High water iodine levels are associated with the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism, thyroid nodules and goiter among pregnant women in Shandong, China.

Background: Both iodine deficiency and iodine excess can harm the thyroid glands during pregnancy. In areas without iodine fortification, the relationship between the water iodine concentration (WIC) and thyroid disease in pregnant women requires further investigation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between water iodine levels and the prevalence of thyroid disease in pregnant women residing in areas with high water iodine levels without access to iodized salt.

Androgen receptor drives polyamine synthesis creating a vulnerability for prostate cancer.

Supraphysiological androgen (SPA) treatment can paradoxically restrict growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer with high androgen receptor (AR) activity, which is the basis for use of Bipolar Androgen Therapy (BAT) for patients with this disease. While androgens are widely appreciated to enhance anabolic metabolism, how SPA-mediated metabolic changes alter prostate cancer progression and therapy response is unknown. Here, we report that SPA markedly increased intracellular and secreted polyamines in prostate cancer models.

"Crying in the Wilderness"-The Use of Web-Based Support in Telomere Biology Disorders: Thematic Analysis.

Background: Web-based information and social support are commonly used in rare disease communities where geographic dispersion and limited provider expertise complicate in-person support. We examined web-based resource use among caregivers of individuals with telomere biology disorders (TBDs), which are rare genetic conditions with long diagnostic odysseys and uncertain prognoses including multiorgan system cancer risk.

Objective: This study explored internet-based information-seeking and social support practices and perspectives of patients with TBDs and their caregivers.

Mortality Trends and Causes of Death in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Patients From the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

Introduction/aim: Patients with myotonic dystrophy type1 (DM1) have reduced lifespan. This study aimed to quantify mortality risks, and evaluate causes and time trends in DM1.

Methods: We identified 1021 DM1 patients and 15,104 matched DM1-free controls from the United Kingdom (UK) Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

Foveal avascular zone enlargement correlates with visual acuity decline in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area has been explored as a measure of macular ischemia in diabetic retinopathy (DR) but is limited by its wide variability even in healthy individuals. We hypothesized that FAZ enlargement, which we defined as the difference between the functional FAZ (on optical coherence tomography angiography; OCTA) and structural FAZ (en face OCT), may be a more accurate metric of macular ischemia. In this study, we test the hypothesis that FAZ enlargement is associated with decreased best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) and performs better than the functional FAZ as a marker of vision loss.