Relationships between the Microbiome and Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in the microbiome of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), focusing on the relationship between the microbiome and response to nCRT.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study involving 103 samples from 26 patients with LARC. Samples were collected from both the tumor and normal rectal tissues before and after nCRT.

Concurrent Versus Sequential Adjuvant Capecitabine-Based Chemoradiation in Residual Triple-Negative Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant-Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Comparative Study.

Purpose: Given the aggressive nature and poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), adjuvant capecitabine has been the standard therapy for residual disease after preoperative systemic therapy (PST). However, the optimal sequence of postoperative radiation therapy (RT) and capecitabine remains unclear. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of concurrent RT and capecitabine (RT+CAP) versus sequential RT followed by capecitabine (RT→CAP) in patients with residual TNBC after PST.

Heavy metal bioaccumulation based on seasonal monsoon impact in benthic macroinvertebrates of Korean streams.

This study investigates the influence of seasonal monsoon flooding on heavy metal contamination and bioaccumulation in benthic macroinvertebrate communities within a stream ecosystem. We analyzed sediment and benthic macroinvertebrate samples for eight heavy metals [zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)]) before (BF) and after (AF) a major flooding event. We found significant spatial and temporal variations in heavy metal concentrations were observed, with higher levels after the flood.

Reduced-dose Radiation Therapy for Stage IE Gastric Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma: A Multi-Institutional Prospective Study (KROG 16-18).

Purpose: Definitive radiation therapy (RT) of 30 Gy or higher is commonly recommended to treat Helicobacter pylori-independent gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma with an excellent disease control rate. However, the efficacy of reduced-dose RT has not yet been evaluated in a prospective cohort study. This multi-institutional study aimed to determine the role of reduced-dose RT in the treatment of stage IE gastric MALT lymphoma.

Changes in hospital-supported substance use services across US nonprofit hospitals, 2015-2021.

Substance use remains a timely and important community need to understand and address. Nonprofit hospitals are in a unique position to identify needs and develop programs in response to substance use challenges in their communities. To better understand how nonprofit hospitals do this, we collected data from community health needs assessments and their corresponding implementation strategy (IS) to address these needs for a 20% random sample of hospitals in each state of the United States over 2 periods (2015-2018 and 2019-2021).

Toward a Consensus on Strategies to Support Opioid Use Disorder Care Transitions Following Hospitalization: A Modified Delphi Process.

Background: Despite proliferation of acute-care interventions to initiate medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), significant challenges remain to supporting care continuity following discharge. Research is needed to inform effective hospital strategies to support patient transitions to ongoing MOUD in the community.

Objective: To inform a taxonomy of care transition strategies to support MOUD continuity from hospital to community-based settings and assess their perceived impact and feasibility among experts in the field.

Identifying and Characterizing Models of Substance Use Treatment in Outpatient Substance Use Treatment Facilities.

Background: Given that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have a variety of needs beyond substance use, it is critical to examine the comprehensiveness of services offered within outpatient SUD treatment facilities, where many individuals with SUDs receive care. This study's objective is to develop clusters of services offered, and assess organizational, policy, and environmental characteristics associated with having a more comprehensive treatment model.

Methods: We conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) using data on SUD treatment facilities (n=8, 197) from the 2022 Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Tracking Repository, a national database of SUD treatment facilities.

Optimizing target and diaphragmatic configuration, and dosimetric benefits using continuous positive airway pressure in stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for lung tumors.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of facilitating target delineation of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients undergoing stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) for lung tumors by lung expansion and respiratory motion management.

Materials And Methods: We performed a prospective single-institutional trial of patients who were diagnosed with either primary lung cancer or lung metastases and received SABR with a dose of 40 to 60 Gy in 4 fractions. Four-dimensional computed tomography simulations were conducted for each patient: once without CPAP and again with CPAP.

Examining the Relationship Between Local Governmental Expenditures on the Social Determinants of Health and County-Level Overdose Deaths, 2017-2020.

Context: Prior studies have examined the social determinants of health (SDOH) characteristics of counties with elevated rates of overdose deaths. However, this research often ignores variation in upstream governmental investment in these SDOH categories.

Objective: To examine the association of local governmental investments in SDOH with drug overdose mortality at the county level, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Intracellular pyruvate as one of the major bioactive substances of lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi.

The present study aimed to identify the metabolites associated with the physiological activity of kimchi-derived lactic acid bacteria (LAB). A clear difference was observed between the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging rates when the pyruvate content was high (273.5 ng/µL; radical removal speed 6.

The Ecology of Economic Distress and Life Expectancy.

Objectives: To determine whether life expectancy (LE) changes between 2000 and 2019 were associated with race, rural status, local economic prosperity, and changes in local economic prosperity, at the county level.

Methods: Between 12/1/22 and 2/28/23, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 2000 and 2019 data from 3,123 United States counties. For Total, White, and Black populations, we compared LE changes for counties across the rural-urban continuum, the local economic prosperity continuum, and for counties in which local economic prosperity dramatically improved or declined.

Multiplex fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification with lateral flow assay for rapid simultaneous detection of mecA and nuc genes in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), pose a significant threat to public health. Existing detection methods, like cultivation-based techniques, demand significant time and labor, while molecular diagnostic techniques, such as PCR, necessitate sophisticated instrumentation and skilled personnel. Although previous multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays based on fluorescent dyes (mfLAMP) offer simplicity and cost-effectiveness, they are prone to false-positive results.

Trends in the availability of comprehensive services within outpatient substance use treatment facilities from 2018 to 2022.

Little is known regarding the extent to which substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities adopt comprehensive services to meet patients' medical and social needs. To examine trends in the availability of comprehensive services within outpatient SUD treatment facilities from 2018 to 2022. We used data from the Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Tracking Repository, a national database of SUD treatment facilities ( = 13,793).

Oligomerization and a distinct tRNA-binding loop are important regulators of human arginyl-transferase function.

The arginyl-transferase ATE1 is a tRNA-dependent enzyme that covalently attaches an arginine molecule to a protein substrate. Conserved from yeast to humans, ATE1 deficiency in mice correlates with defects in cardiovascular development and angiogenesis and results in embryonic lethality, while conditional knockouts exhibit reproductive, developmental, and neurological deficiencies. Despite the recent revelation of the tRNA binding mechanism and the catalytic cycle of yeast ATE1, the structure-function relationship of ATE1 in higher organisms is not well understood.

Kimchi Lactic Acid Bacteria Starter Culture: Impact on Fermented Malt Beverage Volatile Profile, Sensory Analysis, and Physicochemical Traits.

Starter cultures used during the fermentation of malt wort can increase the sensory characteristics of the resulting beverages. This study aimed to explore the aroma composition and flavor recognition of malt wort beverages fermented with lactic acid bacteria ( WiKim0194) isolated from kimchi, using metabolomic profiling and electronic tongue and nose technologies. Four sugars and five organic acids were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography, with maltose and lactic acid present in the highest amounts.

Evaluation of cosmetic outcomes in breast reconstruction patients undergoing radiotherapy using an anomaly generative adversarial network model.

Considering the rising prevalence of breast reconstruction followed by radiotherapy (RT), evaluating the cosmetic impact of RT is crucial. Currently, there are limited tools for objectively assessing cosmetic outcomes in patients who have undergone reconstruction. Therefore, we validated the cosmetic outcome using a previously developed anomaly Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based model and evaluated its utility.

Barriers and Facilitators to Establishing Partnerships for Substance Use Disorder Care Transitions Between Safety-Net Hospitals and Community-Based Organizations.

Background: The effectiveness of hospital-based transitional opioid programs (TOPs), which aim to connect patients with substance use disorders (SUD) to ongoing treatment in the community following initiation of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment in the hospital, hinges on successful patient transitions. These transitions are enabled by strong partnerships between hospitals and community-based organizations (CBOs). However, no prior study has specifically examined barriers and facilitators to establishing SUD care transition partnerships between hospitals and CBOs.

Groundwater health risk assessment of North China Plain based on Monte Carlo model sensitivity analysis and morphological analysis: A case study of Shijiazhuang City.

The rapid development of the social economy and the influence of human activities can lead to aggravated groundwater pollution. Groundwater safety is the premise of residents' health. Therefore, studying the sustainable utilization and health risks of groundwater quality is important.

The impact of the new ESTRO-ACROP target volume delineation guidelines for postmastectomy radiotherapy after implant-based breast reconstruction on breast complications.

The European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology-Advisory Committee in Radiation Oncology Practice (ESTRO-ACROP) updated a new target volume delineation guideline for postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) after implant-based reconstruction. This study aimed to evaluate the impact on breast complications with the new guideline compared to the conventional guidelines. In total, 308 patients who underwent PMRT after tissue expander or permanent implant insertion from 2016 to 2021 were included; 184 received PMRT by the new ESTRO-ACROP target delineation (ESTRO-T), and 124 by conventional target delineation (CONV-T).

Examining the relationship between social determinants of health, measures of structural racism and county-level overdose deaths from 2017-2020.

Introduction: Despite being an important determinant of health outcomes, measures of structural racism are lacking in studies examining the relationship between the social determinants of health (SDOH) and overdose deaths. The aim of this study is to examine the association between per capita revenue generated from fines and forfeitures, a novel measure of structural racism, and other SDOH with county-level overdose deaths from 2017-2020.

Methods: This longitudinal analysis of 2,846 counties from 2017-2020 used bivariate and multivariate Generalized Estimating Equations models to estimate associations between county overdose mortality rates and SDOH characteristics, including the fines and forfeitures measure.