Mapping out strategies to further develop human-relevant, new approach methodology (NAM)-based developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) testing.

On occasion of the DNT5 meeting in Konstanz, Germany (April-2024), participants brainstormed on future challenges concerning a regulatory implementation of the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) in vitro test battery (DNT-IVB). The five discussion topics below outline some of the key issues, opportunities and research directions for the next several years: (1) How to contextualize DNT hazard with information on potential maternal toxicity or other toxicity domains (non-DNT)? Several approaches on how to use cytotoxicity data from NAMs were discussed. (2) What opportunities exist for an immediate or near-future application of the DNT-IVB, e.

A Unified Approach to Health Data Exchange: A Report From the US DHHS.

Importance: Health information technology, such as electronic health records (EHRs), has been widely adopted, yet accessing and exchanging data in the fragmented US health care system remains challenging. To unlock the potential of EHR data to improve patient health, public health, and health care, it is essential to streamline the exchange of health data. As leaders across the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), we describe how DHHS has implemented fundamental building blocks to achieve this vision.

The long way from raw data to NAM-based information: Overview on data layers and processing steps.

Toxicological test methods generate raw data and provide instructions on how to use these to determine a final outcome such as a classification of test compounds as hits or non-hits. The data processing pipeline provided in the test method description is often highly complex. Usually, multiple layers of data, ranging from a machine-generated output to the final hit definition, are considered.

Benefit Finding in Craniofacial Conditions: A Qualitative Analysis of Patient and Parent Perspectives.

Objective: Craniofacial conditions (CFCs) can be associated with adverse effects on quality of life (QoL). However, few studies have examined perceived benefits related to CFCs. This study described perceived benefits in an international sample of children and adolescents with CFCs and their parents.

Inhibition of Neural Crest Cell Migration by Strobilurin Fungicides and Other Mitochondrial Toxicants.

Cell-based test methods with a phenotypic readout are frequently used for toxicity screening. However, guidance on how to validate the hits and how to integrate this information with other data for purposes of risk assessment is missing. We present here such a procedure and exemplify it with a case study on neural crest cell (NCC)-based developmental toxicity of picoxystrobin.

Real-world quality-of-life of patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treated with palbociclib plus endocrine therapy: EORTC QLQ-C30 results from POLARIS.

Purpose: To evaluate patient-reported health-related quality-of-life (QoL) in patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced/metastatic breast cancer (ABC) treated with palbociclib in the longitudinal real-world study, POLARIS.

Methods: Data were prospectively collected from adult patients with HR+/HER2- ABC treated with palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) in routine clinical practice. QoL was assessed with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and reported at baseline and months 6, 12, and 18.

Provider Perspectives on Contraceptive Care: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Contraceptive care is critical piece of quality sexual reproductive healthcare. Providers directly impact client experiences and clinical outcomes; it is important to understand how providers offer contraceptive care and the factors influencing this care. This systematic review summarizes recent research on providers, their perspectives, experiences, barriers, and facilitators to offering contraceptive counseling, education, and care.

Screening for the Need and Desire for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Proactively engaging patients in conversations about their needs and desires for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is an essential part of providing client-centered care. This systematic literature identifies screening tools and approaches for assessing needs and desires for pregnancy- and STI-related services.

Methods: PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles published between July 1, 2018 and July 26, 2023.

Providing Quality Family Planning Services in the United States: Recommendations of the U.S. Office of Population Affairs (Revised 2024).

This update, titled Providing Quality Family Planning Services in the United States: Recommendations of the U.S. Office of Population Affairs (Revised 2024), provides recommendations developed by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.

Equity in Providing Quality Family Planning Services in the United States: Recommendations of the U.S. Office of Population Affairs (Revised 2024).

Updating the Quality Family Planning recommendations is an essential step toward offering all people evidenced-informed, person-centered, equitable, and inclusive sexual and reproductive health care. What constitutes quality sexual and reproductive health care constantly evolves as scientific research generates new evidence. In addition, the context in which people seek and receive sexual and reproductive health care has changed significantly in recent years.

Client Perspectives on Contraceptive Care: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Contraceptive care is an opportunity for providers to help clients achieve their reproductive health goals. Client-centeredness is a core element of quality care; however, evidence suggests that the provision of client-centered contraceptive counseling needs improvement. This systematic review summarizes recent evidence on client preferences related to contraceptive care, including how client-centered approaches inform outcomes.

Liquid Crystal Behavior of Uniform Short Rods Made from Computationally Designed Parallel Coiled Coil Building Blocks.

Parallel, homotetrameric coiled coils were computationally designed using 29 amino acid peptides. These parallel coiled coils, called "bundlemers", have symmetry, with all N-termini displayed from one end of the nanoparticle and all C-termini from the opposite end. This anisotropic display of the peptide termini allowed for the functionalization of two sets of nanoparticles with either maleimide or thiol functionality at the N-terminal region of the constituent peptides.

The Effect of Ambient Artificial Intelligence Notes on Provider Burnout.

Background: Healthcare provider burnout is a critical issue with significant implications for individual well-being, patient care, and healthcare system efficiency. Addressing burnout is essential for improving both provider well-being and the quality of patient care. Ambient artificial intelligence (AI) offers a novel approach to mitigating burnout by reducing the documentation burden through advanced speech recognition and natural language processing technologies that summarize the patient encounter into a clinical note to be reviewed by clinicians.

Suppressing PDGFRβ Signaling Enhances Myocyte Fusion to Promote Skeletal Muscle Regeneration.

Muscle cell fusion is critical for forming and maintaining multinucleated myotubes during skeletal muscle development and regeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms directing cell-cell fusion are not fully understood. Here, we identify platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) signaling as a key modulator of myocyte fusion in adult muscle cells.

Surgical Management of 2,350 Pediatric Dermoid Cysts.

Background: We examined operative and pathologic findings of a large series of dermoid cysts at a high-volume pediatric hospital over 23 years.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all dermoid cysts excised from 2000 to 2023 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Lesions were classified by location.

Artificial intelligence in the detection of choledocholithiasis: a systematic review.

Importance: Choledocholithiasis is a potentially life-threatening manifestation of acute biliary dysfunction (ABD) often requiring magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for diagnosis when standard investigation findings are inconclusive. Machine learning models (MLMs) may offer alternatives to diagnose choledocholithiasis.

Objective: This systematic review seeks to evaluate the performance of MLMs in predicting choledocholithiasis and to compare this performance with the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines.

Remote monitoring after elective colorectal surgery, a pilot study.

Background: Multiple studies have demonstrated safety of short stay after colorectal resections. Remote patient monitoring may allow earlier discharge home after surgery. Remote patient monitoring feasibility after elective colorectal surgery in a largely rural state was evaluated.

Successfully Transitioning an Interruptive Alert into a Noninterruptive Alert for Central Line Dressing Changes in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Background:  Interruptive alerts are known to be associated with clinician alert fatigue, and poorly performing alerts should be evaluated for alternative solutions. An interruptive alert to remind clinicians about a required peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) dressing change within the first 48 hours after placement resulted in 617 firings in a 6-month period with only 11 (1.7%) actions taken from the alert.

Improving Naloxone Co-prescribing Through Clinical Decision Support.

Background: Despite national guidelines recommending naloxone co-prescription with high-risk medications, rates remain low nationally. This was reflected at our institution with remarkably low naloxone prescribing rates. We sought to determine if a clinical decision support (CDS) tool could increase rates of naloxone co-prescribing with high-risk prescriptions.

Cardiac involvement in Chagas disease and African trypanosomiasis.

Trypanosomiases are diseases caused by various species of protozoan parasite in the genus Trypanosoma, each presenting with distinct clinical manifestations and prognoses. Infections can affect multiple organs, with Trypanosoma cruzi predominantly affecting the heart and digestive system, leading to American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease, and Trypanosoma brucei primarily causing a disease of the central nervous system known as human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. In this Review, we discuss the effects of these infections on the heart, with particular emphasis on Chagas disease, which continues to be a leading cause of cardiomyopathy in Latin America.