Co-regulator activity of Mediator of DNA Damage Checkpoint 1 (MDC1) is associated with DNA repair dysfunction and PARP inhibitor sensitivity in lobular carcinoma of the breast.

Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast (ILC) are typically estrogen receptor α (ER)-positive and present with biomarkers of anti-estrogen sensitive disease, yet patients with ILC face uniquely poor long-term outcomes with increased recurrence risk, suggesting endocrine response and ER function are unique in ILC. We previously found specifically in ILC cells that ER is co-regulated by the DNA repair protein Mediator of DNA Damage Checkpoint 1 (MDC1). This novel MDC1 activity, however, was associated with dysfunction in the canonical DNA repair activity of MDC1, but absent typical features of DNA repair deficiency.

Linking Newborns and Mothers to Enable the Study of Inter-generational Health Outcomes: Evidence from Nationwide Medicaid Data.

Linking mothers to their newborns in health records is crucial for understanding the impact of policies, programs, and medical treatments on inter-generational health outcomes. While previous studies have used shared identifiers like names or addresses for linkage, such data are often unavailable in Medicaid records due to privacy concerns. We present a scalable framework and linking algorithm using Medicaid MAX and TAF claims data-lacking direct identifiers-that connects mothers and infants while ensuring privacy protection.

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation for Analgesia During Outpatient Endometrial Biopsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate whether transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) decreases pain at the time of outpatient endometrial biopsy.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of active TENS compared with placebo TENS at the time of endometrial biopsy. The primary outcome was pain measured on a 0- to 100-mm visual analog scale immediately after biopsy, with secondary outcomes including satisfaction and tolerability of TENS and pain scores at other procedural time points.

Measuring abortion in claims data: What is the state of the science?

Health care insurance claims are an increasingly common data source for health outcomes research. While researchers have successfully used several claims data sources for many obstetric and gynecologic questions, the use of claims data for abortion and contraception research poses a number of challenges. In this update on the state of the science in identifying abortion in claims data, we review claims data generally, describe commonly used claims data sources, and detail specific reasons why abortion may be underestimated in claims even when employing best practices.