Kisspeptin as a test of hypothalamic dysfunction in pubertal and reproductive disorders.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is regulated by the gonadotropin-releasing hormone pulse generator in the hypothalamus. This is comprised of neurons that secrete kisspeptin in a pulsatile manner to stimulate the release of GnRH, and, in turn, downstream gonadotropins from the pituitary gland, and subsequently sex steroids and gametogenesis from the gonads. Many reproductive disorders in both males and females are characterized by hypothalamic dysfunction, including functional disorders (such as age-related hypogonadism, obesity-related secondary hypogonadism, hyperprolactinemia, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and polycystic ovary syndrome), structural pathologies (such as craniopharyngiomas or radiation or surgery-related hypothalamic dysfunction), and pubertal disorders (constitutional delay of growth and puberty and congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism).

Bridging theory and practice: Experiences of diagnostic radiography students during clinical training in resource-constrained settings.

Introduction: Clinical training is crucial for diagnostic radiography students, bridging theoretical knowledge with practical skills. In resource-constrained settings, this training may face unique challenges that might significantly impact learning outcomes and future practice. Despite its importance, the experiences of diagnostic radiography students during clinical placements remain understudied, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Examining Relations Between Sexualizing Media Exposure and Sexting Attitudes and Behaviors among U.S. Adolescents.

Based on social cognitive processes (Bandura, 2009), sexualizing media likely provide adolescents with credible role models for their own sexualized self-presentation in other mediated contexts, such as sexting. A survey of 6,093 US adolescents was conducted (Mage = 15.27 years, SD = 1.

Unmet needs for long-term services and supports and associations with health outcomes.

Background: The availability of population-level data on unmet needs for long-term services and supports (LTSS) is limited at state and national levels. Data on unmet LTSS needs can improve our understanding of disparities and relationships with health outcomes.

Objective: 1) Explore differences in unmet LTSS needs by socio-demographic characteristics, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, metropolitan status, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status; and 2) Examine associations between unmet LTSS needs and health/preventative healthcare outcomes.

Evaluating the diagnostic and triage performance of digital and online symptom checkers for the presentation of myocardial infarction; A retrospective cross-sectional study.

Online symptom checkers are increasingly popular health technologies that enable patients to input their symptoms to produce diagnoses and triage advice. However, there is concern regarding the performance and safety of symptom checkers in diagnosing and triaging patients with life-threatening conditions. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate and compare commercially available symptom checkers for performance in diagnosing and triaging myocardial infarctions (MI).

Examining Clinical Features and Severe Neurologic Disease of Parechovirus Infection in Young Infants: A Multistate Cohort Study.

Background: Human parechovirus (HPeV) infection can result in severe disease in infants, including sepsis, seizures, brain injury, and death. In 2022, a resurgence of HPeV was noted in young infants. The spectrum of illness and outcomes remain to be fully described.

Safety and efficacy outcomes of early cessation of anti-PD1 therapy in patients 80 years or older: A retrospective cohort study.

Older patients have similar immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy and rates of adverse events as younger patients, but appear to have decreased tolerability, particularly in the oldest patient cohort (>80 years), often leading to early cessation of therapy. We aimed to determine whether early discontinuation impacts efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients ≥80 years old. In this retrospective, multicenter, international cohort study, we examined 773 patients with 4 tumor types who were at least 80 years old and treated with anti-PD-1 therapy.

Social Factors Associated With Congenital Syphilis in Missouri.

Background: Congenital syphilis disproportionately affects individuals impacted by adverse social determinants of health. Understanding these determinants may help facilitate holistic care.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of mother-infant dyads with potential congenital syphilis in a Missouri hospital system.

Fast and Efficient Root Phenotyping via Pose Estimation.

Image segmentation is commonly used to estimate the location and shape of plants and their external structures. Segmentation masks are then used to localize landmarks of interest and compute other geometric features that correspond to the plant's phenotype. Despite its prevalence, segmentation-based approaches are laborious (requiring extensive annotation to train) and error-prone (derived geometric features are sensitive to instance mask integrity).

Safety and Tolerability of KIO-101 Eye Drops in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Ocular Surface Disease-A Phase I Study.

Purpose: Inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) have been found to be potent anti-inflammatory agents. Recently, a topical formulation (KIO-101 eye drops) of a DHODH inhibitor has been developed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of KIO-101 eye drops in Healthy Volunteers (HVs) and patients with conjunctival hyperemia.

Barriers to implementing good nutrition in pregnancy and early childhood: Creating equitable national solutions.

Exposure to deleterious stressors in early life, such as poor nutrition, underlies most adult-onset chronic diseases. As rates of chronic disease continue to climb in the United States, a focus on good nutrition before and during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood provides a potential opportunity to reverse this trend. This report provides an overview of nutrition investigations in pregnancy and early childhood and addresses racial disparities and health outcomes, current national guidelines, and barriers to achieving adequate nutrition in pregnant individuals and children.

HDAC1/2 inhibitor therapy improves multiple organ systems in aged mice.

Aging increases the risk of age-related diseases, imposing substantial healthcare and personal costs. Targeting fundamental aging mechanisms pharmacologically can promote healthy aging and reduce this disease susceptibility. In this work, we employed transcriptome-based drug screening to identify compounds emulating transcriptional signatures of long-lived genetic interventions.

Verbal Encouragement Provokes Significant Increases in Maximal Volitional Dynamic Postural Sway.

Limits of Stability protocols are typically target-oriented, leaving volitional aspects of control unobservable. A novel unconstrained protocol, volitional Limits of Stability (vLOS), shows high test-retest-reliability. We tested if verbal encouragement impacts this protocol.

Fast and efficient root phenotyping via pose estimation.

Image segmentation is commonly used to estimate the location and shape of plants and their external structures. Segmentation masks are then used to localize landmarks of interest and compute other geometric features that correspond to the plant's phenotype. Despite its prevalence, segmentation-based approaches are laborious (requiring extensive annotation to train), and error-prone (derived geometric features are sensitive to instance mask integrity).

Exploring the implementation of role extension for Namibian radiographers: Perspectives on intravenous injection of contrast media.

Introduction: Role extension to include intravenous (IV) injection of contrast media has been formally embraced by radiographers and their regulatory bodies in developed countries. The revised scope of practice, in our Namibian context, has formalised IV injection as an extended role for radiographers. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of radiographers regarding this new role of IV injection of contrast media.

Reducing inappropriate oxygen use in hospitalized medicine patients.

Introduction: Evidence suggests inappropriate oxygenation may be harmful to patients. To improve oxygen use in our hospital, we initiated a quality improvement project with a goal to reduce the percentage of inappropriate utilization of oxygen by 50% within a year.

Methods: Nasal cannula (NC) oxygen use data for medicine inpatients was abstracted weekly for chart review.

Primping, performing, and policing: Social media use and self-sexualization among U.S. White, Black, and Asian-American adolescent girls.

Objectification theorists argue that routine sexual objectification, experienced interpersonally and via the media, encourages women and adolescent girls to value their external appearance and sexiness above other bodily experiences and competencies. Commonly, tests of this theory have linked exposure to sexualizing media content (i.e.

Reducing mitochondrial ribosomal gene expression does not alter metabolic health or lifespan in mice.

Maintaining mitochondrial function is critical to an improved healthspan and lifespan. Introducing mild stress by inhibiting mitochondrial translation invokes the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR) and increases lifespan in several animal models. Notably, lower mitochondrial ribosomal protein (MRP) expression also correlates with increased lifespan in a reference population of mice.

Preparedness to assume professional roles: experiences of recently qualified radiographers: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Recently qualified health workers including radiographers struggle with workplace integration. Similarly, in our local context, undocumented complaints were received from the various heads of departments and radiologists regarding recently qualified radiographers' ability to fully assume their professional roles. In light of the complaints, this study sought to explore and describe the lived experiences of recently qualified radiographers from one local University on their readiness to assume their professional roles.

Justification of radiological procedures: Radiographers' experiences at two public hospitals.

Background: Justification is a process conducted by the radiographer in consultation with the radiologist to evaluate radiological procedures ordered by doctors. The main purpose for justifying all radiologic procedures is to assess the benefits and risks of a requested radiographic procedure and determine whether exposure will continue. Furthermore, justification helps to prevent unnecessary radiation exposure and reduce the chances of harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

Cross-Linking of Sugar-Derived Polyethers and Boronic Acids for Renewable, Self-Healing, and Single-Ion Conducting Organogel Polymer Electrolytes.

This report describes the synthesis and characterization of organogels by reaction of a diol-containing polyether, derived from the sugar d-xylose, with 1,4-phenylenediboronic acid (PDBA). The cross-linked materials were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and rheology. The rheological material properties could be tuned: gel or viscoelastic behavior depended on the concentration of polymer, and mechanical stiffness increased with the amount of PDBA cross-linker.