Assessing the impact of messages about reduced nicotine cigar products among people who use little cigar and cigarillo: Insights from a discrete choice experiment.

Introduction: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) pursuit of a low nicotine standard for cigarettes raises concerns that a focus on cigarettes may encourage people to use other combusted tobacco products, undermining the policy's effectiveness.

CohortDiagnostics: Phenotype evaluation across a network of observational data sources using population-level characterization.

Objective: This paper introduces a novel framework for evaluating phenotype algorithms (PAs) using the open-source tool, Cohort Diagnostics.

Materials And Methods: The method is based on several diagnostic criteria to evaluate a patient cohort returned by a PA. Diagnostics include estimates of incidence rate, index date entry code breakdown, and prevalence of all observed clinical events prior to, on, and after index date.

Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Replication and Reliability Assessment Across a Research Network.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to use observational methods to evaluate reliability of evidence generated by a study of the effect of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) on chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD) outcomes among Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Research Design And Methods: We independently reproduced a study comparing effects of GLP-1RA versus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4-i) on CLRD outcomes among patients with T2DM and prior CLRD. We reproduced inputs and outputs using the original study data (national administrative claims) and evaluated the robustness of results in comparison to alternate design/analysis decisions.

Acquired reactive perforating collagenosis secondary to Cabozantinib: A case report and literature review.

Acquired perforating dermatoses (APD) encompass a group of skin conditions distinguished by transepidermal elimination of dermal components. Acquired reactive perforating collagenosis (ARPC), a subtype of APD, has been reported most commonly in association with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, and medications. In this report, we identify a novel case of ARPC secondary to Cabozantinib treatment.

Cost-effectiveness of a Low-cost Educational Messaging and Prescription-fill Reminder Intervention to Improve Medication Adherence Among Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disability and Hypertension.

Background: Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) have a similar prevalence of hypertension as the general population, but a higher rate of medication nonadherence at 50% compared with the average of 30%.

Objectives: To assess the cost-effectiveness of educational messaging and prescription-fill reminders to adults with IDD and hypertension and their helpers among Medicaid members in a randomized control trial.

Research Design: The authors calculated net cost savings by subtracting per-participant intervention costs from differences in spending between preintervention/postintervention cases versus controls.

Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of Long-surviving Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Over 13 Years of Follow-up in the Connect MM Registry.

Background: Over the last 15 years, improvements in patient management and treatments have been associated with longer survival in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The Connect MM Registry is a long-running, US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM). We assessed the demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns of long-term survivors (LTS) enrolled in this registry.

Targeting the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway for type 2 diabetes prevention: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Chronic inflammation is a key factor in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) development. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) reduces inflammation by activating α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) on macrophages, suppressing proinflammatory cytokines. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEis), primarily used for Alzheimer's disease (AD), may exert anti-inflammatory effects through the CAP.

Impact of lenalidomide-bortezomib-dexamethasone induction on patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and renal impairment: Results from the Connect® MM Registry.

Limited data exist on the effects of induction treatment in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) and renal impairment (RI), who may also be ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant. This analysis investigated the impact of lenalidomide-bortezomib-dexamethasone (RVd) induction on renal function in patients from the Connect® MM Registry based on transplant status. Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years with symptomatic MM diagnosed ≤2 months before enrollment.

Medico-Legal Complaints Against Dermatologists: Data From the Canadian Medical Protective Association, 2013 to 2022.

Background: Medico-legal complaints against physicians are a significant source of anxiety and could be associated with defensive medical practices that may correlate with poor patient outcomes. Little is known about patient concerns brought to regulatory bodies and courts against dermatologists in Canada.

Objective: To characterize factors contributing to medico-legal complaints brought against dermatologists in Canada.

Single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals intra- and intermolecular interactions of HMP-1 during mechanotransduction.

The HMP-2/HMP-1 complex, akin to the mammalian [Formula: see text]-catenin-[Formula: see text]-catenin complex, serves as a critical mechanosensor at cell-cell adherens junctions, transducing tension between HMR-1 (also known as cadherin in mammals) and the actin cytoskeleton. Essential for embryonic development and tissue integrity in , this complex experiences tension from both internal actomyosin contractility and external mechanical microenvironmental perturbations. While offering a valuable evolutionary comparison to its mammalian counterpart, the impact of tension on the mechanical stability of HMP-1 and HMP-2/HMP-1 interactions remains unexplored.

Serum Bilirubin Levels and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism among Influenza Patients: A Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations between total serum bilirubin levels and the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among patients with influenza infection.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among outpatients with laboratory-confirmed influenza using data from the Veterans Affairs Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI). Propensity score weighting was applied to balance study groups across baseline covariates.

Improving Identification of Tic Disorders in Children.

This study combines data from five studies in a quantitative modeling approach to improve identification of tics and tic disorders using two questionnaires (the Motor or Vocal Inventory of Tics and the Description of Tic Symptoms), administered to parents and children . Combining final diagnoses (positive or negative for tic disorder) with data from recently developed questionnaires implemented to assist in the identification of tics and tic disorders in children, we investigate methods for predicting positive diagnosis while also identifying which items in the questionnaires are most predictive. Logistic regression and random forest models are compared using various summary statistics.

Wearable high-density EMG sleeve for complex hand gesture classification and continuous joint angle estimation.

High-density electromyography (HD-EMG) can provide a natural interface to enhance human-computer interaction (HCI). This study aims to demonstrate the capability of a novel HD-EMG forearm sleeve equipped with up to 150 electrodes to capture high-resolution muscle activity, decode complex hand gestures, and estimate continuous hand position via joint angle predictions. Ten able-bodied participants performed 37 hand movements and grasps while EMG was recorded using the HD-EMG sleeve.

Physical activity initiated from midlife on risk of dementia and cognitive impairment: The Health and Retirement Study.

Background: Physical activity is associated with lower risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, but existing randomized controlled trials have shown conflicting results. As cognitive decline occurs decades before the onset of dementia, physical activity interventions initiated in late life may have missed the potential window for prevention. An ideal trial of physical activity initiated from midlife and lasts till incident dementia and cognitive impairment in late life is not feasible.

Modifiable and Non-Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia Among Non-Hispanic White and Black Populations Aged 50-64 in the United States, 2006-2016.

Background And Objectives: Non-Hispanic Black populations (NHB) have a significantly higher prevalence of dementia than non-Hispanic Whites in the U.S., and the underlying risk factors may play a role in this racial disparity.

The Effect of Age and Other Patient Characteristics on Outcomes Among Nontransplanted Patients Who Were Treated With First-Line Lenalidomide, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone: Results From the Connect MM Registry.

Background: Lenalidomide (R), bortezomib (V), and dexamethasone (d) is a standard-of-care regimen in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM); however, characteristics and outcomes for nontransplanted patients receiving frontline RVd are not well understood.

Patients: The Connect MM Registry is a large, US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of NDMM patients.

Methods: This analysis investigated characteristics and outcomes of patients who received RVd alone or followed by Rd or R (RVd ± Rd/R) who did not undergo frontline autologous stem cell transplantation.

Functional Multivariable Logistic Regression With an Application to HIV Viral Suppression Prediction.

Motivated by improving the prediction of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suppression status using electronic health records (EHR) data, we propose a functional multivariable logistic regression model, which accounts for the longitudinal binary process and continuous process simultaneously. Specifically, the longitudinal measurements for either binary or continuous variables are modeled by functional principal components analysis, and their corresponding functional principal component scores are used to build a logistic regression model for prediction. The longitudinal binary data are linked to underlying Gaussian processes.

Self-reported attention and responses to cigarette package labels at the end of a two-week randomized trial of cigarette package labeling configurations.

Introduction: Cigarette package inserts that describe quitting benefits and tips may promote cessation; however, research is needed to understand better their effects, including potentially enhancing the effects of pictorial health warning labels (PHWLs).

Methods: A randomized trial with a 2×2 factorial design was conducted with adult smokers (n=356) assigned to either small text-only health warning labels (HWLs; control); inserts with cessation messages, and the small text-only HWLs (inserts-only); large PHWLs (PHWLs-only); both inserts and PHWLs (inserts + PHWLs). Participants received a 14-day supply of their preferred cigarettes with packs labeled to reflect their group.