Snowfall decrease in recent years undermines glacier health and meltwater resources in the Northwestern Pamirs.

Central Asia hosts some of the world's last relatively healthy mountain glaciers and is heavily dependent on snow and ice melt for downstream water supply, though the causes of this stable glacier state are not known. We combine recent in-situ observations, climate reanalysis and remote sensing data to force a land-surface model to reconstruct glacier changes over the last two decades (1999-2023) and disentangle their causes over a benchmark glacierized catchment in Tajikistan. We show that snowfall and snow depth have been substantially lower since 2018, leading to a decline in glacier health and reduced runoff generation.

Antipsychotic Drugs and Dysregulated Glucose Homeostasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Antipsychotic drug (AP)-induced glucose homeostasis changes are often attributed to AP-induced weight gain. Nevertheless, dysregulated glucose control can occur independently of weight gain.

Objective: To examine the association between AP use and glucose homeostasis while considering weight gain propensity, medication type, and treatment duration.

Contribution of microcosm experiments to conservation science.

Microcosms, or miniature experimental systems, have been used to develop models and theories in ecology. However, their contribution to conservation science is unclear. We explored the application, design, and impact of microcosms in conservation science from 469 systematically identified articles published from 1986 to 2023.

Pathway-Specific Polygenic Scores for Predicting Clinical Lithium Treatment Response in Patients With Bipolar Disorder.

Background: Polygenic scores (PGSs) hold the potential to identify patients who respond favorably to specific psychiatric treatments. However, their biological interpretation remains unclear. In this study, we developed pathway-specific PGSs (PS) for lithium response and assessed their association with clinical lithium response in patients with bipolar disorder.

Body mass index mediates the relationship between depression and triglyceride levels: Evidence from a large national cohort.

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is linked to adverse metabolic outcomes, including elevated triglycerides and body mass index (BMI). However, mechanisms underlying this relationship-and their variation by age or sex-remain unclear.

Methods: Using data from over 200,000 participants in the All of Us Research Program, we examined associations between MDD (defined by SNOMED-coded diagnoses), BMI, and lipid biomarkers (triglycerides, HDL, LDL).

Insights into Hypermetallic Molecules En Route to Multiple Optical Cycling Centers: Thermodynamic and Spectroscopic Trends in Mg and Ca Bearing Acetylides.

Hypermetallic molecules have been proposed as novel candidates for laser cooling and precision physics measurements, but species such as CaCCMg have yet to be synthesized and detected, despite recent successes in characterizing other related species of fundamental and astrochemical interest. Here, we examine the thermodynamics of the relevant alkaline earth metal chemistry with an acetylene precursor via ab initio electronic structure calculations. Experimental measurements of optical emission from a discharge-assisted laser ablation expansion source highlight the potential importance of electronically excited atoms in producing the desired species.

Cage height is more important than surface area for preventing subsidence in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusions.

Background: The relationships between subsidence and cage dimension and surface area in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) remain unclear in the current literature. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors influencing cage subsidence following multilevel ACDFs, and the relationship between cage subsidence and cage dimensions, surface area, patient-reported outcomes, and fusion rates.

Methods: Patients who had undergone primary multilevel ACDFs with a minimum follow-up duration of 1 year were enrolled in this study.

Assessing macroplastic debris collected from eight diverse river systems across four continents: Insights from synchronous three-year community-led research efforts.

Plastic pollution is an urgent and growing threat to human and planetary health. Rivers transport large volumes of plastic pollution across and between Earth's systems, providing opportunistic and strategic focal points for collection and quantitative assessments of plastic debris. A dearth of empirical, in situ studies of riverine plastic debris in scientific literature highlights the need for more research conducted in rivers across diverse contexts to better understand riverine plastic debris and inform upstream solutions.

Exploring medical student perceptions of a video-modified Peyton's 4-step technique for teaching spinal and neurological examinations.

Background: Peyton's 4-step technique is a highly recognized framework for teaching practical procedures. This study introduces a unique video-modified adaptation of the technique for teaching clinical examination and evaluates medical students' perceptions, identifying key areas for enhancement.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 606 second-year medical students, utilizing an online questionnaire to assess their perceptions of the modified teaching method.

Sleep and circadian disorders as risk factors for autoimmune disease: A population-based study.

Background: Sleep and circadian disruption have been increasingly linked to immune dysregulation, yet population-level associations with autoimmune disease remain underexplored. We examined whether delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), primary insomnia, and hypersomnia were associated with autoimmune conditions in a large, diverse U.S.

Thin and ephemeral snow shapes melt and runoff dynamics in the Peruvian Andes.

The snow and glaciers of the Peruvian Andes provide vital water supplies in a region facing water scarcity and substantial glacier change. However, there remains a lack of understanding of snow processes and quantification of the contribution of melt to runoff. Here we apply a distributed glacio-hydrological model over the Rio Santa basin to disentangle the role of the cryosphere in the Andean water cycle.

Integrative analysis of psychosocial, chronotype, and environmental predictors of aggressive behavior in Adolescents: Insights from machine learning.

Aggressive behavior in adolescents and young adults is a significant public health concern associated with adverse educational, social, and mental health outcomes. This study aimed to identify key predictors of aggression using a cross-sectional dataset from a large, longitudinal U.S.

Assessment of trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) and nectin-4 expression in choriocarcinoma.

Objectives: Choriocarcinoma is associated with high mortality in multiply relapsed patients. Herein, we assessed immunohistochemistry (IHC) expression of TROP2 and nectin-4 in choriocarcinoma and other germ cell tumors (GCT), as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting these markers are entering the therapeutic landscape of many tumors.

Methods: Archival cases of choriocarcinoma and controls (non-choriocarcinoma GCT) were evaluated for TROP2 and nectin-4 IHC, performed on whole-slide sections, and results were quantified using H-scores (range: 0-300) based on membranous staining.

Biomarkers of response to antibody-drug conjugates (TROP2 and nectin-4) and the immune microenvironment (NKG7, PD-L1, and B7-H3) in penile squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the expression of biomarkers of response to antibody-drug conjugates (TROP2 and nectin-4) and immune microenvironment (NKG7, PD-L1, and B7-H3) in penile squamous cell carcinoma (pSCC).

Methods: Our archive was queried for patients who had a penectomy for pSCC between 2000 and 2022. Primary tumors were immunostained for B7-H3 and NKG7, while metastatic specimens were immunostained for TROP2 and nectin-4.

Preliminary findings on caffeine intake, screen time, social factors, and psychological well-being: their impact on chronotype and sleep health in Hispanic adolescents.

This study examined the relationships between caffeine intake, screen time, and chronotype/sleep outcomes in adolescents, with a focus on differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic groups and the influence of peer network health, school environment, and psychological factors, including perceived stress, depression, and anxiety. Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study were analyzed using -tests and structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess behavioral, social, and psychological predictors of chronotype, social jet lag, and weekday sleep duration, incorporating demographic covariates. Hispanic adolescents exhibited a later chronotype (Cohen's  = 0.

Employment outcomes following thoracic and lumbar fractures in Wales: Long term follow up greater than 5 years.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Objectives: To identify outcomes, in particular employment, >5 years following traumatic thoracic and/or lumbar fracture/s.

Methods: 235 patients between the ages of 18 and 65 were identified from hospital radiology databases having sustained a traumatic thoracic and/or lumbar fracture on CT and/or MRI between 01/01/2013 and 31/12/2017.

Morning-evening differences in the post-illumination pupillary response are associated with seasonal mood changes.

Changes in light availability during the winter may lead to individuals experiencing seasonal changes in mood, sleep and appetite, and in the most severely affected, seasonal affective disorder (SAD). By virtue of later activity schedules and less morning light exposure, people with evening chronotype may show higher levels of seasonal mood variation. Light information is transmitted from the eye to the brain through intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (iPRGC), neurons that help coordinate circadian and seasonal rhythms.

Examining the Agreement Between Subjective and Objective Measures of Sleep: A Comparison of Munich Chronotype Questionnaire and Fitbit-Derived Sleep Metrics.

Understanding the relationship between subjective and objective sleep measures is essential for evaluating their agreement and utility. This study compared Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) and Fitbit metrics for sleep duration, sleep midpoint and social jetlag in 5252 participants from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Linear and nonlinear models assessed relationships between Fitbit-derived and MCTQ-reported metrics, whilst moderation analyses examined the influence of age, sex, household income and BMI.

Pathway-Specific Polygenic Scores for Lithium Response for Predicting Clinical Lithium Treatment Response in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Background: Polygenic scores (PGSs) hold the potential to identify patients who respond favourably to specific psychiatric treatments. However, their biological interpretations remain unclear. In this study, we developed pathway-specific PGSs (PS ) for lithium response and assessed their association with clinical lithium response in patients with bipolar disorder (BD).

TFE3-rearranged ossifying fibromyxoid tumors are uniquely negative for glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B: A study of 13 TFE3-rearranged mesenchymal tumors.

Objectives: Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) is a transcriptional target of MiTF/TFE3. Prior studies have shown that immunohistochemistry for GPNMB is a sensitive screening tool for renal cell carcinomas with alterations of TSC1/TSC2/MTOR, TFE3, and TFEB genes, as well as alveolar soft part sarcomas (ASPS) and perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms (PEComas). However, GPNMB expression has not been systematically evaluated in a diverse group of molecularly confirmed, TFE3-rearranged mesenchymal tumors.

Reflecting on Cancer Pain as Constant Acute Pain, not Chronic Pain. 'Known Knowns, Known Unknowns, Unknown Unknowns'.

to explore a paradigm shift in the definition of opioid-responsive cancer pain in this hypothesis-driven review. Opioid-responsive cancer pain may be misplaced within the definition of chronic pain, chronic pain takes three months to establish, early effective control is worthwhile to achieve. RECENT: findings, from a bench-to-bed perspective, debates the interpretation of results supporting the hypothesis that opioid-responsive cancer pain could remain 'constant acute pain', with explanations, best solutions, for tolerance and/or addiction, in cancer patients compared to those with chronic pain from other conditions.

AI versus the spinal surgeons in the management of controversial spinal surgery scenarios.

Aims: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in spinal surgery is expanding, yet its ability to match the diagnostic and treatment planning accuracy of human surgeons remains unclear. This study aims to compare the performance of AI models-ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, and Google Bard-with that of experienced spinal surgeons in controversial spinal scenarios.

An Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor for Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia: The PURSUIT Randomized Trial.

Background: Most patients at high-risk for cardiovascular events do not achieve lipid goals advocated by American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines despite the wide availability of lipid-lowering therapy. AZD0780 is a novel, oral, small molecule inhibitor of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) in development as a once-daily treatment for hypercholesterolemia.

Objectives: The phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter PURSUIT trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of AZD0780 in patients with hypercholesterolemia already on background moderate-to-high-intensity statin treatment.

Intraoperative imaging adequacy and its impact on unplanned return-to-theatre rates in pedicle screw instrumentation.

Background: Pedicle screw instrumentation is a critical technique in spinal surgery, offering effective stabilization for various spinal conditions. However, the impact of intraoperative imaging quality-specifically the use of both anteroposterior (AP) and lateral views-on surgical outcomes remains insufficiently studied. Evaluating whether the adequacy of these imaging modalities affects the risk of unplanned returns to theatre (URTT) within 90 days due to screw malplacement is essential for refining surgical practices and improving patient care.