mitigate the hazardous and adverse effects of As(III) and subsequently improves the effectiveness of arsenic removal. This study developed an efficient freezing technology for the oxidative transformation of As(III) based on iodide (I - ). For a sample containing a very low concentration of 20 μM As(III) and 200 μM I - frozen at -20 °C, approximately 19 μM As(V) was formed after reaction for 0.5 h at pH 3. This rapid conversion has never been achieved in previous studies. However, As(V) was not generated in water at 25 °C. The acceleration of the oxidation of As(III) by I - in ice may be attributed to the freeze-concentration effect. During freezing, all components (i.e., As(III), I - , and protons) are highly concentrated in the ice grain boundary regions, resulting in thermodynamically and kinetically favorable conditions for the redox reaction between As(III) and I - . The efficiency of the oxidation of As(III) using I - increased at high I - concentrations and low pH values. The low freezing temperature (below -20 °C) hindered the oxidative transformation of As(III) by I - . The efficiency of the oxidation of As(III) significantly increased using a fixed initial concentration of I - by subjecting the system to six freezing-melting cycles. The outcomes of this study suggest the possibility of the self-detoxification of As(III) in the natural environment, indicating the potential for developing an eco-friendly method for the treatment of As(III)-contaminated areas in regions with a cold climate. It also demonstrates radical remediation to almost completely remove a very small amount of As(III) that was input in As(III)-contaminated wastewater detoxification, a benchmark that existing methods have been unable to achieve., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hallucinogenic mushrooms have been used in religious and cultural ceremonies for centuries. Of late, psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received increased public interest as a novel drug for treating mood and substance use disorders (SUDs). In addition, in recent years, some states in the United States have legalized psilocybin for medical and recreational use. Given this, clinicians need to understand the potential benefits and risks related to using psilocybin for therapeutic purposes so that they can accurately advise patients. This expert narrative review summarizes the scientific basis and clinical evidence on the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy for treating psychiatric disorders and SUDs. The results of this review are structured as a more extensive discussion about psilocybin's history, putative mechanisms of action, and recent legislative changes to its legal status. There is modest evidence of psilocybin-assisted therapy for treating depression and anxiety disorders. In addition, early data suggest that psilocybin-assisted therapy may effectively reduce harmful drinking in patients with alcohol use disorders. The evidence further suggests psilocybin, when administered under supervision (psilocybin-assisted therapy), the side effects experienced are mild and transient. The occurrence of severe adverse events following psilocybin administration is uncommon. Still, a recent clinical trial found that individuals in the psilocybin arm had increased suicidal ideations and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. Given this, further investigation into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy is warranted to determine which patient subgroups are most likely to benefit and which are most likely to experience adverse outcomes related to its use.

Recently, federated learning (FL) has been receiving great attention as an effective machine learning method to avoid the security issue in raw data collection, as well as to distribute the computing load to edge devices. However, even though wireless communication is an essential component for implementing FL in edge networks, there have been few works that analyze the effect of wireless networks on FL. In this paper, we investigate FL in small-cell networks where multiple base stations (BSs) and users are located according to a homogeneous Poisson point process (PPP) with different densities. We comprehensively analyze the effects of geographic node deployment on the model aggregation in FL on the basis of stochastic geometry-based analysis. We derive the closed-form expressions of coverage probability with tractable approximations and discuss the minimum required BS density for achieving a target model aggregation rate in small-cell networks. Our analysis and simulation results provide insightful information for understanding the behaviors of FL in small-cell networks; these can be exploited as a guideline for designing the network facilitating wireless FL.

Background: In this longitudinal cohort study, we examined the socio-demographic and psychological predictors of alcohol use initiation during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of never alcohol users aged ≥21 prior to COVID-19., Methods: Our study population consisted of 56 930 patients aged ≥21, as of 30 March 2019 were collected from a pre-COVID period of 1 year before 31 March 2020, and during-COVID, a period between 1 April 2020 and 30 March 2021. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to examine the roles of socio-demographic variables (gender, age, education, Area Deprivation Index and rural residence) changes in anxiety and depression severity as predictors of alcohol use initiation., Results: Age, gender, race, ethnicity, education and rural status were significant predictors in multivariable analysis. A subgroup analysis showed neither anxiety nor depression had a significant association with alcohol use initiation., Conclusion: Women, younger individuals, those living in a rural area and people who smoke cigarettes were more likely to initiate alcohol use during the pandemic. Our study has public health and clinical implications such as the need for targeted alcohol use screening and intervention for vulnerable individuals., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Nitrofurans are broad-spectrum bactericidal agents used in a large quantity for veterinary and human therapy. This study reports the long-term impact of two nitrofuran representatives, nitrofurantoin (NFT) and furaltadone (FTD) on the bacterial strains Sphingobacterium siyangense FTD2, Achromobacter pulmonis NFZ2, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia FZD2, isolated from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. Bacterial whole genome sequencing was used for preliminary strains characterization. The metabolomic, electrochemical, and culture methods were applied to understand changes in the bacterial strains after 12-month exposure to nitrofurans. The most significantly altered metabolic pathways were observed in amino acid and sugar metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. Disrupted protein biosynthesis was measured in all strains treated with antibiotics. Prolonged exposure to NFT and FTD also triggered mutagenic effects, affected metabolic activity, and facilitated oxidative stress within the cells. Nitrofuran-induced oxidative stress was evidenced from an elevated activity of catalase and glutathione S-transferases. NFT and FTD elicited similar but not identical responses in all analyzed strains. The results obtained in this study provide new insights into the potential risks of the prolonged presence of antimicrobial compounds in the environment and contribute to a better understanding of the possible impacts of nitrofuran antibiotics on the bacterial cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are considered for patients with peritoneal metastasis (PM). However, patients selection that relies on conventional prognostic factors is not yet optimal. In this study, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) to establish tumor molecular characteristics and expect to identify prognosis profiles for PM management., Methods: In this study, blood and tumor samples were collected from patients with PM before HIPEC. Tumor molecular signatures were determined using WES. Patient cohort was divided into responders and non-responders according to 12-month progression-free survival (PFS). Genomic characteristics between the two cohorts were compared to study potential targets., Results: In total, 15 patients with PM were enrolled in this study. Driver genes and enriched pathways were identified from WES results. AGAP5 mutation was found in all responders. This mutation was significantly associated with better OS (p = 0.00652)., Conclusions: We identified prognostic markers that might be useful to facilitate decision-making before CRS/HIPEC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Nguyen, Chou, Hsieh, Chang, Luo, Tai and Chang.)

The present study examines connections between patient expectations and health-related quality of life. We explore a key distinction between expectations about general health and expectations for functional improvement. Patients were 1444 individuals with multiple conditions experiencing chronic pain who were seeking treatment at the Gastein Healing Gallery in Böckstein, near Bad Gastein, Austria. In addition to measures of expectations, patients completed measures of pain, mental and physical health, life satisfaction, fatigue, and sleep problems. Structural equation models were used to fit a latent variable model where both expectation variables were used to predict health-related quality of life. Results showed that expectations regarding potential functional improvement resulting from treatments at the Gastein Healing Gallery were associated with improved health-related quality of life. Expectations about general health improvements related to treatment were not associated with health-related quality of life. To facilitate optimal healing, clinicians may decide to emphasize expectations about functional recovery when discussing treatment methods similar to those offered at the Gastein Healing Gallery, and in so doing, health-related quality of life may benefit.

Cannabis vaping has emerged as a predominant mode of cannabis use among United States (US) adolescents and young adults (AYA) primarily due to the popularity of modifiable designs of vaping devices coupled with changes in cannabis policies and increased availability of cannabinoid products. New methods for cannabis vaping by e-liquid/oil vaping, dry plant vaping, and cannabis concentrate vaping (ie, dabbing) have had high uptake among American youth with unclear long-term health implications. Issues with contamination, mislabeling, and expansion of the vaped cannabis market to include not only delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) but also delta-9-THC analogs (eg, delta-8 and delta-10) sold as hemp-derived "legal highs" further complicated this healthcare space. Recent research suggests that cannabis/THC vaping carries distinct and overlapping risks when compared to cannabis smoking and may be associated with greater risk for acute lung injuries, seizures, and acute psychiatric symptoms. Primary care clinicians providing care for AYA are in an ideal position to identify cannabis misuse and intervene early to address cannabis vaping. To improve public health outcomes, a need exists for pediatric clinicians to be educated about different ways/methods that youth are vaping cannabinoid products and associated risks related to cannabinoid vaping. Further, pediatric clinicians need to be trained how to effectively screen for and discuss cannabis vaping with their youth patients. In the current article, we present a clinically focused review of cannabis vaping among young people with 3 main aims to: (1) identify and describe the cannabis vaping products commonly used by American youth; (2) review the health correlates of youth cannabis vaping; and (3) discuss clinical considerations related to identifying and treating youth who vape cannabis., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Helicobacter pylori has developed several strategies using its diverse virulence factors to trigger and, at the same time, limit the host's inflammatory responses in order to establish a chronic infection in the human stomach. One of the virulence factors that has recently received more attention is a member of the Helicobacter outer membrane protein family, the adhesin HopQ, which binds to the human Carcinoembryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecules (CEACAMs) on the host cell surface. The HopQ-CEACAM interaction facilitates the translocation of the cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA), an important effector protein of H. pylori , into host cells via the Type IV secretion system (T4SS). Both the T4SS itself and CagA are important virulence factors that are linked to many aberrant host signaling cascades. In the last few years, many studies have emphasized the prerequisite role of the HopQ-CEACAM interaction not only for the adhesion of this pathogen to host cells but also for the regulation of cellular processes. This review summarizes recent findings about the structural characteristics of the HopQ-CEACAM complex and the consequences of this interaction in gastric epithelial cells as well as immune cells. Given that the upregulation of CEACAMs is associated with many H. pylori -induced gastric diseases including gastritis and gastric cancer, these data may enable us to better understand the mechanisms of H. pylori 's pathogenicity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Nguyen, Schmitt, Mejías-Luque and Gerhard.)

Background: Management of Scedosporium/Lomentospora prolificans infections remains challenging. We described predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of these rare mold infections, including predictors of early (1-month) and late (18-month) all-cause mortality and treatment failure., Methods: We conducted a retrospective Australian-based observational study of proven/probable Scedosporium/L prolificans infections from 2005 to 2021. Data on patient comorbidities, predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, treatment, and outcomes up to 18 months were collected. Treatment responses and death causality were adjudicated. Subgroup analyses, multivariable Cox regression, and logistic regression were performed., Results: Of 61 infection episodes, 37 (60.7%) were attributable to L prolificans . Forty-five of 61 (73.8%) were proven invasive fungal diseases (IFDs), and 29 of 61 (47.5%) were disseminated. Prolonged neutropenia and receipt of immunosuppressant agents were documented in 27 of 61 (44.3%) and 49 of 61 (80.3%) episodes, respectively. Voriconazole/terbinafine was administered in 30 of 31 (96.8%) L prolificans infections, and voriconazole alone was prescribed for 15 of 24 (62.5%) Scedosporium spp infections. Adjunctive surgery was performed in 27 of 61 (44.3%) episodes. Median time to death post-IFD diagnosis was 9.0 days, and only 22 of 61 (36.1%) attained treatment success at 18 months. Those who survived beyond 28 days of antifungal therapy were less immunosuppressed with fewer disseminated infections (both P < .001). Disseminated infection and hematopoietic stem cell transplant were associated with increased early and late mortality rates. Adjunctive surgery was associated with lower early and late mortality rates by 84.0% and 72.0%, respectively, and decreased odds of 1-month treatment failure by 87.0%., Conclusions: Outcomes associated with Scedosporium/L prolificans infections is poor, particularly with L prolificans infections or in the highly immunosuppressed population., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. C. F. N. has received a fellowship grant from Gilead Sciences Australia. S. C.-A. C. has received educational grants from F2G and Merck Sharp & Dohme Australia. T. S. sat on advisory boards and steering committees for Biogen. M. A. S. has received grants from Gilead Sciences, Merck, F2G, and Pfizer, and participated in data and safety monitoring boards for Cidara and Roche, adjudication committees for Pfizer, and advisory boards for Merck, Gilead Sciences, F2G, Cidara, Pfizer unrelated, to the submitted work. All other authors report no potential conflicts., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Residents of rural areas are underrepresented in research. The aim of this narrative review was to explore studies describing the effectiveness of community engagement strategies with rural communities to promote participant recruitment and participation in clinical research. Following PRISMA guidelines, this narrative review was conducted in June 2020. Our search strategy was built around keywords that included community-engaged research, rural community, and recruitment strategies into clinical research. Content-related descriptive statistics were summarized. The selected articles were distributed into categories of levels of community engagement: inform, consult, involve, collaborate, or co-lead. The search resulted in 2,473 identified studies of which forty-eight met inclusion criteria. Of these, 47.1% were randomized controlled trials. The most common levels of engagement were consultation (n = 24 studies) and collaboration (n = 15), while very few focused on informing (n = 2) and co-leadership (n = 2). Strategies, limitations, and findings are discussed for each level of community engagement. This narrative addressed a gap in knowledge regarding participant recruitment in rural communities in relation to assistance from community members. Community engagement contributed to the success of the research, especially in recruitment, participation, and building trust and partnership., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

High levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in the bone marrow are associated with poor outcomes in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (pAML), but its etiology remains unknown. Using RNA-seq data from pre-treatment bone marrows of 1489 children with pAML, we show that > 20% of patients have concurrent IL-6, IL-1, IFNα/β, and TNFα signaling activity and poorer outcomes. Targeted sequencing of pre-treatment bone marrow samples from affected patients (n = 181) revealed 5 highly recurrent patterns of somatic mutation. Using differential expression analyses of the most common genomic subtypes (~60% of total), we identify high expression of multiple potential drivers of inflammation-related treatment resistance. Regardless of genomic subtype, we show that JAK1/2 inhibition reduces receptor-mediated inflammatory signaling by leukemic cells in-vitro. The large number of high-risk pAML genomic subtypes presents an obstacle to the development of mutation-specific therapies. Our findings suggest that therapies targeting inflammatory signaling may be effective across multiple genomic subtypes of pAML., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To determine whether elective frozen embryo transfer (eFET), or the 'freeze-all' strategy, associated with better cumulative clinical outcomes compared with fresh embryo transfer (ET)., Methods: A total of 7,236 IVF cycles that were followed by a fresh ET or eFET between 2013 and 2017. The patients were subjected to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol and cleavage-stage ET. Embryo cryopreservation was performed on day 3 by vitrification using an open system. A comparison of cumulative outcomes between the eFET (n=4,065cycles) and the fresh ET groups (n=3,171cycles) were performed. The analysis was performed in four groups of patients based on the number of retrieved oocytes: Group 1: poor responders (1-3 oocytes); Group 2: suboptimal responders (4-9 oocytes); Group 3: normal responders (10-15 oocytes); and Group 4: hyper-responders (>15 oocytes). The primary outcome was the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) per stimulated cycle., Results: There were a total of 10,283 ETs (n=5,639 eFET group; n=4,644 fresh group). The freeze-all strategy is associated with improved CLBRs in normal and hyper-responders, but not in suboptimal and poor responders. In Group 1, there were 351 IVF cycles and 387 ETs in total, and the CLBR was 14.3% and 17.7% (p=0.584) for the eFET and fresh group, respectively. In Group 2, there were 2,074 IVF cycles and 2,465 ET in total, and the CLBR was 25.1% and 23.3% (p=0.083) in the eFET and fresh group, respectively. There was a significant difference in the CLBR in Groups 3 and 4, favouring the eFET strategy. In Group 3, 2226 IVF cycles and 3243 ET were performed. The CLBR was 40.5% in the eFET and 36.6% in the fresh group (p<0.001). In Group 4, there were 2547 IVF cycles and 3,188 ET in total, and the CLBR was 52.2% and 47.7% (p<0.001) in the eFET and fresh group, respectively. The number needed to treat to achieve one additional live birth was 25.9 in Group 3 and 22.3 in Group 4., Conclusions: The implementation of the freeze-all strategy should be individualized. The freeze-all strategy is associated with improved CLBRs in normal and hyper-responders, but not in suboptimal and poor responders.

Background: The PALISADE study, an international, phase 3 trial of peanut oral immunotherapy (POIT) with AR101, resulted in desensitization in children and adolescents who were highly allergic to peanut. An improved understanding of the immune mechanism induced in response to food allergen immunotherapy would enable more informed and effective therapeutic strategies. Our main purpose was to examine the immunological changes in blood samples from a subset of peanut-allergic individuals undergoing oral desensitization immunotherapy with AR101., Methods: Blood samples obtained as part of enrollment screening and at multiple time points during PALISADE study were used to assess basophil and CD4+ T-cell reactivity to peanut., Results: The absence of clinical reactivity to the entry double-blinded placebo-controlled peanut challenge (DBPCFC) was accompanied by a significantly lower basophil sensitivity and T-cell reactivity to peanut compared with DBPCFC reactors. At baseline, peanut-reactive TH2A cells were observed in many but not all peanut-allergic patients and their level in peripheral blood correlates with T-cell reactivity to peanut and with serum peanut-specific IgE and IgG4 levels. POIT reshaped circulating peanut-reactive T-cell responses in a subset-dependent manner. Changes in basophil and T-cell responses to peanut closely paralleled clinical benefits to AR101 therapy and resemble responses in those with lower clinical sensitivity to peanut. However, no difference in peanut-reactive Treg cell frequency was observed between groups., Conclusion: Oral desensitization therapy with AR101 leads to decreased basophil sensitivity to peanut and reshapes peanut-reactive T effector cell responses supporting its potential as an immunomodulatory therapy., (© 2022 European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Recent trials including DIRECT-MT, DEVT, and SKIP have found that direct mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is equally effective as the combination of MT and intravenous thrombolysis. However, the results of the other trials, namely MR-CLEAN NO-IV and the SWIFT-DIRECT trial have failed to confirm the non-inferiority of direct MT vs. the combination therapy., Aim: We aimed to identify prognostic factors of direct MT for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion within 4.5 h., Materials and Methods: Data from January 2018 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Adult patients with confirmed anterior circulation large vessel occlusion within 4.5 h of onset with baseline NIHSS of ≥6 and baseline ASPECTS of ≥6 treated using direct MT within 6 h were recruited., Results: A total of 140 patients were enrolled in the study with a median age of 65.5 years [interquartile range (IQR), 59-76.5], median baseline NIHSS of 13.5 (IQR, 11-16), and median baseline ASPECTS of 8 (IQR, 7-8). Direct MT was feasible in all patients (100%). Successful reperfusion (mTICI 2b-3) was achieved in 124/140 patients (88.6%) with a low rate of complications (8/140, 5.7%). Any type of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and symptomatic ICH occurred in 44/140 (31.4%) and 5/140 (3.6%), respectively. Overall, a good outcome (mRS 0-2) was achieved in 93/140 (66.4%), and the mortality rate was 9.3% (13/140 patients). Using multivariate analysis, lower age [odds ratio (OR), 0.96; 95% CI, 0.92-1.00; P = 0.05], low baseline NIHSS (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74-0.92; P = 0.00), and absence of ICH (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10-0.81; P = 0.02) were independently associated with favorable outcome. Independent predictors of mortality were baseline NIHSS (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.01-1.46; P = 0.04), successful reperfusion (OR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.00-0.58; P = 0.02), and ICH (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.75; P = 0.02). Further analysis showed that the median mRS at 90 days was significantly better in the MCA occlusion group compared to the ICA plus M1 occlusion group [1 (IQR 0-3) vs. 2 (IQR 1-4); P = 0.05]., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that direct thrombectomy may be an adequate clinical option for younger patients (≤70) experiencing proximal middle artery occlusion within 4.5 h and who have low baseline NIHSS (≤14)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Nguyen, Vu, Nguyen, Mai, Tran, Le, Nguyen, Nguyen, Tran, Dao and Pierot.)

This work examined the chiral inversion of 2-arylpropionic acids (2-APAs) under anaerobic conditions and the associated microbial community. The anaerobic condition was simulated by two identical anaerobic digesters. Each digester was fed with the substrate containing 11 either pure ( R )- or pure ( S )-2-APA enantiomers. Chiral inversion was evidenced by the concentration increase of the other enantiomer in the digestate and the changes in the enantiomeric fraction between the two enantiomers. Both digesters showed similar and poor removal of 2-APAs (≤30%, except for naproxen) and diverse chiral inversion behaviors under anaerobic conditions. Four compounds exhibited ( S → R ) unidirectional inversion [flurbiprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, and 2-(4- tert -butylphenyl)propionic acid], and the remaining seven compounds showed bidirectional inversion. Several aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacterial genera ( Candidatus Microthrix , Rhodococcus , Mycobacterium , Gordonia , and Sphingobium ) were identified in both digesters and predicted to harbor the 2-arylpropionyl-CoA epimerase (enzyme involved in chiral inversion) encoding gene. These genera presented at low abundances, <0.5% in the digester dosed with ( R )-2-APAs and <0.2% in the digester dosed with ( S )-2-APAs. The low abundances of these genera explain the limited extent of chiral inversion observed in this study.

Background: Asymptomatic transmission was found to be the Achilles' heel of the symptom-based screening strategy, necessitating the implementation of mass testing to efficiently contain the transmission of COVID-19 pandemic. However, the global shortage of molecular reagents and the low throughput of available realtime PCR facilities were major limiting factors., Methods: A novel semi-nested and heptaplex (7-plex) RT-PCR assay with melting analysis for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been established for either individual testing or 96-sample pooled testing. The complex melting spectrum collected from the heptaplex RT-PCR amplicons was interpreted with the support of an artificial intelligence algorithm for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The analytical and clinical performance of the semi-nested RT-PCR assay was evaluated using RNAs synthesized in-vitro and those isolated from nasopharyngeal samples., Results: The LOD of the assay for individual testing was estimated to be 7.2 copies/reaction. Clinical performance evaluation indicated a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 97.83-100) and a specificity of 99.87% (95% CI: 99.55-99.98). More importantly, the assay supports a breakthrough sample pooling method, which makes possible parallel screening of up to 96 samples in one real-time PCR well without loss of sensitivity. As a result, up to 8,820 individual pre-amplified samples could be screened for SARS-CoV-2 within each 96-well plate of realtime PCR using the pooled testing procedure., Conclusion: The novel semi-nested RT-PCR assay provides a solution for highly multiplex (7-plex) detection of SARS-CoV-2 and enables 96-sample pooled detection for increase of testing capacity. ., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The halophilic γ-proteobacterium Halomonas elongata DSM 2581 T thrives at salt concentrations well above 10 % NaCl (1.7 M NaCl). A well-known osmoregulatory mechanism is the accumulation of the compatible solute ectoine within the cell in response to osmotic stress. While ectoine accumulation is central to osmoregulation and promotes resistance to high salinity in halophilic bacteria, ectoine has this effect only to a much lesser extent in non-halophiles. We carried out transcriptome analysis of H. elongata grown on two different carbon sources (acetate or glucose), and low (0.17 M NaCl), medium (1 M), and high salinity (2 M) to identify additional mechanisms for adaptation to high saline environments. To avoid a methodological bias, the transcripts were evaluated by applying two methods, DESeq2 and Transcripts Per Million (TPM). The differentially transcribed genes in response to the available carbon sources and salt stress were then compared to the transcriptome profile of Chromohalobacter salexigens , a closely related moderate halophilic bacterium. Transcriptome profiling supports the notion that glucose is degraded via the cytoplasmic Entner-Doudoroff pathway, whereas the Embden-Meyerhoff-Parnas pathway is employed for gluconeogenesis. The machinery of oxidative phosphorylation in H. elongata and C. salexigens differs greatly from that of non-halophilic organisms, and electron flow can occur from quinone to oxygen along four alternative routes. Two of these pathways via cytochrome bo' and cytochrome bd quinol oxidases seem to be upregulated in salt stressed cells. Among the most highly regulated genes in H. elongata and C. salexigens are those encoding chemotaxis and motility proteins, with genes for chemotaxis and flagellar assembly severely downregulated at low salt concentrations. We also compared transcripts at low and high-salt stress (low growth rate) with transcripts at optimal salt concentration and found that the majority of regulated genes were down-regulated in stressed cells, including many genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, while ribosome synthesis was up-regulated, which is in contrast to what is known from non-halophiles at slow growth. Finally, comparing the acidity of the cytoplasmic proteomes of non-halophiles, extreme halophiles and moderate halophiles suggests adaptation to an increased cytoplasmic ion concentration of H. elongata . Taken together, these results lead us to propose a model for salt tolerance in H. elongata where ion accumulation plays a greater role in salt tolerance than previously assumed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Hobmeier, Cantone, Nguyen, Pflüger-Grau, Kremling, Kunte, Pfeiffer and Marin-Sanguino.)

Chloroaluminate ionic liquid bound on magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 @O 2 Si[PrMIM]Cl·AlCl 3 ) was prepared and used as a heterogenous Lewis acidic catalyst for the Friedel-Crafts sulfonylation of aromatic compounds with sulfonyl chlorides or p -toluenesulfonic anhydride. The catalyst's stability, efficiency, easy recovery, and high recyclability without considerable loss of catalytic capability after four recycles were evidence of its advantages. Furthermore, the stoichiometry, wide substrate scope, short reaction time, high yield of sulfones, and solvent-free reaction condition also made this procedure practical, ecofriendly, and economical.