Microenvironment T-Type calcium channels regulate neuronal and glial processes to promote glioblastoma growth.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of microenvironment and intrinsic T-type calcium channels (Cav3) in regulating tumor growth and progression.

Methods: We grafted syngeneic GBM cells into Cav3.

Canadian colorectal cancer screening programs: How do they measure up using the International Agency for Research on Cancer criteria for organized screening?

Background: Canada has one of the highest incidences of colorectal cancer (CRC) worldwide. CRC screening improves CRC outcomes and is cost-effective. This study compares Canadian CRC screening programs using essential elements of an organized screening program outlined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Exploring the social and cultural aspects of Chinese family caregivers' experience as they support loved ones with dementia transitioning into nursing homes: a qualitative study protocol.

Introduction: Asian American caregivers supporting loved ones with dementia experience greater burden and more stress than other racial/ethnic groups, warranting the need for more culturally and linguistically appropriate formal support, such as in nursing homes. Transitioning loved ones into nursing homes with dementia care units is a complex process that can be impacted by a multitude of factors. Employing several established frameworks, including the socioecological model, this qualitative study will focus on the largest Asian American subgroup (people of Chinese descent) and explore the experience of family caregivers as they support the transition of their loved ones with dementia into nursing homes in the USA.

Efficacy of COMPAs, an App Designed to Support Communication Between Persons Living With Dementia in Long-Term Care Settings and Their Caregivers: Mixed Methods Implementation Study.

Background: Persons living with dementia experience autonomy loss and require caregiver support on a daily basis. Dementia involves a gradual decline in communication skills, leading to fewer interactions and isolation for both people living with dementia and their caregivers, negatively impacting the quality of life for both members of the dyad. The resulting stress and burden on caregivers make them particularly susceptible to burnout.

The contribution of Na1.6 to the efficacy of voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitors in wild type and Na1.6 gain-of-function (GOF) mouse seizure control.

Background And Purpose: Inhibitors of voltage-gated sodium channels (Nas) are important anti-epileptic drugs, but the contribution of specific channel isoforms is unknown since available inhibitors are non-selective. We aimed to create novel, isoform selective inhibitors of Na channels as a means of informing the development of improved antiseizure drugs.

Experimental Approach: We created a series of compounds with diverse selectivity profiles enabling block of Na1.

Vaping cessation support recommendations from adolescents who vape: a qualitative study.

Background: Youth vaping is a serious public health concern, being more prevalent than any other tobacco use. To inform cessation interventions, we explored what adolescents perceive as their reasons for quitting and strategies to help them quit.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 11 adolescents reporting vaping in the past 90 days and recruited from a high school in Massachusetts.

Duration of risk reduction in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality after a complete colonoscopy in Ontario, Canada: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Colorectal cancer guidelines recommend screening colonoscopy every 10 years after a negative procedure. If risk reduction extends past 10 years, the recommended interval could be extended, reducing the burden on the individual and health-care system. We aimed to estimate the duration that patients remain at reduced risk of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality after a complete colonoscopy.

Psychosocial Difficulties Profiles Among Youth with Intellectual Disabilities.

This study sought to identify the various configurations, or profiles, of internalizing and externalizing behaviors found among a sample of youth with intellectual disabilities (ID). These behaviors were assessed twice over one year, using self, parental, and teacher reports. Six variables were hypothesized to predict profile membership: Parent-child relationship (i.

A comprehensive analysis of Transcribed Ultra Conserved Regions uncovers important regulatory functions of novel non-coding transcripts in gliomas.

Transcribed Ultra-Conserved Regions (TUCRs) represent a severely understudied class of putative non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are 100% conserved across multiple species. We performed the first-ever analysis of TUCRs in glioblastoma (GBM) and low-grade gliomas (LGG). We leveraged large human datasets to identify the genomic locations, chromatin accessibility, transcription, differential expression, correlation with survival, and predicted functions of all 481 TUCRs, and identified TUCRs that are relevant to glioma biology.

Vaping Cessation Support Recommendations from Adolescents Who Vape: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Youth vaping is an epidemic, being more prevalent than any other tobacco use. To inform cessation interventions, we explored what adolescents perceive to be their reasons for quitting and strategies to help in their quit efforts.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 11 adolescents reporting vaping in the past 90 days and recruited from a high school in Massachusetts.

Social engagement and cognitive impairment among nursing home residents: The role of sensory impairment.

Background And Objectives: Using US national nursing home data, this cross-sectional study sought to evaluate 1) the association between lack of social engagement and level of cognitive impairment; and 2) the extent to which this association differs by hearing and visual impairment.

Research Design And Methods: Our sample included 793,846 nursing home residents aged ≥ 50 years. The Index of Social Engagement was categorized as none/lower (0, 1, 2) or higher levels (3 through 6).

Stereoselective Analysis of the Antiseizure Activity of Fenfluramine and Norfenfluramine in Mice: Is -Norfenfluramine a Better Follow-Up Compound to Racemic-Fenfluramine?

The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative antiseizure activity of the -enantiomers of ,-fenfluramine and ,-norfenfluramine and to evaluate the relationship between their concentration in plasma and brain and anticonvulsant activity. ,-Fenfluramine, ,-norfenfluramine and their individual enantiomers were evaluated in the mouse maximal electroshock seizure (MES) test. ,-Fenfluramine, ,-norfenfluramine and their individual -enantiomers were also assessed in the DBA/2 mouse audiogenic seizure model.

Assessing the Burden and Cost of COVID-19 Across Variants in Commercially Insured Immunocompromised Populations in the United States: Updated Results and Trends from the Ongoing EPOCH-US Study.

Introduction/methods: EPOCH-US is an ongoing, retrospective, observational cohort study among individuals identified in the Healthcare Integrated Research Database (HIRD) with ≥ 12 months of continuous health plan enrollment. Data were collected for the HIRD population (containing immunocompetent and immunocompromised [IC] individuals), individual IC cohorts (non-mutually exclusive cohorts based on immunocompromising condition and/or immunosuppressive [IS] treatment), and the composite IC population (all unique IC individuals). This study updates previous results with addition of the general population cohort and data specifically for the year of 2022 (i.

The role of microRNAs in brain metastasis.

Brain metastasis (BM) is the most common type of brain tumor and frequently foreshadows disease progression and poor overall survival with patients having a median survival of 6 months. 70,000 new cases of BM are diagnosed each year in the United States (US) and the incidence rate for BM is increasing with improved detection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that serve as critical regulators of gene expression and can act as powerful oncogenes and tumor suppressors.

U.S. nursing home leadership experiences with COVID-19 and its impact on residents and staff: A qualitative analysis.

Objectives: To explore experiences of U.S. (United States) nursing home leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in their efforts to address resident loneliness and social isolation and to elicit stories about personal and professional impacts on themselves and staff.

School Experiences and Anxiety Trajectories Among Youth with Intellectual Disabilities.

This study investigated how the school experiences and personal characteristics of youth with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) contribute to their longitudinal trajectories of anxiety. To this end, we relied on a sample of 390 youth with mild (48.2%) to moderate (51.

Eating Disorder Specialist Views on Gender Competency and Education for Treating Gender Minority Patients.

Studies exploring patient experience with eating disorder specialists have reported poor gender competency among clinicians, as revealed through patient-clinician interactions. Through interviews with eating disorder specialists, the authors sought to (1) clarify how and why current practice and clinical training may not meet the needs of transgender and gender-diverse patients, (2) assess where and how clinicians received education on gender identity, and (3) how changes can be made to meet educational and patient needs. Specialists were recruited, and semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Health effects of social connectedness in older adults living in congregate long-term care settings: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.

Background: The overall impact of social connectedness on health outcomes in older adults living in nursing homes and assisted living settings is unknown. Given the unclear health impact of social connectedness for older adults in congregate long-term care settings worldwide, a comprehensive systematic review is required to evaluate the overall relationship between social connectedness and health outcomes for them.

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to synthesize the literature regarding the health impact of social connectedness among older adults living in nursing homes or assisted living settings.

Development and characterization of a plant-derived norovirus-like particle vaccine.

Background: Norovirus (NoV) is the most common cause of diarrheal episodes globally. Issues with in vitro cultivation systems, genetic variation, and animal models have hindered vaccine development. Plant-derived virus-like particles (VLPs) may address some of these concerns because they are highly immunogenic, can be administered by different routes, and can be rapidly produced to accommodate emerging viral strains.

Adolescents Who Vape Nicotine and Their Experiences Vaping: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Understanding adolescent perceptions of vaping and roles it plays in their lives is needed to design effective interventions to help adolescents quit. We explored vaping experiences of 11 adolescents from initiation through quit attempts.

Methods: A convenience sample of students who vaped in the last 90 days was recruited from one suburban high school in Massachusetts.

Assessing the risk and costs of COVID-19 in immunocompromised populations in a large United States commercial insurance health plan: the EPOCH-US Study.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of patients with an immunocompromising condition at risk for COVID-19, estimate COVID-19 prevalence rate (PR) and incidence rate (IR) by immunocompromising condition, and describe COVID-19-related healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs.

Methods: Using the Healthcare Integrated Research Database (HIRD), patients with ≥1 claim for an immunocompromising condition of interest or ≥2 claims for an immunosuppressive (IS) treatment and COVID-19 diagnosis during the infection period (1 April 2020-31 March 2022) and had ≥12 months baseline data were included. Cohorts (other than the composite cohort) were not mutually exclusive and were defined by each immunocompromising condition.