Developmental exposure to legacy environmental contaminants, medial temporal lobe volumes and spatial navigation memory in late adolescents.

Exposure to lead, mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been causally linked to spatial memory deficits and hippocampal changes in animal models. The Inuit community in Northern Canada is exposed to higher concentrations of these contaminants compared to the general population. This study aimed to 1) investigate associations between prenatal and current contaminant exposures and medial temporal brain volumes in Inuit late adolescents; 2) examine the relationship between these brain structures and spatial memory; and 3) assess the mediating role of brain structures in the association between contaminant exposure and spatial memory.

Prevalence of Intersex/Differences in Sex Development and Primary Gonadal Insufficiency in a Pediatric Transgender Population.

Purpose: This study aims to assess the prevalence of intersex variations/differences in sex development (I/DSDs), associated adrenal conditions, and primary gonadal insufficiency in children with gender dysphoria.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive review of the medical records for individuals who carried the diagnostic codes for gender dysphoria in addition to intersex and/or other conditions associated with sex steroid variations among patients evaluated by pediatric endocrinologists from 2013 to 2022.

Results: We found that 9 of 612 (1.

Epigenetic mechanisms mediate cytochrome P450 1A1 expression and lung endothelial injury caused by MRSA in vitro and in vivo.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). To advance our mechanistic understanding of this important pathogen, we characterized the effects of MRSA-induced epigenetic modification of histone 3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac), an activator of gene transcription, on lung endothelial cells (EC), a critical site of ARDS pathophysiology. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis revealed that MRSA induces H3K9ac in the promoter regions of multiple genes, with the highest ranked peak annotated to the CYP1A1 gene.

The association of HIV status with triple-negative breast cancer in patients with breast cancer in South Africa: a cross-sectional analysis of case-only data from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed among women in South Africa, with the aggressive triple-negative subtype comprising approximately 15% of breast cancers in this population. South Africa has the largest population of people with HIV in the world. This study aims to evaluate the association between HIV status and the proportion of patients with breast cancer with the triple-negative subtype.

Severity and Number of Substances Used are Independently Associated with Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Over Time among People with HIV in the Current Treatment Era.

Substance use is associated with decreased antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among people with HIV (PWH). Adherence plays a significant role in mediating the negative effects of substance use on HIV suppression and is a principal modifiable patient-level factor in improving HIV suppression and reducing ART drug resistance. Understanding substance use and ART adherence, particularly with rapidly changing substance use epidemiology and ART regimens, is vital to improving HIV care.

Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Driven Discharge Medication Reconciliation Service Pilot at a Children's Hospital.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a pharmacist-driven discharge medication reconciliation (DMR) service at our children's hospital by completing a 2-week pilot on a general pediatrics unit.

Methods: This was a prospective study and included patients discharged during pilot hours whose DMR was completed by the pharmacist. The primary outcome was evaluation of time required for a pharmacist to complete the DMR.

Deciphering the role of endothelial granulocyte macrophage-CSF in chronic inflammation associated with HIV.

People with HIV (PWH) experience endothelial dysfunction (ED) that is aggravated by chronic inflammation and microbial translocation across a damaged gut barrier. Although this paradigm is well-described, downstream pathways that terminate in endothelial dysfunction are only partially understood. This study found increased expression of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), and myeloperoxidase in the aortic endothelium of PWH compared to those without HIV.

Using Oncology Treatment Pathway Data to Evaluate Serious Illness Communication, Care Utilization, and End-of-Life Care for Patients With Cancer.

Purpose: Oncology treatment pathways provide decision support and encourage guideline adherence. Pathway data combined with electronic health record (EHR) data can identify patient populations with poor prognoses, low serious illness conversation (SIC) rates, and high acute care utilization that may benefit from targeted interventions.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis among adults with cancer treated at seven affiliated sites of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) who had navigations within 21 treatment pathways between July 29, 2019, and March 8, 2023.

Estimating the Size of Populations at High Risk of Malaria in 2 Operational Districts in Cambodia: Household-Based Survey.

Background: Cambodia is targeting the elimination of malaria by 2025. The last remaining pockets of malaria in Cambodia are concentrated among populations exposed to forested areas, but the size of these populations is not well understood. To plan for the procurement and distribution of vector-control tools, chemoprophylaxis, and other commodities for malaria prevention and surveillance, robust estimates of the population at greatest risk are required.

Breaking the silence of female genital schistosomiasis in Ghana's health system: A case of health workers within the FAST project.

Background: Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) remains a critical and yet neglected topics in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), significantly affecting the health of women and girls worldwide. Health workers' knowledge of FGS is vital to the prevention and management of the disease. This study adopted an implementation research approach to identify and address the existing knowledge gap regarding FGS among healthcare workers in Ghana.

Semi-parametric benchmark dose analysis with monotone additive models.

Benchmark dose analysis aims to estimate the level of exposure to a toxin associated with a clinically significant adverse outcome and quantifies uncertainty using the lower limit of a confidence interval for this level. We develop a novel framework for benchmark dose analysis based on monotone additive dose-response models. We first introduce a flexible approach for fitting monotone additive models via penalized B-splines and Laplace-approximate marginal likelihood.

The impact of margins and re-resection in pediatric synovial sarcoma.

Introduction: Synovial sarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas in children. Guidelines regarding the adequate extent of resection margins and the role of re-resection are lacking. We sought to evaluate the adequate resection margin and the role of re-resection in predicting outcomes in children with synovial sarcomas.

Success of medication abortion with mifepristone followed by two doses of misoprostol in very early pregnancy.

Objectives: To compare medication abortion (MAB) success in very early pregnancy (VEP) with mifepristone followed by either one or two doses of misoprostol.

Study Design: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of VEP MABs from July 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022 treated with mifepristone 200 mg oral followed by a single dose of misoprostol 800 mcg buccal 24 to 48 hours later and MABs from June 21, 2022 to October 31, 2022 treated with mifepristone 200 mg oral followed by two doses of misoprostol 800 mcg buccal spaced 4 hours apart, with first dose taken 24 to 48 hours after mifepristone. Serum BhCG was collected at the time of mifepristone treatment with additional BhCG collected 48 to 72 hours after misoprostol treatment in both groups.