Risk of adverse events after Omicron XBB-adapted BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccination in the United States.

Background: Limited data exists regarding the safety of the COVID-19 2023-2024 vaccine formulations and whether the safety profiles differ from the original formulations. We evaluated the association between the BNT162b2 XBB COVID-19 vaccine and the risk of 20 pre-specified adverse events of special interest (AESIs).

Methods: We identified commercially-insured individuals in the US age ≥ 6 months who received the BNT162b2 XBB COVID-19 vaccine between September 11, 2023 and January 15, 2024 within the Optum pre-adjudicated database.

S100A1ct: A Synthetic Peptide Derived From S100A1 Protein Improves Cardiac Performance and Survival in Preclinical Heart Failure Models.

Background: The EF-hand Ca sensor protein S100A1 has been identified as a molecular regulator and enhancer of cardiac performance. The ability of S100A1 to recognize and modulate the activity of targets such as SERCA2a (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca ATPase) and RyR2 (ryanodine receptor 2) in cardiomyocytes has mostly been ascribed to its hydrophobic C-terminal α-helix (residues 75-94). We hypothesized that a synthetic peptide consisting of residues 75 through 94 of S100A1 and an N-terminal solubilization tag (S100A1ct) could mimic the performance-enhancing effects of S100A1 and may be suitable as a peptide therapeutic to improve the function of diseased hearts.

Referral, enrollment, and health care use in a comprehensive patient-centered management program for osteoarthritis of the hip and knee.

Objective: Osteoarthritis management programs (OAMPs) have become a more common way to deliver patient-centered care. However, there is limited information on real-world use of these programs to guide implementation, payment policy, accessibility, and scaling in the United States. This paper describes 5-year use metrics for the Duke Joint Health Program, an OAMP embedded within a US academic health system.

Changes in Negative Emotions Across Five Weeks of HRV Biofeedback Intervention were Mediated by Changes in Resting Heart Rate Variability.

Resting heart rate variability (HRV) is typically higher in those with better emotional well-being. In the current study, we examined whether changes in resting HRV mediated changes in negative emotions during a 7-week clinical trial of HRV biofeedback. Younger and older adults were randomly assigned to one of two daily biofeedback practices for 5 weeks: (1) engage in slow-paced breathing to increase the amplitude of oscillations in heart rate at their breathing frequency (Osc+); or (2) engage in self-selected strategies to decrease heart rate oscillations (Osc-).

Geometric characteristics of stromal collagen fibres in breast cancer using differential interference contrast microscopy.

Breast cancer (BC) is characterised by a high level of heterogeneity, which is influenced by the interaction of neoplastic cells with the tumour microenvironment. The diagnostic and prognostic role of the tumour stroma in BC remains to be defined. Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy is a label-free imaging technique well suited to visualise weak optical phase objects such as cells and tissue.

High diversity in retail chicken: epidemiologically important strains may be missed with current sampling methods.

spp. are leading bacterial gastroenteritis pathogens. Infections are largely underreported, and the burden of outbreaks may be underestimated.

Nutritional Composition of Post-Catastrophic Foods.

In addition to current challenges in food production arising from climate change, soil salinization, drought, flooding, and human-caused disruption, abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios (ASRS), e.g., a nuclear winter, supervolcano eruption, or large asteroid or comet strike, are catastrophes that would severely disrupt the global food supply and decimate normal agricultural practices.

in Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA).

Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA is a freely available information resource, which includes information for inherited traits/diseases (collectively called phenes). The database focuses on Mendelian traits and their likely causal variants (mutations). Some of these Mendelian traits are favored by humans, e.

The Vertebrate Breed Ontology: Towards Effective Breed Data Standardization.

Background –: Limited universally adopted data standards in veterinary science hinders data interoperability and therefore integration and comparison; this ultimately impedes application of existing information-based tools to support advancement in veterinary diagnostics, treatments, and precision medicine.

Hypothesis/objectives –: Creation of a Vertebrate Breed Ontology (VBO) as a single, coherent logic-based standard for documenting breed names in animal health, production and research-related records will improve data use capabilities in veterinary and comparative medicine.

Animals –: No live animals were used in this study.

3-Position Biaryl Endochin-like Quinolones with Enhanced Antimalarial Performance.

ELQ-300 is a potent antimalarial drug with activity against blood, liver, and vector stages of the disease. A prodrug, , exhibits reduced crystallinity and improved in vivo efficacy in preclinical testing, and currently, it is in the developmental pipeline for once-a-week dosing for oral prophylaxis against malaria. Because of the high cost of developing a new drug for human use and the high risk of drug failure, it is prudent to have a back-up plan in place.

An outbreak of Infantis linked to shredded pork products from an unlicensed source in multiple health districts, Ontario, Canada, 2021.

Background: An outbreak of Infantis was associated with the consumption of shredded pork products at multiple restaurants in Ontario between July 2021 and October 2021. The outbreak involved 36 case-patients from six public health units. The implicated shredded pork products were obtained from an unlicensed source.

Central autonomic network dysfunction and plasma Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in older adults.

Background: Higher order regulation of autonomic function is maintained by the coordinated activity of specific cortical and subcortical brain regions, collectively referred to as the central autonomic network (CAN). Autonomic changes are frequently observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, but no studies to date have investigated whether plasma AD biomarkers are associated with CAN functional connectivity changes in at risk older adults.

Methods: Independently living older adults (N = 122) without major neurological or psychiatric disorder were recruited from the community.

The emotion paradox in the aging body and brain.

With age, parasympathetic activity decreases, while sympathetic activity increases. Thus, the typical older adult has low heart rate variability (HRV) and high noradrenaline levels. Younger adults with this physiological profile tend to be unhappy and stressed.

Serum Troponin I Assessments in 5- to 30-Year-Olds After BNT162b2 Vaccination.

Introduction: Rare myocarditis and pericarditis cases have occurred in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine recipients. Troponin levels, a potential marker of myocardial injury, were assessed in healthy participants before and after BNT162b2 vaccination.

Methods: Vaccine-experienced 12- to 30-year-olds in phase 3 crossover C4591031 Substudy B (NCT04955626) who had two or three prior BNT162b2 30-μg doses were randomized to receive BNT162b2 30 μg followed by placebo, or placebo followed by BNT162b2 30 µg, 1 month apart.

Are Surgeons Going to Be Left Holding the Bag? Incisional Hernia Repair and Intra-Peritoneal Non-Absorbable Mesh Implant Complications.

Ventral incisional hernias are common indications for elective repair and frequently complicated by recurrence. Surgical meshes, which may be synthetic, bio-synthetic, or biological, decrease recurrence and, resultingly, their use has become standard. While most patients are greatly benefited, mesh represents a permanently implanted foreign body.

Consensus on the definitions and descriptions of the domains of the OMERACT Core Outcome Set for shared decision making interventions in rheumatology trials.

Objective: To gain consensus on the definitions and descriptions of the domains of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) core domain set for rheumatology trials evaluating shared decision making (SDM) interventions.

Methods: Following the OMERACT Handbook methods, our Working Group (WG), comprised of 90 members, including 17 patient research partners (PRPs) and 73 clinicians and researchers, had six virtual meetings in addition to email exchanges to develop draft definitions and descriptions. The WG then conducted an international survey of its members to gain consensus on the definitions and descriptions.

OMERACT Core outcome measurement set for shared decision making in rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions: a scoping review to identify candidate instruments.

Objectives: Shared decision making (SDM) is a central tenet in rheumatic and musculoskeletal care. The lack of standardization regarding SDM instruments and outcomes in clinical trials threatens the comparative effectiveness of interventions. The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) SDM Working Group is developing a Core Outcome Set for trials of SDM interventions in rheumatology and musculoskeletal health.

Measuring Multidimensional Aspects of Health in the Oldest Old Using the NIH Toolbox: Results From the ARMADA Study.

Objective: The percentage of older adults living into their 80s and beyond is expanding rapidly. Characterization of typical cognitive performance in this population is complicated by a dearth of normative data for the oldest old. Additionally, little attention has been paid to other aspects of health, such as motor, sensory, and emotional functioning, that may interact with cognitive changes to predict quality of life and well-being.

A High Incidence of Perineal Post-Related Complications After Hip Arthroscopy Is Self-Reported by Patients in Anonymous Online Forums.

Purpose: To evaluate online, self-reported pudendal nerve or perineal injuries related to the use of a perineal post during hip arthroscopy.

Methods: Public posts on Reddit and the Health Organization for Pudendal Education were searched to identify anonymous individuals reporting symptoms of pudendal nerve or perineal injury following hip arthroscopy. Included posts were by any individual with a self-reported history of hip arthroscopy who developed symptoms of pudendal nerve injury or damage to the perineal soft tissues.

Patient outcomes in longitudinal observational studies (POLOS) of rheumatoid arthritis: Determining the OMERACT core domain set.

Objective: To define and select rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-specific core domain set for Longitudinal Observational Studies (LOS) within the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) framework.

Methods: A three-round online Delphi exercise, including patient research partners (PRPs) and other community partners in healthcare, was conducted. Domains scored 7-9 (i.

Genomic Basis of Freshwater Adaptation in the Palaemonid Prawn Genus Macrobrachium: Convergent Evolution Following Multiple Independent Colonization Events.

Adaptation to different salinity environments can enhance morphological and genomic divergence between related aquatic taxa. Species of prawns in the genus Macrobrachium naturally inhabit different osmotic niches and possess distinctive lifecycle traits associated with salinity tolerance. This study was conducted to investigate the patterns of adaptive genomic divergence during freshwater colonization in 34 Macrobrachium species collected from four continents; Australia, Asia, North and South America.

Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing Analysis Identifies Use of Consumables and Operating Room Time as Factors Associated With Increased Cost of Outpatient Primary Hip Arthroscopic Labral Repair.

Purpose: To use time-driven, activity-based costing (TDABC) methodology to investigate drivers of cost variation and to elucidate preoperative and intraoperative factors associated with increased cost of outpatient arthroscopic hip labral repair.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of data from January 2020 to October 2021 was performed. Patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for labral repair in the outpatient setting were included.