Burden of vascular risk factors by age, sex, ethnicity and deprivation in young adults with and without newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Do associations between age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and vascular risk factors vary by ethnicity and deprivation?

Methods: Utilising the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we matched 16-50-year-old individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes to ∼10 individuals without using sex, age and primary care practice. Differences in BMI, obesity, LDL-cholesterol, HbA1c, and hypertension between individuals with vs without type 2 diabetes across sex, age, ethnicity and deprivation quintiles were explored using generalised linear models.

Results: We included 108,061 individuals (45.

SWOG S1815: A Phase III Randomized Trial of Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, and Nab-Paclitaxel Versus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin in Newly Diagnosed, Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers.

Purpose: SWOG S1815 was a randomized, open label phase III trial, evaluating gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and cisplatin (GAP) versus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) in patients with newly diagnosed advanced biliary tract cancers (BTCs).

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed locally advanced unresectable or metastatic BTC, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) and gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), were randomly assigned 2:1 to either GAP (gemcitabine 800 mg/m, cisplatin 25 mg/m, and nab-paclitaxel 100 mg/m intravenously once per day on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle) or GC (gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m and cisplatin 25 mg/m intravenously once per day on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle).

Results: Among 452 randomly assigned participants, 441 were eligible and analyzable, 67% with ICC, 16% with GBC, and 17% with ECC.

HEAL-D Online: Exploring the potential for the spread and adoption of a virtual culturally tailored diabetes self-management programme for adults of African and Caribbean heritage.

Background: People of African and Caribbean heritage in the UK have a higher prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and poorer health outcomes than white Europeans. Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes Online (HEAL-D Online) is a co-designed, culturally tailored T2D self-management programme for black African and Caribbean adults, which, due to online delivery, is well positioned for spread. This qualitative evaluation uses the Exploration-Preparation-Implementation-Sustainment (EPIS) framework to explore factors affecting scale-up from delivery and commissioning perspectives.

A consensus definition for deep layer 6 excitatory neurons in mouse neocortex.

To understand neocortical function, we must first define its cell types. Recent studies indicate that neurons in the deepest cortical layer play roles in mediating thalamocortical interactions and modulating brain state and are implicated in neuropsychiatric disease. However, understanding the functions of deep layer 6 (L6b) neurons has been hampered by the lack of agreed upon definitions for these cell types.

Transcriptional profiles of murine oligodendrocyte precursor cells across the lifespan.

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are highly dynamic, widely distributed glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS) that are responsible for generating myelinating oligodendrocytes during development. By also generating new oligodendrocytes in the adult CNS, OPCs allow formation of new myelin sheaths in response to environmental and behavioral changes and play a crucial role in regenerating myelin following demyelination (remyelination). However, the rates of OPC proliferation and differentiation decline dramatically with aging, which may impair homeostasis, remyelination, and adaptive myelination during learning.

Retinal ganglion cell-derived semaphorin 6A segregates starburst amacrine cell dendritic scaffolds to organize the mouse inner retina.

To form functional circuits, neurons must settle in their appropriate cellular locations, and then project and elaborate neurites to contact their target synaptic neuropils. Laminar organization within the vertebrate retinal inner plexiform layer (IPL) facilitates pre- and postsynaptic neurite targeting, yet the precise mechanisms underlying establishment of functional IPL subdomains are not well understood. Here, we explore mechanisms defining the compartmentalization of OFF and ON neurites generally, and OFF and ON direction-selective neurites specifically, within the developing mouse IPL.

Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D) Online: a mixed methods evaluation exploring the feasibility of implementing a virtual culturally tailored diabetes self-management programme for African and Caribbean communities.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of delivering Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D) Online.

Intervention: HEAL-D Online-a 7-week culturally tailored type 2 diabetes educational programme delivered using online platform.

Setting: Programme delivered by a London NHS trust, with patients referred from primary care healthcare professionals via a central booking system.

Conserved transcriptional regulation by BRN1 and BRN2 in neocortical progenitors drives mammalian neural specification and neocortical expansion.

The neocortex varies in size and complexity among mammals due to the tremendous variability in the number and diversity of neuronal subtypes across species. The increased cellular diversity is paralleled by the expansion of the pool of neocortical progenitors and the emergence of indirect neurogenesis during brain evolution. The molecular pathways that control these biological processes and are disrupted in neurological disorders remain largely unknown.

Ethnic differences in the relationship between ectopic fat deposition and insulin sensitivity in Black African and White European men across a spectrum of glucose tolerance.

Aim: To examine the hypothesis that there would be ethnic differences in the relationship between ectopic fat and tissue-specific insulin resistance (IR) across a spectrum of glucose tolerance in Black African (BA) and White European (WE) men.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-three WE men (23/10/20 normal glucose tolerance [NGT]/impaired glucose tolerance [IGT]/type 2 diabetes [T2D]) and 48 BA men (20/10/18, respectively) underwent a two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp with infusion of D-[6,6-H]-glucose and [H]-glycerol to assess hepatic, peripheral and adipose tissue IR. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure subcutaneous adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and intrahepatic lipid (IHL).

Ethnic differences in postprandial fatty acid trafficking and utilization between overweight and obese White European and Black African-Caribbean men.

Black African-Caribbean (BAC) populations are at greater risk of cardiometabolic disease than White Europeans (WE), despite exhibiting lower fasting triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations. However, limited data exist regarding postprandial fatty acid metabolism in BAC populations. This study determined the ethnic differences in postprandial fatty acid metabolism between overweight and obese WE and BAC men.

Multi-sample non-negative spatial factorization.

Analyzing multi-sample spatial transcriptomics data requires accounting for biological variation. We present multi-sample non-negative spatial factorization (mNSF), an alignment-free framework extending single-sample spatial factorization (NSF) to multi-sample datasets. mNSF incorporates sample-specific spatial correlation modeling and extracts low-dimensional data representations.

Noninvasive Ventilation for Moderate to Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to COVID-19.

Background: Use of noninvasive ventilation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is debated. The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges due to high patient volumes and worldwide resource strain.

Objectives: To determine associations between use of noninvasive ventilation in adult patients with moderate to severe ARDS due to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, progression to intubation, and hospital mortality.

Physiological regulation of neuronal Wnt activity is essential for TDP-43 localization and function.

Nuclear exclusion of the RNA- and DNA-binding protein TDP-43 can induce neurodegeneration in different diseases. Diverse processes have been implicated to influence TDP-43 mislocalization, including disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT); however, the physiological pathways that normally ensure TDP-43 nuclear localization are unclear. The six-transmembrane enzyme glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 2 (GDE2 or GDPD5) cleaves the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that tethers some proteins to the membrane.

Co-development of breast cancer health promotion educational materials for ethnically diverse women working with hairdressing and beauty salons: BELONG study.

Background: Improved screening uptake is essential for early breast cancer detection, women's health and reducing health disparities. However, minority ethnic and deprived communities often face lower breast cancer screening rates and limited access to culturally tailored educational materials. A recent review found limited culturally tailored materials for breast cancer education.

Ultrasound-guided erector spinae nerve block for relief of chest pain from pneumonia in the emergency department.

Erector spinae plane blocks (ESPB) have shown to provide meaningful chest wall anesthesia and reduce opioid consumption after thoracic surgery. Emergency physicians often use erector spinae plane blocks in the emergency department (ED) for rib fractures when acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), and opioids fail to control pain. They have also demonstrated successful pain management for conditions like herpes zoster, renal colic, burns, and acute pancreatitis for ED patients.

Insights for disease modeling from single-cell transcriptomics of iPSC-derived Ngn2-induced neurons and astrocytes across differentiation time and co-culture.

Background: Trans-differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells into neurons via Ngn2-induction (hiPSC-N) has become an efficient system to quickly generate neurons a likely significant advance for disease modeling and in vitro assay development. Recent single-cell interrogation of Ngn2-induced neurons, however, has revealed some similarities to unexpected neuronal lineages. Similarly, a straightforward method to generate hiPSC-derived astrocytes (hiPSC-A) for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders has also been described.

Systemic Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: ASCO Guideline Update.

Purpose: To update an evidence-based guideline to assist in clinical decision-making for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: ASCO convened an Expert Panel to update the 2020 guideline on systemic therapy for HCC. The panel updated the systematic review to include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published through October 2023 and updated recommendations.

The queen bee phenomenon in Canadian surgical subspecialties: An evaluation of gender biases in the resident training environment.

Background: The queen bee phenomenon (QBP) describes the behavioural response that occurs when women achieve success in a male-dominated environment, and in this position of authority, treat their female subordinates more critically. It has been demonstrated in business, academia, the military, and police force. The goal of this study was to determine whether the QBP occurs in surgical specialties.

Polarization-Selective Enhancement of Telecom Wavelength Quantum Dot Transitions in an Elliptical Bullseye Resonator.

Semiconductor quantum dots are promising candidates for the generation of nonclassical light. Coupling a quantum dot to a device capable of providing polarization-selective enhancement of optical transitions is highly beneficial for advanced functionalities, such as efficient resonant driving schemes or applications based on optical cyclicity. Here, we demonstrate broadband polarization-selective enhancement by coupling a quantum dot emitting in the telecom O-band to an elliptical bullseye resonator.

Waist circumference and cardiometabolic parameters in people of African/Caribbean ancestry with HIV in South London (CKD-AFRICA study).

Background: There are no validated waist circumference (WC) cut-offs to define metabolic syndrome in Black people with HIV.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses within the CKD-AFRICA study. We used Pearson correlation coefficients and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to describe the relationship between WC and cardiometabolic parameters including triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and to identify optimal WC cut-offs for each of these outcomes.

Associations between social determinants of health and comorbidity and multimorbidity in people of black ethnicities with HIV.

Objective: Social determinants of health (SDH) are important determinants of long-term conditions and multimorbidity in the general population. The intersecting relationship between SDH and multimorbidity in people with HIV remains poorly studied.

Design: A cross-sectional study investigating the relationships between eight socio-economic parameters and prevalent comorbidities of clinical significance and multimorbidity in adults of African ancestry with HIV aged 18-65 years in South London, UK.