Common Modes Research Articles

Common modes of ERK induction resolve into context-specific signalling via emergent networks and cell-type-specific transcriptional repression.

Fibroblast Growth Factor signalling via ERK exerts diverse roles in development and disease. In mammalian preimplantation embryos and naïve pluripotent stem cells ERK promotes differentiation, whereas in primed pluripotent states closer to somatic differentiation ERK sustains self-renewal. How can the same pathway produce different outcomes in two related cell types? To explore context-dependent ERK signalling we generated cell and mouse lines that allow for tissue- and time-specific ERK activation. Using these tools, we find that specificity in ERK response is mostly mediated by repression of transcriptional targets that occur in tandem with reductions in chromatin accessibility at regulatory regions. Furthermore, immediate early ERK responses are largely shared by different cell types but produce cell-specific programmes as these responses interface with emergent networks in the responding cells. Induction in naïve pluripotency is accompanied by chromatin changes, whereas in later stages it is not, suggesting that chromatin context does not shape signalling response. Altogether, our data suggest that cell-type-specific responses to ERK signalling exploit the same immediate early response, but then sculpt it to specific lineages via repression of distinct cellular programmes.

Bridging the resolution-sectioning gap in STED nanoscopy with coherent-hybrid depletion

Microscopes generally achieve better 2D imaging compared to 3D, and super-resolution microscopes often aggravate such axial-lateral resolution mismatch. A prime example is vortex phase-based stimulated emission depletion (STED) fluorescence microscopy, which only narrows the point-spread function laterally, thereby increasing the point-spread function (PSF) anisotropy. In this study, we developed a semi-analytical theory based on the Nijboer-Zernike expansion, developed a set of metrics and performed experiments to establish the merits of the alternative, bivortex phase-based, coherent-hybrid STED. We find that this mode reduces the axial-lateral resolution mismatch by providing access to PSF geometries that are strictly forbidden to the two conventional single-beam modes, emulating noisier multi-beam approaches. Both theory and experiment indicate that bivortex STED not only addresses the axial-lateral resolution gap but also delivers a higher signal-to-background ratio than the two more common STED modes that it bridges.

Ethnopharmacological Insights into the Use of Chenopodium ambrosioides for Cough Treatment among Togolese Traditional Healers

Togo has an ethnobotanical potential with a great diversity of medicinal plants widely used to treat human diseases. Cough associated with respiratory diseases is one of the pathologies traditionally treated with medicinal plants in Togo. Chenopodium ambrosioides (L.) is a species used in the traditional treatment of cough in Togo. The aim of this study was to document the ethnopharmacological uses of Chenopodium ambrosioides in Togolese traditional medicine for treatment of cough. An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted using the semi-structured interview method among Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) from six health districts spread across four health regions. The ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical data collected were analyzed using the User Value (UV) and Frequency of Citation (FC) of medicinal plants associated with the species. A total of 127 TMPs participated in this study and 96 (76%) of them were male and 31 (34%) were female. 73% of the informants claimed usually use Chenopodium ambrosioides in the cough treatment compared to 27% who claimed to not use it to treat cough. Chenopodium ambrosioides was used in combination with fifty-two (52) other botanical species in the treatment of cough and in the study area, Abrus precatorius Linn. (13.59%) followed by Ocimum gratissimum Linn. (11.58%), Zingiber officinale Rosc. Trans. Linn. (9.73%), Mangifera indica Linn. (6.21%), Eucalyptus citriodora Hooker (4.87%), Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich. (4.36%) and Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. (4.19%) were the most popular plants used for cough treatment among the plants recorded. Sixteen (16) other pathologies including pulmonary infections are also treated by Chenopodium ambrosioides (L.). Abscesses, intestinal parasitic diseases, incurable wounds, stomach aches and headaches are the most pathologies commonly treated by this plant. The whole plant (72%) and leaves (22%) are the primary parts utilized for medicinal purposes. Decoction (77.50%) is the main preparation method, with oral (80.83%) and cutaneous (10.83%) routes being the most common modes of administration. The findings from this study provide a solid ethnopharmacological foundation for future pharmacological and toxicological investigations into Chenopodium ambrosioides (L.).

Providing TikTok platform to educate public regarding customs

Lack of understanding of regulations related to customs and excise services has resulted in rampant fraud on behalf of the Customs and Excise office and the blocking of imported mobile phones due to unregistered or illegal International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). Community service activities (PKM) aim to educate the public about various rules and IMEI registration of electronic devices as imported goods, including the terms and conditions that the public must meet through the creation and use of the TikTok platform. The method used is AIDA so that the media and content produced are clear, concise, creative, and interesting so that it is easy for the public to understand. The TikTok platform was created and developed as an effective medium for educating the public through disseminating information that can increase awareness and knowledge of the wider community. This approach illustrates the various common fraud modes and how to identify them. There is also content about the Bandung Customs Office call center and office-tour services for official transparency and professionalism in handling various public complaints. The number of followers who support this and like that has increased significantly from time to time. Information using the TikTok platform related to official customs and excise service issues has significantly reduced the number of frauds by irresponsible individuals, and cases of IMEI blocking.

Effect of Ventilator Mode on Ventilator-Free Days in Critically Ill Adults: A Randomized Trial.

For critically ill adults receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, the ventilator mode determines how breaths are delivered. Whether the choice of ventilator mode affects outcomes for critically ill patients is unknown. To compare the effects of three common ventilator modes (volume control, pressure control, and adaptive pressure control) on death and duration of mechanical ventilation. We conducted a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, crossover trial among adults receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in a medical ICU between November 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023. Each month, patients in the participating unit were assigned to receive volume control, pressure control, or adaptive pressure control during continuous mandatory ventilation. The primary outcome was ventilator-free days through 28 days. Among 566 patients included in the primary analysis, the median number of ventilator-free days was 23 [IQR, 0-26] in the volume control group, 22 [0-26] in the pressure control group, and 24 [0-26] in the adaptive pressure control group (P=0.60). The median tidal volume was similar in the three groups, but the percentage of breaths larger than 8mL/kg of predicted body weight differed between volume control (median, 4.0%; IQR, 0.0-14.1), pressure control (10.6%; 0.0-31.5), and adaptive pressure control (4.7%; 0.0-19.2). Incidences of hypoxemia, acidemia, and barotrauma were similar in the three groups. Among critically ill adults receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, the use of volume control, pressure control, or adaptive pressure control did not affect the number of ventilator-free days, however, confidence intervals included differences that may be clinically meaningful.

Coupling Fault Diagnosis of Bearings Based on Hypergraph Neural Network.

Coupling faults that simultaneously occur during the operation of mechanical equipment are widespread. These faults encompass a diverse range of high-order coupling relationships, involving multiple base fault types. Based on the advantages of hypergraphs for higher-order relationship descriptions, two coupling fault diagnosis architectures based on the hypergraph neural network are proposed in this paper: 1. In the coupling fault diagnosis framework based on feature generation, the base faults serve as the hypergraph nodes, and each hyperedge connects the base faults. The generator, which consists of the hypergraph neural network, generates coupling faults as negative samples to enforce regularization constraints for the discriminator training. 2. In the coupling fault diagnosis framework based on feature extraction, each node represents a fault mode, and each hyperedge connects nodes with common failure modes. The multi-head attention mechanism extracts the features of base faults, and the common fault features in a hyperedge are aggregated via the hypergraph neural network. The inner product correlation is used to diagnose the fault modes. The results show that the diagnostic accuracy for coupling faults with the two frameworks reaches 88.6% and 86.76%, respectively. Both frameworks can be used for the diagnosis and analysis of high-order coupling faults.

Development of the neutral gas diagnostic system for neutral pressure measurements and gas analysis on the SPARC tokamak.

A suite of plasma diagnostics will be installed on the SPARC tokamak to allow for real-time plasma control, an investigation of high-field tokamak physics, and to de-risk the design of ARC, a compact fusion power plant with the aim to supply electricity to the grid. Among these diagnostics is the neutral gas diagnostics system (NTGS), a set of pressure sensors and gas analyzers used to monitor neutral pressure and gas composition for plasma control, optimization of wall conditioning, and helium ash removal, among other measurement functions linked to operational and scientific research needs. While reliable measurements of neutral pressure and gas composition have been fielded on existing magnetic-confinement fusion devices, SPARC represents a step increase in challenge due to its larger power density, higher field, high vacuum vessel bake temperatures, and higher neutron flux environment, as well as a step decrease in the accessibility for maintenance of in-vessel sensors. Multiple sensor types will be employed to have defense-in-depth and mitigate common failure modes. The NTGS system is currently progressing through final design, working to close out decisions using prototyping and analysis, and then moving on to procuring sensors for assembly and installation on SPARC. This paper outlines the current status of the system design and the diagnostic requirements that motivate neutral gas measurements on SPARC, as well as highlights the planned prototyping activities.

Mobility challenges for women: A case study of bus rapid transit Peshawar

In Pakistan, women face significant barriers to urban mobility. This is due to limited access to safe, affordable, and sustainable public transportation, exacerbated by socio-cultural norms and experiences of harassment. Addressing these challenges is crucial for promoting gender equality and unlocking women's potential for growth. This research inspects women's mobility experiences and challenges and proposes potential improvements for bus rapid transit (BRT) Peshawar. Interviews were conducted for data collection, and statistical tools and methods were employed to analyze the results. The most common modes of travel to and from the BRT stations were walk (39%&45%) followed by Taxi/Rickshaw (32%each) and car/bike(15%&9%), respectively. Most users accessed the BRT system within a 3km radius (55%) and typically traveled during the daytime (56% from 6-10 am and 51%from 2-6 pm). The main challenges identified, mainly for the younger users, were harassment faced at stations (66%for 18-30 years and 52%for 31-45 years of age groups, respectively) while on the buses with 54%for <18 years and 56%for 18-30 years of age groups, respectively, with a visual type of harassment in major. The study highlights women's unique mobility challenges with Peshawar BRT. Addressing these issues can boost their education and economic prospects, as a major study sample was comprised of lower-income employees (80% having an income less than 40,000PKR*) and middle-aged students (48%). The findings provide valuable insights for BRT Peshawar and future BRT projects in developing countries. Despite separate seats, challenges persist during peak hours due to the absence of partitions between male and female sections within buses and other BRT amenities.

The interface dewetting process of particulate filled polymer composite

AbstractDewetting is one of the most common damage modes in particulate filled polymer composite, which greatly damages the structural integrity of the composite and leads to the deterioration of its mechanical properties. Studying the dewetting evolution process of composite is of great significance for evaluating the meso damage degree of composite and suppressing the development of dewetting damage. This article constructs an axisymmetric cylindrical cell model of a single particle inclusion matrix, derives the interface dewetting evolution process of the model under uniaxial tensile loading condition, and analyzes the influence of model geometric parameters and external loading conditions on the dewetting process. Subsequently, numerical models were constructed at both micro and meso scales, and dynamic tensile calculations were performed to analyze the correlation between the dewetting rate, porosity, and mechanical performance. Finally, a cylindrical cell specimen was designed to observe the interface dewetting evolution under uniaxial tensile conditions, confirming the conclusions of theoretical analysis and numerical simulation.Highlights Constructed a theoretical model for the dewetting process of interface. Conducted numerical analysis of dewetting process at both meso and micro scales. Designed interface dewetting experiment and analyzed the dewetting process.

Concomitant ablation for non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: combined energy versus cryoablation alone.

Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation has been the most efficient treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Combined energy (CE) ablation and cryoablation alone (CA) are the most common energy modes used for ablation, however, comparative data is lacking. To compare the efficacy of CE ablation with CA in the setting of concomitant biatrial ablation for non-paroxysmal AF. A retrospective analysis of 453 patients with non-paroxysmal AF undergone concomitant biatrial ablation from November 2007 to December 2022 during elective cardiac surgery using either combined bipolar radiofrequency with cryoenergy or cryoenergy alone was performed. Propensity score matching was conducted to balance the covariates in the groups. There were 157 patients per group after matching. CE ablation was associated with lower odds of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence (OR = 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.91, p = 0.040), a significantly lower rate of hospital readmissions due to rhythm disruption (HR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.18-0.65, p < 0.001), and lower cumulative incidence of stroke (SHR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.15-0.97, p = 0.043). No significant difference in permanent pacemaker implantation was observed between the two groups. In the setting of concomitant biatrial ablation for non-paroxysmal AF, combined bipolar radiofrequency and cryoablation appear to be a superior treatment modality compared to cryoablation alone in achieving long-term freedom from atrial arrhythmias, in reducing arrhythmia-related hospital readmissions and ischemic strokes.

Sex work, syndemic conditions and condomless anal intercourse among men who have sex with men who engage in sex work in Latin America.

Background In Latin American countries and Suriname, sexual transmission is one of the most common modes of HIV transmission, and men who have sex with men (MSM) who engage in sex work constitute a key population. Methods In a sample of MSM (N =53,166) from the Latin American Internet Survey (2018) across 18 countries, we examined how sex work engagement is associated with syndemic conditions (multidrug use, homophobic abuse, depression/anxiety, alcohol dependency (CAGE alcohol questionnaire) and internalised homonegativity) and condomless anal intercourse with non-steady male partners using separate logistic regressions. We then used a structural equation model to determine if and how syndemic conditions mediate the relationship between sex work engagement and non-steady male partners. Results We found that getting paid for sex was associated with less condom use for anal intercourse with non-steady male partners and particular syndemic conditions, such as multidrug use, homophobic abuse and alcohol dependency. In our structural equation model, the results showed that the direct relationship between sex work engagement and non-steady male partners was positive and significant, and syndemic conditions partially mediated this relationship. Conclusion Our results highlight the continuing need for including MSM who engage in sex work and those who experience syndemic conditions in the prevention strategies targeted to MSM in Latin America and Suriname, to prevent the transmission of HIV.

Patterns of treatment failure in patients with sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma after chemoradiotherapy.

To investigate the failure patterns based on precision radiation treatment and to determine the predictive factors of treatment failure for sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) patients. This was a retrospective study that included 214 cases of treatment failure from 441 consecutive patients. Two experienced radiation oncologists evaluated the tumour volume of cases with local recurrence. The 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) rates, and distant-metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were estimated. Investigations were performed on the factors that predicted local failure or distant metastasis. About 140 (31.7%) patients developed local recurrence, 24 (5.4%) experienced regional failure, and 65 (14.7%) underwent distant metastasis. In-field, marginal, and out-of-field failures occurred in 55.7% (78/140), 33.6% (47/140), and 10.7% (15/140) of patients with local recurrence, respectively. In logistic regression analysis, factors statistically significant for total local failure included treatment mode (P < .01), chemotherapy (P < .01), and surgical margins (P < .01). Primary tumours with poor differentiation (P = .018) and R2 resection margin (P = .009) were more prone to develop distant failure. The 5-year OS, PFS, and DMFS rates were 57.8%, 52.0%, and 56.7% for the whole cohort. In univariate and multivariate analysis, the skull base involvement was an independent predictor for poorer OS and PFS; orbital invasion was an independent predictor for poorer OS. Local recurrence and distant metastasis were the most common failure modes. Treatment mode, chemotherapy, and surgical margins were related to local recurrence. Poor differentiation and R2 resection margin were predictors for distant failure. Local recurrence is the most common failure pattern in patients with SNSCC who accepted chemoradiotherapy, and marginal and out-of-field failures occurred in 44.3% of patients with local recurrence.

Study on finite element simulation and experiment based on the design of zero-point clamping system

The zero-point positioning system (Z-PCS) is more suitable for the increasingly common production modes of multiple types, small batches, and changing conditions than to conventional fixtures. Currently, the Z-PCS cannot provide sufficient clamping force, and the design of the positioning structure is prone to over-positioning. The working principles of each functional module in the system are unclear, making it difficult to promote product design optimization and troubleshooting. This article aims to design a high-performance Z-PCS, revealing the structural composition and working principle of the system, including the clamping structure, positioning structure, and air circuitry arrangement. During the design process, the finite element numerical calculations were adopted to verify the mechanical properties of each key load-bearing component. Finally, the designed product underwent positioning accuracy and clamping force testing. The results indicate that the Z-PCS designed in this article can provide a clamping force of at least 73.7 kN and control the repetitive positioning error below 0.002 mm. Micro-deformation grooves can be adaptively added to compensate for the over-positioning error. Heat-treated martensitic-type stainless steel is an ideal material for constructing the body of a high-performance Z-PCS.

Methionine deficiency inhibited pyroptosis in primary hepatocytes of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella): possibly via activating the ROS-AMPK-autophagy axis

BackgroundMethionine (Met) is the only sulfur-containing amino acid among animal essential amino acids, and methionine deficiency (MD) causes tissue damage and cell death in animals. The common modes of cell death include apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, necroptosis. However, the studies about the major modes of cell death caused by MD have not been reported, which worth further study.MethodsPrimary hepatocytes from grass carp were isolated and treated with different doses of Met (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 mmol/L) to examine the expression of apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy and necroptosis-related proteins. Based on this, we subsequently modeled pyroptosis using lipopolysaccharides and nigericin sodium salt, then autophagy inhibitors chloroquine (CQ), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitors compound C (CC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) were further used to examine the expression of proteins related to pyroptosis, autophagy and AMPK pathway in MD-treated cells respectively.ResultsMD up-regulated B-cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bax), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 II (LC3 II), and down-regulated the protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), sequestosome 1 (p62), cleaved-caspase-1, cleaved-interleukin (IL)-1β, and receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIP) 1 in hepatocytes, while it did not significantly affect RIP3. In addition, MD significantly increased the protein expression of liver kinase B1 (LKB1), p-AMPK, and Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) without significant effect on p-target of rapamycin. Subsequently, the use of CQ increased the protein expression of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3), cleaved-caspase-1, and cleaved-IL-1β inhibited by MD; the use of CC significantly decreased the protein expression of MD-induced LC3 II and increased the protein expression of MD-suppressed p62; then the use of NAC decreased the MD-induced p-AMPK protein expression.ConclusionMD promoted autophagy and apoptosis, but inhibited pyroptosis and necroptosis. MD inhibited pyroptosis may be related regarding the promotion of autophagy. MD activated AMPK by inducing ROS production which in turn promoted autophagy. These results could provide partial theoretical basis for the possible mechanisms of Met in ensuring the normal structure and function of animal organs. Furthermore, ferroptosis is closely related to redox states, it is worth investigating whether MD affects ferroptosis in hepatocytes.

Triple band self-decoupled MIMO antenna pair for 5G communication

A two port multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna with self-isolation is proposed for the application of fifth generation (5G) mobile phones. In this antenna, feeding ports that are inherently isolated across a bandwidth without the need for extra decoupling components directly excite the MIMO antenna. An approach involving the creation of common and differential modes utilizes a mode-cancellation technique to comprehensively understand the self-decoupling mechanism on a physical level. The proposed self-decoupled antenna pair exhibits about 22 dB isolation across the triple band 2.58 GHz to 2.84 GHz, 3.4 GHz to 3.9 GHz and 4.3 GHz to 4.6 GHz, respectively. According to the experimental findings, the proposed MIMO system may offer better than 22 dB isolation across all ports and a respectable level of overall gain 1.9 dBi, 3.77 dBi and 2.9 dBi across 2.58 GHz to 2.84 GHz, 3.4 GHz to 3.9 GHz and 4.3 GHz to 4.6 GHz. A suggested design method, with its advantages of self-decoupling, simple structure, high efficiency and triple band demonstrates amazing upcoming 5G highly integrated MIMO antennas for 5G devices.

Cyclization Through Dual C(sp3)−H Functionalization

AbstractC(sp3)−H functionalization methods have been widely employed in many organic transformations such as cyclization reactions, heterocycle synthesis, cross‐coupling protocols, and photochemical transformations. Among these transformations, cyclization reaction through C(sp3)−H functionalization offers a direct route to convert simple linear substrates to complex products. There are three common modes of utilizing C(sp3)−H bonds in cyclization reactions including single, double, and dual C(sp3)−H functionalization. As the most challenging mode, dual C(sp3)−H functionalization refers to converting two separate C(sp3)−H bonds in one molecule into desired C−Z bonds which can be employed in cyclization reactions. Cyclization reaction via dual functionalization of C(sp3)−H bonds can be classified based on the C−H reactivities. Therefore, these reactions can be categorized into three classes based on the types of C(sp3)−H bonds including activated‐activated, activated‐unactivated, and unactivated‐unactivated C(sp3)−H bonds. Most published reports for cyclization reactions through dual C(sp3)−H functionalization involve activated‐activated C(sp3)−H bonds. However, the number of reported papers on the other two classes has been growing. This review focuses on the dual C(sp3)−H functionalization protocols used for cyclization reactions and categorizes the published papers based on the types of C(sp3)−H bonds.

Association between e-scooter temporal usage patterns with injuries resulting in admission to a level one trauma center

BackgroundAs e-scooters have become common modes of transportations in urban environments, riding e-scooters has become a common mechanism of injury. This study examines the relationship between when riders are using these devices (i.e. day of week, and time of the day) and injury incidence based on data from a large U.S. city. MethodsThis study is a retrospective cohort study of patients in the trauma registry at a level one trauma center. Registry data were combined with a publicly available dataset of all e-scooter trips that occurred during the study period. Frequency of injuries and trips were analyzed using ANOVA. Poisson regressions were conducted to calculate incidence rate ratios associated with injury incidence by day of the week and time of day. ResultsA total of 194 injured e-scooter patients were admitted to the trauma center during the study period. Patients were injured most often on Fridays (21%) and most often presented between 18:00–23:59 (38%). E-Scooter riders in general, most often rode on Saturdays (20%) and between 12:00–17:59 (44%). There was no significant relationship between day of week and injury. Riders in the early morning (IRR = 16.7, p < .001 95% CI: 10.5, 26.6), afternoon (IRR = 2.0, p = .01 95% CI: 1.2, 3.4), and evening (IRR = 3.7, p < .001 95% CI: 2.3, 6.2) had significant increased injury incidence compared to morning riders. ConclusionE-Scooter injury incidence varies by the time of day. The time of day in which a person rides an e-scooter can have a significant impact on the likelihood that the person will sustain an injury.

Perceptions, prevalence, and patterns of cannabis use among cancer patients treated at 12 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers.

The legal climate for cannabis use has dramatically changed with an increasing number of states passing legislation legalizing access for medical and recreational use. Among cancer patients, cannabis is often used to ameliorate adverse effects of cancer treatment. Data are limited on the extent and type of use among cancer patients during treatment and the perceived benefits and harms. This multicenter survey was conducted to assess the use of cannabis among cancer patients residing in states with varied legal access to cannabis. A total of 12 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, across states with varied cannabis-access legal status, conducted surveys with a core questionnaire to assess cannabis use among recently diagnosed cancer patients. Data were collected between September 2021 and August 2023 and pooled across 12 cancer centers. Frequencies and 95% confidence intervals for core survey measures were calculated, and weighted estimates are presented for the 10 sites that drew probability samples. Overall reported cannabis use since cancer diagnosis among survey respondents was 32.9% (weighted), which varied slightly by state legalization status. The most common perceived benefits of use were for pain, sleep, stress and anxiety, and treatment side effects. Reported perceived risks were less common and included inability to drive, difficulty concentrating, lung damage, addiction, and impact on employment. A majority reported feeling comfortable speaking to health-care providers though, overall, only 21.5% reported having done so. Among those who used cannabis since diagnosis, the most common modes were eating in food, smoking, and pills or tinctures, and the most common reasons were for sleep disturbance, followed by pain and stress and anxiety with 60%-68% reporting improved symptoms with use. This geographically diverse survey demonstrates that patients use cannabis regardless of its legal status. Addressing knowledge gaps concerning benefits and harms of cannabis use during cancer treatment is critical to enhance patient-provider communication.

A survey of patients with cancer and oncology health-care professionals about cannabis use during treatment.

This study characterizes patient and health-care professional perspectives regarding medical cannabis use at a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center. Data evaluated included the prevalence and patterns of and reasons for cannabis use. Patients with cancer undergoing treatment were recruited into a cross-sectional survey as part of a national National Cancer Institute-funded effort. Participants completed a survey about cannabis use, reasons for use, and types of cannabis. A health-care professional survey was also conducted to explore perspectives regarding patients' use of cannabis. A total of 313 patients with cancer (mean [SD] age = 60.7 [12.8] years) completed the survey (43% response rate) between 2021 and 2022. Of the respondents, 58% were female; identified as White (61%) and Black (23%); and had diverse cancer diagnoses. Nearly half of respondents (43%) had previously used cannabis, one-quarter (26%) had used cannabis since their cancer diagnosis, and almost 1 in 6 (17%) were actively using cannabis at the time of survey completion. The most common modes of ingestion were gummies (33%) and smoking (30%). The most commonly reported reasons for use were insomnia (46%), pain (41%), and mood (39%). For the 164 health-care professionals who completed the survey (25% response rate), the majority agreed that cannabis use (72%) is safe and beneficial for patients (57%). Four in 10 (39%) health-care professionals felt comfortable providing guidance to patients about cannabis use; however, only 1 in 8 (13%) felt knowledgeable about the topic of cannabis. Approximately one-sixth of patients with cancer receiving treatment actively use cannabis for management of various cancer symptoms. Perceptions about cannabis use and education varied widely among health-care professionals.

MR-conditionality failure modes: a comparison across various spinal cord stimulators.

As spinal cord stimulation (SCS) becomes a staple of chronic pain management, the SCS industry must constantly evolve to ensure safety, convenience and enhanced efficacy. Beyond waveforms and size, MR-conditionality is a key differentiator sought out by physicians and patients when choosing SCS devices. Many common SCS complications, including lead migration, can affect the MR-conditionality. The authors reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2024 using PubMed and Google Scholar databases, as well as USFDA labels for magnetic resonance imaging and technical manuals with further confirmation from local representatives. Through extensive review of the literature and direct extraction from each SCS device company, the authors aimed to investigate the specific terms of MR-conditionality under various circumstances. This article provides a collective reference of the MR-conditionality of the currently available SCS devices under normal conditions, as well as with common failure modes, such as lead migration, lead fracture and battery detachment.