Studying the context of psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE): Protocol paper.

Background: Global evidence on psychosis is dominated by studies conducted in Western, high-income countries. The objectives of the Study of Context Of Psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE) are (1) to generate rigorous evidence of psychosis experience, epidemiology and impacts in Ethiopia that will illuminate aetiological understanding and (2) inform development and testing of interventions for earlier identification and improved first contact care that are scalable, inclusive of difficult-to-reach populations and optimise recovery.

Methods: The setting is sub-cities of Addis Ababa and rural districts in south-central Ethiopia covering 1.

Personal genital satisfaction is associated with differences in perception of male and female sexual anatomy and function.

Background: Prior studies primarily of men correlated low personal genital satisfaction (PGS) with decreased sexual activity; however, the association between PGS and genital anatomy perceptions is unknown, and there is a paucity of studies examining women.

Aim: We assessed the relationship between genital satisfaction, survey respondent sexual activity, and perceptions of anatomy and function.

Methods: A 54-item REDCap survey was distributed to any-gendered volunteers ≥18 years of age through ResearchMatch from January to March 2023.

Long-term Pegvisomant Therapy of Acromegaly: Effects on Bone Density, Turnover and Microstructure Using HRpQCT.

Context: Fracture rate is increased in patients with active acromegaly and those in remission. Abnormalities of bone microstructure are present in patients with active disease and persist despite biochemical control after surgery. Effects of treatment with the GH receptor antagonist pegvisomant on bone microstructure were unknown.

Human IL-6 fosters long-term engraftment of patient-derived disease-driving myeloma cells in immunodeficient mice.

Multiple myeloma is a largely incurable and life-threatening malignancy of antibody-secreting plasma cells. An effective and widely available animal model that recapitulates human myeloma and related plasma cell disorders is lacking. We show that busulfan-conditioned human IL-6-transgenic (hIL-6-transgenic) NSG (NSG+hIL6) mice reliably support the engraftment of malignant and premalignant human plasma cells, including from patients diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, pre- and postrelapse myeloma, plasma cell leukemia, and amyloid light chain amyloidosis.

Pace of Aging in older adults matters for healthspan and lifespan.

As societies age, policy makers need tools to understand how demographic aging will affect population health and to develop programs to increase healthspan. The current metrics used for policy analysis do not distinguish differences caused by early-life factors, such as prenatal care and nutrition, from those caused by ongoing changes in people's bodies due to aging. Here we introduce an adapted Pace of Aging method designed to quantify differences between individuals and populations in the speed of aging-related health declines.

Complex Regulation of Protocadherin Epigenetics on Aging-Related Brain Health.

Life expectancy continues to increase in the high-income world due to advances in medical care; however, quality of life declines with increasing age due to normal aging processes. Current research suggests that various aspects of aging are genetically modulated and thus may be slowed via genetic modification. Here, we show evidence for epigenetic modulation of the aging process in the brain from over 1800 individuals as part of the Framingham Heart Study.

Proactive vaccination using multiviral Quartet Nanocages to elicit broad anti-coronavirus responses.

Defending against future pandemics requires vaccine platforms that protect across a range of related pathogens. Nanoscale patterning can be used to address this issue. Here, we produce quartets of linked receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from a panel of SARS-like betacoronaviruses, coupled to a computationally designed nanocage through SpyTag/SpyCatcher links.

Effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease among children in the United States between 2010 and 2019: An indirect cohort study.

Background: A U.S. case-control study (2010-2014) demonstrated vaccine effectiveness (VE) for ≥ 1 dose of the thirteen-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against vaccine-type (VT) invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) at 86 %; however, it lacked statistical power to examine VE by number of doses and against individual serotypes.

The Anterior Interhemispheric Transcallosal Approach to the Ventricles: How We Do It.

Intraventricular tumors of the lateral and third ventricles are relatively rare, accounting for 1-2% of all primary brain tumors in most large series [1-4]. They can be uniquely challenging to approach due to their deep location, propensity to become large before they are discovered, and association with hydrocephalus [5, 6]. The surgeon's goal is to develop a route to these deep lesions that will cause the least morbidity, provide adequate working space, and achieve a complete resection.

International Myeloma Working Group immunotherapy committee consensus guidelines and recommendations for optimal use of T-cell-engaging bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease, despite the development of numerous drug classes and combinations that have contributed to improved overall survival. Immunotherapies directed against cancer cell-surface antigens, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and T-cell-redirecting bispecific antibodies, have recently received regulatory approvals and shown unprecedented efficacy. However, these immunotherapies have unique mechanisms of action and toxicities that are different to previous treatments for myeloma, so experiences from clinical trials and early access programmes are essential for providing specific recommendations for management of patients, especially as these agents become available across many parts of the world.

The Role of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in the Treatment of Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism: Review by Middle East and North African Experts.

Venous thromboembolism is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with active cancer who require anticoagulation treatment. Choice of anticoagulant is based on careful balancing of the risks and benefits of available classes of treatment: vitamin K antagonists, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Results from randomized controlled trials have shown the consistent efficacy of DOACs versus LMWH in the treatment of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Bladder Stones in Renal Transplant Patients: Presentation, Management, and Follow-up.

Introduction: The study aim was to analyze the presentation, management, and follow-up of renal transplant patients developing bladder calculi.

Methods: Patients who underwent renal transplant with postoperative follow-up at our institution were retrospectively analyzed (1984-2023) to assess for the development of posttransplant bladder stones. All bladder stones were identified by computerized tomography imaging and stone size was measured using this imaging modality.

Return of the Living Dead Gut - A Case Report of Ischemic Colitis Identified on Point of Care Ultrasound.

Ischemic colitis is the most common form of gastrointestinal ischemia 1. The diagnosis of ischemic colitis is made by clinical data and computed tomography (CT) imaging of the abdomen and pelvis 1. While colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for diagnosis, this is not performed in the emergency department (ED) 2.

Critically Evaluating the Role for Postoperative Antibiotics in Patients Undergoing Urethroplasty With Buccal Mucosa Graft: A Claims Database Analysis.

Objective: To compare outcomes among patients undergoing first-time urethroplasty with buccal mucosa graft (BMG) who receive postoperative antibiotics vs those who do not.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX claims database between 2008-2022. Using CPT, ICD10, and LOINC codes, patients >18 years old undergoing primary urethroplasty with BMG who received an outpatient prescription for antibiotics between postoperative day 0-30 or did not were queried.

Lost in the pandemic: COVID-19's impact on health professions educators.

Background: Minimal research has explored the pandemic's impact on health professions educators (HPEs). Given that health professions educator academies provide centralised support and professional development to HPEs through communities of practice and promoting education at their institutions, it is important to examine how academies met HPEs' needs during the pandemic. This study investigates the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on HPEs and examines how academies supported HPEs' educational roles during the pandemic.

Moving Beyond International Classification of Diseases Codes for the Retrospective Identification of Gender Diverse Veterans.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) systematically asks Veterans to self-report gender identity for documentation in their electronic health record. Veterans with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) identities experience higher rates of several health conditions compared to Veterans without minoritized gender identities. Historically, cohorts of TGD Veterans were built with International Classification of Diseases Version 10 (ICD-10) codes assigned during clinical encounters.

Neuropsychiatric complications of coronavirus disease 2019: Mount Sinai Health System cohort study.

Objective: To describe the frequency of neuropsychiatric complications among hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their association with pre-existing comorbidities and clinical outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients hospitalized with COVID-19 within a large multicenter New York City health system between March 15, 2020 and May 17, 2021 and randomly selected a representative cohort for detailed chart review. Clinical data, including the occurrence of neuropsychiatric complications (categorized as either altered mental status [AMS] or other neuropsychiatric complications) and in-hospital mortality, were extracted using an electronic medical record database and individual chart review.

Cohort study of patients with advanced cancer: outcomes associated with duration of antibiotic therapy for non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia.

In this single-center observational study of 118 older adults with advanced cancer who developed non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia, prolonged antibiotic durations (8-14 and ≥15 vs ≤7 d) were not associated with reduced adjusted odds of 90-day all-cause readmission or death. These data may inform antimicrobial stewardship efforts in palliative care settings.

Comparison of canine colostrum and milk using a multi-omics approach.

Background: A mother's milk is considered the gold standard of nutrition in neonates and is a source of cytokines, immunoglobulins, growth factors, and other important components, yet little is known about the components of canine milk, specifically colostrum, and the knowledge related to its microbial and metabolic profiles is particularly underwhelming. In this study, we characterized canine colostrum and milk microbiota and metabolome for several breeds of dogs and examined profile shifts as milk matures in the first 8 days post-whelping.

Results: Through untargeted metabolomics, we identified 63 named metabolites that were significantly differentially abundant between days 1 and 8 of lactation.

Optogenetic control of Nodal signaling patterns.

A crucial step in early embryogenesis is the establishment of spatial patterns of signaling activity. Tools to perturb morphogen signals with high resolution in space and time can help reveal how embryonic cells decode these signals to make appropriate fate decisions. Here, we present new optogenetic reagents and an experimental pipeline for creaHng designer Nodal signaling patterns in live zebrafish embryos.

Network localization of pediatric lesion-induced dystonia.

Objective: Dystonia is a movement disorder defined by involuntary muscle contractions leading to abnormal postures or twisting and repetitive movements. Classically dystonia has been thought of as a disorder of the basal ganglia, but newer results in idiopathic dystonia and lesion-induced dystonia in adults point to broader motor network dysfunction spanning the basal ganglia, cerebellum, premotor cortex, sensorimotor, and frontoparietal regions. It is unclear whether a similar network is shared between different etiologies of pediatric lesion-induced dystonia.

Rationale and design of the PACIFIC-PRESERVED (PhenomApping, ClassIFication and Innovation for Cardiac dysfunction in patients with heart failure and PRESERVED left ventricular ejection fraction) study.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous syndrome that is poorly defined, reflecting an incomplete understanding of its pathophysiology.

Aim: To redefine the phenotypic spectrum of HFpEF.

Methods: The PACIFIC-PRESERVED study is a prospective multicentre cohort study designed to perform multidimensional deep phenotyping of patients diagnosed with HFpEF (left ventricular ejection fraction≥50%), patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (left ventricular ejection fraction≤40%) and subjects without overt heart failure (3:2:1 ratio).

Optimizing clinical outcomes for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with Zephyr® valves.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction treatment with Zephyr one-way valves is an effective guideline-based treatment option for patients with severe emphysema and hyperinflation. However, in some cases the treatment response is less than anticipated or there might be a loss of initial treatment effect. Reasons for the lack of response can include incorrect assessment of collateral ventilation, improper valve placement, or patient related factors.