An Evaluation of Self-Assessed Caregiver Readiness to Foster and Adopt After Participating in the National Training and Development Curriculum.

Purpose: The self-assessment is a component of the National Training and Development Curriculum (NTDC) used by resource (i.e. foster, adoptive, and kinship) parents to understand strengths and areas of potential growth associated with successful parenting.

2024 White Paper on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis: Three Way-Cross Validation; Urine Clinical Analysis; Automated Methods; Regulatory Queries on Plasma Protein Binding; Automated Biospecimen Management; ELN Migration; Ultra-Sensitivity Mass Spectrometry ( - Recommendations on Advanced Strategies for Mass Spectrometry Assays, Chromatography, Sample Preparation and BMV/Regulated Bioanalysis - Regulatory Agencies' Inputs on Regulated Bioanalysis/BMV).

The 18 Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (18 WRIB) took place in San Antonio, TX, USA on May 6-10, 2024. Over 1100 professionals representing pharma/biotech companies, CROs, and multiple regulatory agencies convened to actively discuss the most current topics of interest in bioanalysis. The 18 WRIB included 3 Main Workshops and 7 Specialized Workshops that together spanned 1 week to allow an exhaustive and thorough coverage of all major issues in bioanalysis of biomarkers, immunogenicity, gene therapy, cell therapy and vaccines.

Does Sex Matter in Obesity-Induced Periodontal Inflammation in the SS Mutant Rats?

The incidence of obesity has dramatically increased worldwide. Obesity has been shown to exacerbate the progression of periodontal disease. Studies suggest a sex difference in periodontitis, whereby males are more sensitive to periodontal inflammation compared to females.

Nanobubble Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging: A Review.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is currently used worldwide with clinical indications in cardiology and radiology, and it continues to evolve and develop through innovative technological advancements. Clinically utilized contrast agents for ultrasound consist of hydrophobic gas microbubbles stabilized with a biocompatible shell. These agents are used commonly in echocardiography, with emerging applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Wait, What? What's Going On?- Pregnancy Experiences of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mothers Who Do Not Sign.

Objective: Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) women experience higher rates of reproductive healthcare barriers and adverse birth outcomes compared to their hearing peers. This study explores the pregnancy experiences of DHH women who do not sign to better understand their barriers and facilitators to optimal perinatal health care.

Design: Qualitative study using thematic analysis.

A Brief Report of Lung Cancer Screening Utilization Before, During, and in the Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.

Introduction: Although COVID-19 has affected health care and screening utilization, its impact on lung cancer screening (LCS) uptake remains unclear. Our study investigated LCS utilization and associated predictors among adults eligible for LCS before (2019), during (2020-2021), and at a later stage (2022) of COVID-19.

Methods: We used cross-sectional, nationally representative, population-based data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System over 4 consecutive years: 2019 (n = 4484; weighted n = 1,559,37), 2020 (n = 1239; weighted n = 200,301), 2021 (n = 1673; weighted n = 668,359), and 2022 (n = 20,804; weighted n = 9,458,907).

Third-Trimester Ultrasound Diagnosis of Large for Gestational Age and Risk of Cesarean Delivery.

Objective: Determine if knowledge of a third-trimester ultrasound diagnosis of large for gestational age (LGA) independently increases the risk of cesarean delivery (CD).

Study Design: Historical cohort comparing CD rate among patients diagnosed with an LGA fetus on a clinically indicated ultrasound from January 2017 to July 2021 with those without an LGA diagnosis at 34 weeks or later. LGA was defined as an ultrasound-estimated fetal weight greater than or equal to the 90th percentile for the gestational age.

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Nurse-Led Brief Behavioral Intervention for Dyspnea in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer.

Purpose: In patients with lung cancer, dyspnea is one of the most prevalent and disabling symptoms, for which effective treatments are lacking. We examined the efficacy of a nurse-led brief behavioral intervention to improve dyspnea in patients with advanced lung cancer.

Methods: Patients with advanced lung cancer reporting at least moderate breathlessness (n = 247) were enrolled in a randomized trial of a nurse-led two-session intervention (focused on breathing techniques, postural positions, and fan therapy) versus usual care.

Nursing leadership in tobacco dependence treatment to advance health equity: An American Academy of Nursing policy manuscript.

Background: Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States and is a significant cause of health disparities.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to update the Tobacco Control policy paper published over a decade ago by the American Academy of Nursing's Health Behavior Expert Panel Tobacco Control subcommittee.

Methods: Members reviewed and synthesized published literature from 2012 to 2024 to identify the current state of the science related to nurse-led tobacco dependence treatment and implications for nursing practice, education, and research.

Lower Income, Smoking, Cardiopulmonary Comorbidities, and Higher Symptom Burden Influence the Occurrence of Cough in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To identify subgroups of patients with distinct cough occurrence profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups.

Sample & Setting: Outpatients receiving chemotherapy (N = 1,338) completed questionnaires six times over two chemotherapy cycles.

Methods & Variables: Occurrence of cough was assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale.

Utility of methylated DNA markers for the diagnosis of malignant biliary strictures.

Background And Aims: Early identification of malignant biliary strictures (MBSs) is challenging, with up to 20% classified as indeterminants after preliminary testing and tissue sampling with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. We aimed to evaluate the use of methylated DNA markers (MDMs) from biliary brushings to enhance MBS detection in a prospective cohort.

Approach: Candidate MDMs were evaluated for their utility in MBS diagnosis through a series of discovery and validation phases.

Prkd1 regulates the formation and repair of plasma membrane disruptions (PMD) in osteocytes.

We and others have seen that osteocytes sense high-impact osteogenic mechanical loading via transient plasma membrane disruptions (PMDs) which initiate downstream mechanotransduction. However, a PMD must be repaired for the cell to survive this wounding event. Previous work suggested that the protein Prkd1 (also known as PKCμ) may be a critical component of this PMD repair process, but the specific role of Prkd1 in osteocyte mechanobiology had not yet been tested.

Effectiveness of a computer-facilitated intervention on improving provider delivery of tobacco treatment in a thoracic surgery and oncology outpatient setting: A pilot study.

Introduction: Effective tobacco treatments are available but are often not delivered to individuals with an actual or potential diagnosis of thoracic malignancy. The specific aims of this study were to identify the prevalence of tobacco use and examine the effectiveness of the Clinical and community Effort Against Smoking and secondhand smoke Exposure (CEASE), a system-level computer-facilitated intervention, to improve provider delivery of tobacco treatment in a thoracic surgery and oncology outpatient setting.

Methods: A pre-post-test design was used to assess the effectiveness of CEASE.

Using imaging modalities to predict nanoparticle distribution and treatment efficacy in solid tumors: The growing role of ultrasound.

Nanomedicine in oncology has not had the success in clinical impact that was anticipated in the early stages of the field's development. Ideally, nanomedicines selectively accumulate in tumor tissue and reduce systemic side effects compared to traditional chemotherapeutics. However, this has been more successful in preclinical animal models than in humans.

A qualitative analysis of algorithm-based decision support usability testing for symptom management across the trajectory of cancer care: one size does not fit all.

Background: Adults with cancer experience symptoms that change across the disease trajectory. Due to the distress and cost associated with uncontrolled symptoms, improving symptom management is an important component of quality cancer care. Clinical decision support (CDS) is a promising strategy to integrate clinical practice guideline (CPG)-based symptom management recommendations at the point of care.

Common and distinct risk factors that influence more severe and distressing shortness of breath profiles in oncology outpatients.

Background: Shortness of breath occurs in 10%-70% of oncology patients. Very little is known about interindividual variability in its severity and distress and associated risk factors. Using latent profile analyses (LPAs), purpose was to identify subgroups of patients with distinct severity and distress profiles for shortness of breath as single symptom dimensions.

Decorrelation Time Mapping as an Analysis Tool for Nanobubble-Based Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging.

Nanobubbles (NBs; ~100-500 nm diameter) are preclinical ultrasound (US) contrast agents that expand applications of contrast enhanced US (CEUS). Due to their sub-micron size, high particle density, and deformable shell, NBs in pathological states of heightened vascular permeability (e.g.

Dyspnea-Related Dimensions And Self-Efficacy: Associations With Well-Being in Advanced Lung Cancer.

Context: Dyspnea is a complex, multidimensional symptom comprising sensory-perceptual, affective, and functional domains that commonly persists in patients with lung cancer and impairs mental health and quality of life (QOL). However, data are lacking on how dyspnea's dimensions or self-efficacy to manage dyspnea are associated with patient outcomes.

Objectives: To assess the associations of dyspnea dimensions (dyspnea-related sensory-perceptual experience, affective distress, and functional impact) and dyspnea self-efficacy with depression, anxiety, and QOL in patients with advanced lung cancer reporting dyspnea.