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Abstract Intense research on founding members of the RAS superfamily has defined our understanding of these critical signalling proteins, leading to the premise that small GTPases function as molecular switches dependent on differential nucleotide loading. The closest homologs of H/K/NRAS are the three-member RRAS family, and interest in the MRAS GTPase as a regulator of MAPK activity has recently intensified. We show here that MRAS does not function as a classical switch and is unable to exchange GDP-to-GTP in solution or when tethered to a lipid bilayer. The exchange defect is unaffected by inclusion of the GEF SOS1 and is conserved in a distal ortholog from nematodes. Synthetic activating mutations widely used to study the function of MRAS in a presumed GTP-loaded state do not increase exchange, but instead drive effector binding due to sampling of an activated conformation in the GDP-loaded state. This includes nucleation of the SHOC2-PP1Cα holophosphatase complex. Acquisition of NMR spectra from isotopically labeled MRAS in live cells validated the GTPase remains fully GDP-loaded, even a supposed activated mutant. These data show that RAS GTPases, including those most similar to KRAS, have disparate biochemical activities and challenge current dogma on MRAS, suggesting previous data may need reinterpretation.

Although machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool for rapidly assessing grid contingencies, prior studies have largely considered a static grid topology in their analyses. This limits their application, since they need to be re-trained for every new topology. This paper explores the development of generalizable graph convolutional network (GCN) models by pre-training them across a wide range of grid topologies and contingency types. We found that a GCN model with auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) layers with a line graph representation of the grid offered the best predictive performance in predicting voltage magnitudes (VM) and voltage angles (VA). We introduced the concept of phantom nodes to consider disparate grid topologies with a varying number of nodes and lines. For pre-training the GCN ARMA model across a variety of topologies, distributed graphics processing unit (GPU) computing afforded us significant training scalability. The predictive performance of this model on grid topologies that were part of the training data is substantially better than the direct current (DC) approximation. Although direct application of the pre-trained model to topologies that are not part of the grid is not particularly satisfactory, fine-tuning with small amounts of data from a specific topology of interest significantly improves predictive performance. In the context of foundational models in ML, this paper highlights the feasibility of training large-scale GNN models to assess the reliability of power grids by considering a wide variety of grid topologies and contingency types.

The extreme environments of transiting close-in exoplanets in highly eccentric orbits are ideal for testing exoclimate physics. Spectroscopically resolved phase curves not only allow for the characterization of their thermal response to irradiation changes but also unveil phase-dependent atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. We observed a partial phase curve of the highly eccentric close-in giant planet HAT-P-2b ( e = 0.51, M = 9 M _Jup ) with the Wide Field Camera 3 aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. Using these data, we updated the planet's orbital parameters and radius and retrieved high-frequency pulsations consistent with the planet-induced pulsations reported in Spitzer data. We found that the peak in planetary flux occurred at 6.7 ± 0.6 hr after periastron, with heating and cooling timescales of $9.{0}_{-2.1}^{+3.5}$ hr and $3.{6}_{-0.6}^{+0.7}$ hr, respectively. We compare the light curve to various 1D and 3D forward models, varying the planet's chemical composition. The strong contrast in flux increase and decrease timescales before and after periapse indicates an opacity term that emerges during the planet's heating phase, potentially due to more H ^− than expected from chemical equilibrium models. The phase-resolved spectra are largely featureless, which we interpret as indicative of an inhomogeneous dayside. However, we identified an anomalously high flux in the spectroscopic bin coinciding with the hydrogen Pa β line, and that is likely connected to the planet's orbit. We interpret this as due to shock heating of the upper atmosphere given the short timescale involved, or evidence for other star−planet interactions.

Stellar activity contamination of radial velocity (RV) data is one of the top challenges plaguing the field of extreme-precision RV science. Previous work has shown that photometry can be very effective at removing such signals from RV data, especially stellar activity caused by rotating starspots and plage. The exact utility of photometry for removing RV activity contamination, and the best way to apply it, is not well known. We present a combination photometric and RV study of eight Kepler/K2 FGK stars with known stellar variability. We use NEID RVs acquired simultaneously with Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry, and we perform injection-recovery tests to quantify the efficacy of recent TESS photometry versus archival Kepler/K2 photometry for removing stellar variability from RVs. We additionally experiment with different TESS sectors when training our models in order to quantify the real benefit of simultaneously acquired RVs and photometry. We conclude that Kepler photometry typically performs better than TESS at removing noise from RV data when it is available, likely due to longer baseline and precision. In contrast, for targets with available K2 photometry, especially those most active, and with high-precision ( σ _NEID

Water has proven to be ubiquitously detected in near-infrared (NIR) transmission spectroscopy observations of hot Jupiter atmospheres, including WASP-17b. However, previous analyses of WASP-17b’s atmosphere based upon Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Spitzer data could not constrain the water abundance, finding that subsolar, supersolar, and bimodal posterior distributions were all statistically valid. In this work, we observe one transit of the hot Jupiter WASP-17b using JWST’s Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) Single Object Slitless Spectroscopy (SOSS) mode. We analyze our data using three independent data analysis pipelines, finding excellent agreement between results. Our transmission spectrum shows multiple H _2 O absorption features and a flatter slope towards the optical than seen in previous HST observations. We analyze our spectrum using both PICASO + Virga forward models and free retrievals. POSEIDON retrievals provide a well-constrained supersolar log(H _2 O) abundance (−2.96 ${}_{-0.24}^{+0.31}$ ), breaking the degeneracy from the previous HST + Spitzer analysis. We verify our POSEIDON results with petitRADTRANS retrievals. Additionally, we constrain the abundance of log(H ^− ), −10.19 ${}_{-0.23}^{+0.30}$ , finding that our model including H ^− is preferred over our model without H ^− to 5.1 σ . Furthermore, we constrain the log(K) abundance (−8.07 ${}_{-0.52}^{+0.58}$ ) in WASP-17b’s atmosphere for the first time using space-based observations. Our abundance constraints demonstrate the power of NIRISS SOSS’s increased resolution, precision, and wavelength range to improve upon previous NIR space-based results. This work is part of a series of studies by our JWST Telescope Scientist Team (JWST-TST), in which we use Guaranteed Time Observations to perform Deep Reconnaissance of Exoplanet Atmospheres through Multi-instrument Spectroscopy (DREAMS).

We present the first emission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-17 b using one eclipse observation from the JWST Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) Single Object Slitless Spectroscopy (SOSS) mode. Covering a wavelength range of 0.6–2.8 μ m, our retrieval analysis reveals a strong detection of H _2 O in WASP-17 b’s dayside atmosphere (6.4 σ ). Our retrievals consistently favor a supersolar dayside H _2 O abundance and a noninverted temperature–pressure profile over a large pressure range. Additionally, our examination of the brightness temperature reveals excess emission below 1 μ m, suggesting the possibility of a high internal temperature (600–700 K) and/or contributions from reflected light. We highlight that JWST emission spectroscopy retrieval results can be sensitive to whether negative eclipse depths are allowed at optical wavelengths during light-curve fitting. Our findings deepen our understanding of WASP-17 b’s atmospheric composition while also highlighting the sensitivity of our results to pressure–temperature profile parameterizations. This work is part of a series of studies by our JWST Telescope Scientist Team (TST), in which we will use Guaranteed Time Observations to perform Deep Reconnaissance of Exoplanet Atmospheres through Multi-instrument Spectroscopy (DREAMS).

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to persist, demonstrating the risks posed by emerging infectious diseases to national security, public health, and the economy. Development of new vaccines and antibodies for emerging viral threats requires substantial resources and time, and traditional development platforms for vaccines and antibodies are often too slow to combat continuously evolving immunological escape variants, reducing their efficacy over time. Previously, we designed a next-generation synthetic humanized nanobody (Nb) phage display library and demonstrated that this library could be used to rapidly identify highly specific and potent neutralizing heavy chain-only antibodies (HCAbs) with prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy in vivo against the original SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we used a combination of high throughput screening and machine learning (ML) models to identify HCAbs with potent efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 viral variants of interest (VOIs) and concern (VOCs). To start, we screened our highly diverse Nb phage display library against several pre-Omicron VOI and VOC receptor binding domains (RBDs) to identify panels of cross-reactive HCAbs. Using HCAb affinity for SARS-CoV-2 VOI and VOCs (pre-Omicron variants) and model features from other published data, we were able to develop a ML model that successfully identified HCAbs with efficacy against Omicron variants, independent of our experimental biopanning workflow. This biopanning informed ML approach reduced the experimental screening burden by 78% to 90% for the Omicron BA.5 and Omicron BA.1 variants, respectively. The combined approach can be applied to other emerging viruses with pandemic potential to rapidly identify effective therapeutic antibodies against emerging variants. Author summary: We leveraged a robust experimental pipeline for heavy chain-only (HCAb) library screening to identify 59 potent HCAbs that can cross-neutralize different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Several of these HCAbs with efficacy against different variants also bind to different SARS-CoV-2 epitopes, suggesting they could be used in antibody cocktails or be engineered as bispecific antibodies that are cross-variant and resistant to viral escape. Using existing published data and data generated from our library of HCAbs against diverse pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants, we developed an ML model to rapidly predict which HCAbs would be effective against Omicron BA.1 and Omicron BA.5. Using this ML model three HCAbs with efficacy against Omicron BA.1 and BA.5 were identified without requiring additional biopanning. This integrated computational and experimental pipeline can be leveraged for future outbreaks to rapidly identify cross-variant countermeasures that are effective against potential emerging variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold are often used as a benchmark for molecular junctions, particularly as a reference for length-dependence. However, their thermopower decreases with molecular length and is bifurcated. While the bifurcation can be explained by the presence of gateway states, the length-dependence directly contradicts theoretical predictions. We reproduced both experimentally using conical tips of eutectic Ga–In (EGaIn) to form junctions. We then show that this unusual length-dependence arrises from the direction of the applied thermal gradient; when the gold substrate is cooled instead of heated, thermopower increases with length monotonically as predicted by theory. This unprecedented relationship between length-dependence and direction of thermal gradient persists over a very large range of absolute temperature. We therefore ascribe it to shifts in level-alignment induced by the electric field in the leads, which is present experimentally, neglected in theoretical modeling and is determined by the direction of the thermal gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some active galactic nuclei (AGN) host outflows which have the potential to alter the host galaxy's evolution (AGN feedback). These outflows have been linked to enhanced radio emission. Here, we investigate the connection between low-frequency radio emission using the international LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) telescope and [O  iii ] |$\lambda$| 5007 ionized gas outflows using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) Deep Fields, we select 198 AGN with optical spectra, 115 of which are detected at 144 MHz, and investigate their low-frequency radio emission properties. The majority of our sample do not show a radio excess when considering radio luminosity – star formation rate relationship, and are therefore not driven by powerful jets. We extract the [O  iii ] |$\lambda$| 5007 kinematics and remove AGN luminosity dependencies by matching the radio detected and non-detected AGN in |$L_{\mathrm{6\, \mu m}}$| and redshift. Using both spectral fitting and |$W_{80}$| measurements, we find radio detected AGN have a higher outflow rate (67.2 |$\pm$| 3.4 per cent) than the radio non-detected AGN (44.6 |$\pm$| 2.7 per cent), indicating a connection between ionized outflows and the presence of radio emission. For spectra where there are two components of the [O  iii ] emission line present, we normalize all spectra by the narrow component and find that the average broad component in radio detected AGN is enhanced compared to the radio non-detected AGN. This could be a sign of higher gas content, which is suggestive of a spatial relationship between [O  iii ] outflows and radio emission in the form of either low-powered jets or shocks from AGN winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense research on founding members of the RAS superfamily has defined our understanding of these critical signalling proteins, leading to the premise that small GTPases function as molecular switches dependent on differential nucleotide loading. The closest homologs of H/K/NRAS are the three-member RRAS family, and interest in the MRAS GTPase as a regulator of MAPK activity has recently intensified. We show here that MRAS does not function as a classical switch and is unable to exchange GDP-to-GTP in solution or when tethered to a lipid bilayer. The exchange defect is unaffected by inclusion of the GEF SOS1 and is conserved in a distal ortholog from nematodes. Synthetic activating mutations widely used to study the function of MRAS in a presumed GTP-loaded state do not increase exchange, but instead drive effector binding due to sampling of an activated conformation in the GDP-loaded state. This includes nucleation of the SHOC2-PP1Cα holophosphatase complex. Acquisition of NMR spectra from isotopically labeled MRAS in live cells validated the GTPase remains fully GDP-loaded, even a supposed activated mutant. These data show that RAS GTPases, including those most similar to KRAS, have disparate biochemical activities and challenge current dogma on MRAS, suggesting previous data may need reinterpretation. Small GTPases of the RAS family classically function as molecular switches, adopting on and off conformations dependent on bound nucleotides. Here the authors reveal MRAS, closely related to archetypal RAS, is completely deficient in GTP exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulty of quantum chemically computing vibrational, rotational, and rovibrational reference data via quartic force fields (QFFs) for molecules containing aluminum appears to be alleviated herein using a hybrid approach based upon CCSD(T)‐F12b/cc‐pCVTZ further corrected for conventional CCSD(T) scalar relativity within the harmonic terms and simple CCSD(T)‐F12b/cc‐pVTZ for the cubic and quartic terms: the F12‐TcCR+TZ QFF. Aluminum containing molecules are theorized to participate in significant chemical processes in both the Earth's upper atmosphere as well as within circumstellar and interstellar media. However, experimental data for the identification of these molecules are limited, showcasing the potential for quantum chemistry to contribute significant amounts of spectral reference data. Unfortunately, current methods for the computation of rovibrational spectral data have been shown previously to exhibit large errors for aluminum‐containing molecules. In this work, ten different methods are benchmarked to determine a method to produce experimentally‐accurate rovibrational data for theorized aluminum species. Of the benchmarked methods, the explicitly correlated, hybrid F12‐TcCR+TZ QFF consistently produces the most accurate results compared to both gas‐phase and Ar‐matrix experimental data. This method combines the accuracy of the composite F12‐TcCR energies along with the numerical stability of non‐composite anharmonic terms where the non‐rigid nature of aluminum bonding can be sufficiently treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Forceful coughing is assumed to be an uncommon etiology for lateral abdominal wall hernias. The literature regarding this topic is very limited and there is a lack of consensus in management, both operative and non-operative. We aim to report our center’s experience in repair of lateral abdominal wall hernias secondary to vigorous coughing. Methods: All patients undergoing lateral abdominal wall hernia repairs secondary to coughing at our institution from August 2014 to December 2023 were identified in the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC). Only patients with lateral abdominal wall hernias without prior lateral incisions, reporting a vigorous coughing event were included in the analysis. Recurrent repairs were also included. Patient and hernia characteristics, operative details, post-operative outcomes, and long-term patient reported outcomes were extracted from the ACHQC database and chart review. Results: Twelve patients with lateral abdominal wall hernias secondary to coughing underwent repair within the study period. The median hernia width was 18.5 cm. Transversus abdominus release was performed in all patients, 8 had heavyweight polypropylene mesh placed, and 9 received mesh fixation. Wound complications were noted in 2 patients, both resolved with superficial wound opening. At a mean follow up of 4.0 years, one patient reported a bulge, and no clinical or radiographic recurrences were identified. Conclusion: Lateral abdominal wall hernias after forceful coughing have not been well defined. Here we present our series based on our repairs. Unfortunately, our ability to comment on recurrences is limited by a lack of follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Numerous studies have demonstrated that alcohol preceded and increased the odds of intimate partner violence (IPV). These prior studies were restricted to one dyad member despite theory suggesting that acute alcohol use by both partners should increase the risk for IPV to a greater degree than when only one partner drinks. We hypothesized that alcohol use by both dyad members, relative to one or no dyad members, would proximally precede and increase the odds of IPV perpetration and victimization. Design: A 60‐day daily diary design was used, where both dyad members of dating couples completed independent reports on IPV perpetration/victimization and alcohol use via a secure survey website. Setting and Participants: Alcohol using college‐student couples, aged 18–25 (n = 181 couples), from a Midwestern university in the United States participated. A convenience sample strategy was used. Measurements Daily surveys asked about alcohol use and IPV perpetration and victimization the prior day, including whether alcohol use preceded or followed IPV. The primary outcome was psychological IPV; secondary outcomes were physical and sexual IPV. Findings Longitudinal random effects models suggested statistically significant associations between drinking behavior and IPV outcomes. The odds of psychological IPV perpetration were higher when both partners were drinking relative to one partner drinking [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06–1.99]. Exploratory analyses showed some indication that the odds of physical IPV victimization were higher when both partners were drinking relative to one partner drinking (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.71–4.21). Conclusions: The risk for intimate partner violence appears to be greater when both partners drink, relative to one partner or neither partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed the future management of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) in the frontline and salvage settings. Both nivolumab and pembrolizumab have high efficacy in CHL allowing for reduction of chemotherapy and possibly the use of radiotherapy based on short-term follow-up. In this review article, we highlight recent trials enrolling patients with relapse and refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma receiving monotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors as well as PD-1 and chemotherapy regimens. We also highlight frontline trials utilizing PD-1 inhibitors with chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Collectively, the role for radiotherapy in the frontline or salvage setting will become more defined with long-term follow-up of completed studies and results generated from future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical research exploring treatment outcomes among children in residential treatment centers (RTCs) is rare. Consequentially, there is an increasing demand for more studies examining such outcomes, particularly as they pertain to an individual's experience leaving an RTC. This transitional period is believed to be a salient component impacting mental health treatment outcomes. Yet, little is known about how this residential treatment component is experienced and whether it impacts individuals long-term. This narrative qualitative study aimed to understand the experience of young adults who transitioned out of an RTC as a child. Participants recounted their experiences before, during, and after this transition. Six participants who resided in an RTC as a child for at least six consecutive months recounted their life experiences, producing 26 hours of interview data. Data were transcribed, coded, and written in narrative and thematic form. Our analysis produced three themes: learned and used effective coping skills, developed impactful relationships, and difficult adjustment post-discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supermassive black holes (BHs) are known to efficiently grow through gas accretion, but even sustained and intense mass build-up through this mechanism struggles to explain the assembly of the most massive BHs observed in the local Universe. Using the Chandra Deep-Wide Field Survey (CDFWS) in the Boötes field, we measure BH–galaxy assembly in massive galaxies (⁠|$M_\star \gtrsim 10^{10}\,\rm M_\odot$|⁠) through the active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction and specific black hole accretion rate (sBHAR) distribution as a function of redshift and stellar mass. We determine stellar masses and star formation rates for a parent sample of optically selected galaxies as well as those with X-ray detections indicating the presence of an AGN through spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. We derive a redshift-dependent mass completeness limit and extract X-ray information for every galaxy as to provide a comprehensive picture of the AGN population in massive galaxies. While X-ray AGN samples are dominated by moderately massive host galaxies of |$M_{\star } \geqslant 10^{10}\rm {\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠ , we do not find a strong stellar mass dependence in AGN fraction (to limits in sBHAR), indicating a bias towards massive galaxies in the observed samples. We derive BH–galaxy growth tracks over time, which reveal that while most BH mass has been accumulated since |$z=4$| for lower mass BHs, the assembly of the most massive BHs is more complex, with little to no relative mass gain since |$z=4$|⁠ , implying that rapid and intense growth episodes prior to |$z=4$| were necessary to form these massive BHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moose (Monitoring Observations of SMC X-1's Excursions) program uses the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer Mission (NICER) to monitor the high-mass X-ray binary SMC X-1 during its superorbital period excursions. Here, we perform X-ray spectral analyses of 26 NICER observations of SMC X-1, taken at the tail-end of the excursion between 2021-04-01 and 2022-01-05. We use a single spectral model to fit spectra observed in high, intermediate, and low states, using a combination of a partial covering fraction model, a blackbody disc, and a power-law component. We find that the partial covering fraction varies significantly with the superorbital state during superorbital excursion. Our findings suggest that the low/high state in SMC X-1 is caused by a very high obscuration of the accretion disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly prescribed for laryngeal indications due to their potent anti‐inflammatory properties. However, GCs effect on vocal fold (VF) epithelial morphology and barrier function following injury is overlooked and may be key to efficacy. In this study, the effects of GCs on epithelial morphology and barrier function were quantified in injured VFs. We seek to increase our understanding of biochemical processes underlying GC mechanisms to refine therapeutic strategies. Methods: Microflap injury was induced in 65 rabbits. Seven days after injury, animals received bilateral 20 μL intracordal injections of saline, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, or triamcinolone (n = 15 per condition). Five rabbits in each condition were euthanized 1, 7, or 60 days following treatment. An additional five animals served as non‐injured/untreated controls. To quantify transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), 1 mm epithelial biopsies were placed in an Ussing chamber. The contralateral VF was processed for transmission electron microscopy and epithelial depth analysis. Results: At 60 days, GC treatment maintained TEER levels similar to non‐injured/untreated controls. However, triamcinolone reduced TEER compared with saline‐treated conditions. Acutely, epithelial hyperplasia typically persisted in all injured VFs. At 60 days, only dexamethasone and triamcinolone increased epithelial depth in injured VFs; all GCs increased epithelial depth compared with non‐injured/untreated controls. Conclusion: Acutely, GCs did not alter TEER. Additionally, GCs did not alter epithelial depth compared with saline treatment, indicating alignment with natural healing responses. At 60 days, GCs exhibited varying degrees of TEER restoration and epithelial hyperplasia, possibly due to distinct pharmacodynamic profiles. Level of Evidence: NA Laryngoscope, 135:206–212, 2025 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cognitive deficits are common in psychiatric and mental health disorders, making the assessment of cognitive function in mental health treatment an important area of research. Cognitive Function Development Therapy (CFDT) is a novel therapeutic modality designed to enhance cognitive function and regulate the autonomic nervous system through targeted exercises and activities focused on attention networks and memory systems. The therapy is tracked and based on Primary Cognitive Function (PCF) scores. Methods: This retrospective, observational study analyzed real world data from 183 children and adults undergoing CFDT to evaluate changes in cognition over time, incorporating both cognitive performance measures and an exploratory analysis of neurophysiological function. Objective neurophysiological measures in the form of the brain vital signs framework, based in event-related potentials (ERPs), were measured in a small subset of clients to explore the frameworks use in CFDT. Results: Our findings indicate that CFDT holds promise for improving cognitive performance, as evidenced by increased PCF scores at the group level compared to pre-treatment levels [ F (5, 173) = 7.087, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.170]. Additionally, a weak effect of age [Spearman's Rho range: −0.301 to −0.340, p < 0.001] was found to influence the degree of cognitive improvement, suggesting the importance of early intervention for maximizing cognitive gains. The exploratory analysis suggested that CFDT may affect neurophysiological measures of information processing, particularly in basic attention, as reflected in increased amplitude in P300 measures. Discussion: While these initial findings are encouraging, caution is warranted due to the retrospective nature of the study, though overall, the results suggest a positive impact of CFDT on cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the complex journey of a young lesbian navigating her sexual identity in the challenging environment of a residential treatment center due to her mother's substance use. Through qualitative methods, this research delves into the intertwining of family dynamics, societal pressures, and minority stress in shaping self-acceptance. The study highlights the critical role of supportive relationships and affirming interventions in fostering resilience and mental well-being among LGBTQ+ individuals. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how personal and environmental factors coalesce to impact the identity development of LGBTQ+ youth in specialized care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication data are a valuable resource in epidemiological studies. As the most common data collection method of medication data is self‐report, it is important to understand the accuracy of this in comparison with other methods such as dispensing records. The aim of this study was to compare the agreement between two different sources of medication data of older adults with intellectual disability (ID). Methods: Self‐report medication data were gathered from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and linked to national pharmacy dispensing records. The kappa statistic was used to measure agreement between the two data sources for psychotropic medication. Results: The lowest agreement level was 'moderate' for the number of anxiolytics reported (kappa 0.56). The highest level of agreement was 'almost perfect' for the binary variable of antipsychotics (kappa 0.91). Other agreement results were 'substantial' or 'almost perfect'. Conclusions: Good agreement was found between the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing medication dataset and national dispensing records. Self‐report medication data appear to be a valid method of data collection in psychotropic medication use in adults with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses artemisinin partial resistance, Pfkelch13 variations, and malaria recrudescence in Ugandan children with complicated malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Aim Methods Results Conclusions Up to 30% of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) will experience a mild disease course. However, there is no consensus definition for mild CD.To examine the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's disease (SES‐CD) thresholds best associated with low likelihood of long‐term disease progression.We conducted a multicentre retrospective cohort study at three tertiary care centres in United States and Europe. We analysed data from 177 surgery‐naïve patients with CD who had endoscopic assessment while not on immunosuppressive therapy. The primary outcome was disease progression (systemic steroids, biologic or immunomodulator therapy initiation; new stricturing or penetrating complications; or CD‐related hospitalisation or surgery). Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards modelling identified predictors of the primary outcome at 2 and 5 years following endoscopy.Disease progression occurred in 23% and 35% of patients at years two and five, respectively. Endoscopic severity at enrolment independently predicted disease progression. Compared to those with an SES‐CD of 0, an SES‐CD ≥ 7 had a greater risk of progression at 2 years (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.09–5.72) and 5 years (HR 2.89, 95% CI 1.41–5.91). SES‐CD > 7 remained independently predictive of disease progression among the 129 immunosuppression‐naïve patients (HR 5.65, 95% CI 1.49–21.52) and after excluding patients with prior penetrating disease (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.00–5.45).SES‐CD ≥ 7 predicts disease progression in mild CD. A score ≤ 6 may help identify patients less likely to progress and be part of the definition of mild CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ConspectusLithium-ion batteries are recognized as an important electrochemical energy storage technology due to their superior volumetric and gravimetric energy densities. Graphite is widely used as the negative electrode, and its adoption enabled much of the modern portable electronics technology landscape. However, developing markets, such as electric vehicles and grid-scale storage, have increased demands, including higher energy content and a diverse materials supply chain. Alternatives that provide the opportunity to increase capacity and address supply chain concerns are of interest.Understanding the fundamental mechanisms that govern battery function is crucial to driving further improvements in the field. Advanced characterization techniques, such as those enabled by synchrotron light sources and high-resolution electron microscopes, that can uncover these mechanisms have become a necessity for elucidating structural evolution upon electrochemical conversion at the nano- to mesoscales. Performing these experiments with relevant electrochemistry using in situ and operando experiments imparts the ability to identify critical reaction pathways and capture intermediate (dis)charge products not discernible by traditional experiments.This Account describes a series of recent studies focused on the advanced characterization of spinel-type iron oxide-based anode materials. These studies begin with magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), a low cost iron oxide which, when synthesized with appropriate coprecipitation based crystallite size control, provides opportunity to realize eight electrons per formula unit via electrochemical reduction. We then transition to bi- and trimetallic ferrites (such as ZnFe 2 O 4 and CoMnFeO 4 ) and conclude with high-entropy spinel ferrite oxides (HEOs) that contain at least 5 transition metals. For each material type, a variety of characterization techniques are utilized to describe the fundamental reaction mechanisms and rationalize electrochemical behavior. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is featured prominently, as it allows for element specific analysis of electronic structure and local atomic environments, including nanocrystalline products of electrochemical conversion. Combining XAS-based techniques with diffraction and microscopy, the transition of iron oxide-type electrodes from spinel to rock-salt to metal nanoparticles upon full lithiation can be deciphered. For magnetite and its bi- and trimetallic ferrite analogues, delithiation results in return to a highly disordered network of FeO-like domains. Notably, while magnetite and the bi- and trimetallic ferrites appear to be limited to reoxidation of Fe to the 2+ state, through introduction of entropy-induced structural stability, higher Fe oxidation states (up to 2.6+) can be accessed upon electrochemical oxidation. These materials may hold promise as alternatives to traditional graphite electrodes where their combination of high capacity and compositional flexibility provides an avenue toward low-cost, sustainable energy storage.

Haplotyped-resolved phased assemblies aim to capture the full allelic diversity in heterozygous and polyploid species to enable accurate genetic analyses. However, building non-collapsed references still presents a challenge. Here, we used long-range interaction Hi-C reads (high-throughput chromatin conformation capture) and HiFi PacBio reads to assemble the genome of the apomictic cultivar Basilisks from Urochloa decumbens (2n = 4x = 36), an outcrossed tetraploid Paniceae grass widely cropped to feed livestock in the tropics. We identified and removed Hi-C reads between homologous unitigs to facilitate their scaffolding and employed methods for the manual curation of rearrangements and misassemblies. Our final phased assembly included the four haplotypes in 36 chromosomes. We found that 18 chromosomes originated from diploid U. brizantha and the other 18 from either U. ruziziensis or diploid U. decumbens. We also identified a chromosomal translocation between chromosomes 5 and 32, as well as evidence of pairing exclusively within subgenomes, except for a homoeologous exchange in chromosome 21. Our results demonstrate that haplotype-aware assemblies accurately capture the allelic diversity in heterozygous species, making them the preferred option over collapsed-haplotype assemblies., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Genetics Society of America.)

As a diverse and complex food matrix, the animal food microbiota and repertoire of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes remain to be better understood. In this study, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics were applied to three types of animal food samples (cattle feed, dry dog food, and poultry feed). ZymoBIOMICS mock microbial community was used for workflow optimization including DNA extraction kits and bead-beating conditions. The four DNA extraction kits (AllPrep PowerViral DNA/RNA Kit, DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit, DNeasy PowerSoil Kit, and ZymoBIOMICS DNA Miniprep Kit) were compared in animal food as well as the use of peptide nucleic acid blockers for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Distinct microbial community profiles were generated, which varied by animal food type and DNA extraction kit. Employing peptide nucleic acid blockers prior to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was comparable with post-sequencing in silico filtering at removing chloroplast and mitochondrial sequences. There was a good agreement between 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shotgun metagenomics on community profiles in animal feed data sets; however, they differed in taxonomic resolution, with the latter superior at resolving at the species level. Although the overall prevalence of AMR genes was low, resistome analysis of animal feed data sets by shotgun metagenomics revealed 10 AMR gene/protein families, including beta-lactamases, erythromycin/lincomycin/pristinamycin/tylosin, fosfomycin, phenicol, and quinolone. Future expansion of microbiome and resistome profiling in animal food will help better understand the bacterial and AMR gene diversity in these commodities and help guide pathogen control and AMR prevention efforts.IMPORTANCEWith the growing interest and application of metagenomics in understanding the structure/composition and function of diverse microbial communities along the One Health continuum, this study represents one of the first attempts to employ these advanced sequencing technologies to characterize the microbiota and AMR genes in animal food. We unraveled the effects of DNA extraction kits on sample analysis by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and showed similar efficacies of two strategies at removing chloroplast and mitochondrial reads. The in-depth analysis using shotgun metagenomics shed light on the community compositions and the presence of an array of AMR genes in animal food. This exploration of microbiomes and resistomes in representative animal food samples by both sequencing approaches laid important groundwork for future metagenomic investigations to gain a better understanding of the baseline/core microbiomes and associated AMR functions in these diverse commodities and help guide pathogen control and AMR prevention efforts.

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) may significantly alter physiological research and healthcare delivery. Whereas AI applications in medicine have historically been trained for specific tasks, recent technological advances have produced models trained on more diverse datasets with much higher parameter counts. These new, "foundation" models raise the possibility that more flexible AI tools can be applied to a wider set of healthcare tasks than in the past. This review describes how these newer models differ from conventional task-specific AI, which relies heavily on focused datasets and narrow, specific applications. By examining the integration of AI into diagnostic tools, personalized treatment strategies, biomedical research, and healthcare administration, we highlight how these newer models are revolutionizing predictive healthcare analytics and operational workflows. In addition, we address ethical and practical considerations associated with the use of foundation models by highlighting emerging trends, calling for changes to existing guidelines, and emphasizing the importance of aligning AI with clinical goals to ensure its responsible and effective use.

Hair relaxers are predominantly used by Black women in the United States. It has been recently suggested that exposure to potential endocrine-disrupting compounds from the use of these products may be associated with the development of gynecological and breast cancers and anatomically relevant nonmalignancies. We conducted a systematic literature review using PubMed to identify original studies reporting measures of association between hair relaxer use and relevant adverse outcomes, focusing specifically on Black women in the United States. A total of 1382 studies were initially identified, and after consideration of the exclusion and inclusion criteria, the final set of studies consisted of seven cohort studies and one case-control study. The overall findings suggest that Black women in the United States do not experience an increased risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or uterine cancer due to hair relaxers. One study found a statistically significant association between hair relaxer use and uterine leiomyomata, but there were no other studies identified to support these findings. None of the studies characterized the chemical constituents of hair relaxers. From an epidemiologic perspective, the weight of the evidence does not support the hypothesis that the use of hair relaxers is a risk factor for gynecological and breast cancers in US Black women., (© 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Private equity acquisition of hospitals performing complex operations is increasingly prevalent in the United States healthcare landscape. While comparative health outcomes for common medical conditions have been investigated, the quality of thoracic surgical care in private equity-acquired hospitals is unknown., Methods: Medicare Beneficiaries, aged 65-99 years, undergoing elective lung resection between 2016 to 2020 were included. Private equity-acquired hospitals were identified using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Health System Compendium. Postoperative outcomes, including 30-day mortality, complications, failure to rescue, readmission, and postoperative length of stay were risk-adjusted and compared to non-acquired hospitals using logistic regression considering patient age, sex, comorbidities, procedure type, and year of procedure., Results: Of 144,223 beneficiaries undergoing lung resection, 11,140 (7.7%) received care at private equity-acquired hospitals. Private equity-acquired hospitals performed fewer lung resections annually (mean = 4.2) than non-acquired hospitals (mean = 10.5; p<0.001). Compared to non-acquired hospitals, patients treated at private equity-acquired hospitals demonstrated higher rates of 30-day mortality (2.1% vs 1.9%, OR 1.17 (1.03-1.33); p=0.019), serious complications (8.1% vs 6.8%, OR 1.29 (1.19-1.39); p<0.001), 30-day readmission (10.6% vs 9.9%, OR 1.08 (1.01-1.15); p=0.028), and longer postoperative length of stay (5.9 vs 5.3 days; p<0.001). Failure to rescue rates were not significantly different (9.8% vs 9.4%, OR 1.05 (0.90-1.23); p=0.518)., Conclusions: These findings raise concern that private equity-acquired hospitals may provide lower-quality care for patients undergoing common thoracic procedures. Underlying structural factors may contribute to these differences. This motivates further investigation of specialty surgical care performed at private equity-acquired health institutions., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)