The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Level of Response to Alcohol Across the Spectrum of Alcohol Use: Total Body Water and Beyond.

Background: A low level of response (LR) to alcohol is a known risk factor for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Although higher total body water (TBW) is associated with lower blood alcohol concentrations and reduced responses following alcohol consumption, the relationship between morphometric measures such as body mass index (BMI) and LR is less clear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between BMI and LR to alcohol, and the contribution of TBW to this relationship.

Comparative efficacy and safety of co-amoxiclav, cefpodoxime proxetil, and levofloxacin in patients with acute uncomplicated bacterial tonsillitis: A prospective, open-label, parallel group study.

Background: No clinical trials have compared the efficacy and safety of beta-lactam antibiotics and fluoroquinolones in acute uncomplicated bacterial tonsillitis. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of co-amoxiclav (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid), cefpodoxime proxetil, and levofloxacin monotherapy in patients with acute uncomplicated bacterial tonsillitis.

Methods: This was a prospective, open-label, parallel-group study where 90 patients with acute uncomplicated bacterial tonsillitis were equally divided into three groups to receive either tablet co-amoxiclav 625 mg thrice daily, tablet cefpodoxime proxetil 200 mg twice daily, or tablet levofloxacin 500 mg once daily for five days.

Assessment of targets of antibody drug conjugates in SCLC.

Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy has transformed treatment for several solid tumors, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, significant challenges remain, including systemic toxicity, acquired resistance, and the lack of reliable biomarkers for patient selection. To enhance the effectiveness of ADC therapies in SCLC, we focused on target selection in this study by investigating the expression of ADC targets - SEZ6, DLL3, CD276, and TACSTD2 - in cell lines and patient samples.

Automating radiological measurements of the hip in children with cerebral palsy.

Aims: The aims of this study were to develop an automatic system capable of calculating four radiological measurements used in the diagnosis and monitoring of cerebral palsy (CP)-related hip disease, and to demonstrate that these measurements are sufficiently accurate to be used in clinical practice.

Methods: We developed a machine-learning system to automatically measure Reimer's migration percentage (RMP), acetabular index (ACI), head shaft angle (HSA), and neck shaft angle (NSA). The system automatically locates points around the femoral head and acetabulum on pelvic radiographs, and uses these to calculate measurements.

The risk of death according to left ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular dilatation in 17 321 adults with heart failure from 40 high-, middle- and low-income countries - A Global Congestive Heart Failure (G-CHF) study.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the prognostic importance of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) versus right ventricular (RV) dilatation and dysfunction in patients with heart failure (HF) from countries of different income levels.

Methods And Results: We enrolled 17 321 participants with HF from 40 countries. Participants were followed for a median (25th-75th percentile) of 2.

A Simplified Mathematical Model for Cell Proliferation in a Tissue-Engineering Scaffold.

While the effects of external factors like fluid mechanical forces and scaffold geometry on tissue growth have been extensively studied, the influence of cell behavior-particularly nutrient consumption and depletion within the scaffold-has received less attention. Incorporating such factors into mathematical models allows for a more comprehensive understanding of tissue-engineering processes. This work presents a comprehensive continuum model for cell proliferation within two-dimensional tissue-engineering scaffolds.

Relationships Among COVID-19-Related Service Uptake, HIV Status, Drug Use, and COVID-19 Antibody Status Among HIV Testing Intervention Participants in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

People living with HIV (PLWH) and people who use drugs are vulnerable populations who may face barriers to accessing health services and may have irregularities in immune function. People with undiagnosed HIV infection may be particularly likely to have compromised immune function. However, research about whether/how HIV status is related to COVID-19-related health outcomes has been equivocal, and research on the predictors of COVID-19-related health service access/uptake has been limited in Sub-Saharan African settings.

Reduced Bitter Taste and Enhanced Appetitive Odor Identification in Individuals at Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014.

Objective: An inability to correctly perceive chemosensory stimuli can lead to a poor quality of life. Such defects can be concomitant with excess alcohol consumption, but a large-scale cohort study linking these effects is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of chronic alcohol consumption on chemosensory function by analyzing data from the NHANES 2013-2014, involving 395 participants categorized by alcohol intake behavior: 219 no-intake, 136 light-intake, and 40 risky-intake groups.

Heart failure after left atrial appendage occlusion: Insights from the LAAOS III randomized trial.

Aims: The left atrial appendage (LAA) produces natriuretic peptides and its removal or occlusion might increase the risk of heart failure (HF). We aimed to investigate the incidence of HF after LAA occlusion or removal (LAAO) in the Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Study (LAAOS III).

Methods And Results: Patients (n = 4811) with atrial fibrillation (AF) and a CHADS-VASc score ≥2, who were having cardiac surgery for another indication, were randomized to undergo surgical LAAO or not.

Single-cell integration reveals metaplasia in inflammatory gut diseases.

The gastrointestinal tract is a multi-organ system crucial for efficient nutrient uptake and barrier immunity. Advances in genomics and a surge in gastrointestinal diseases has fuelled efforts to catalogue cells constituting gastrointestinal tissues in health and disease. Here we present systematic integration of 25 single-cell RNA sequencing datasets spanning the entire healthy gastrointestinal tract in development and in adulthood.

An organotypic atlas of human vascular cells.

The human vascular system, comprising endothelial cells (ECs) and mural cells, covers a vast surface area in the body, providing a critical interface between blood and tissue environments. Functional differences exist across specific vascular beds, but their molecular determinants across tissues remain largely unknown. In this study, we integrated single-cell transcriptomics data from 19 human organs and tissues and defined 42 vascular cell states from approximately 67,000 cells (62 donors), including angiotypic transitional signatures along the arterial endothelial axis from large to small caliber vessels.

The metabolic and physiologic impairments underlying long COVID associated exercise intolerance.

Data from invasive CPET (iCPET) revealed long COVID patients have impaired systemic oxygen extraction (EO), suggesting impaired mitochondrial ATP production. However, it remains uncertain whether the initial severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection has implications on EO and exercise capacity (VO) nor has there been assessment of anerobic ATP generation in long COVID patients. iCPET was performed on 47 long COVID patients (i.

Neurovascular dysregulation in systemic sclerosis: novel insights into pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment utilizing invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Purpose Of Review: Pathologic abnormalities in skeletal muscle and the systemic vasculature are common in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). These abnormalities may lead to impaired systemic peripheral oxygen extraction (EO 2 ), known as neurovascular dysregulation, which may be because of abnormal blood flow distribution in the vasculature, microvascular shunting, and/or skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction. Findings from invasive cardiopulmonary exercising testing (iCPET) provide important insights and enable diagnosis and treatment of this SSc disease manifestation.

Hypothalamic Hyperphagia in the Hospice Patient: Case Report and Discussion.

We present a case of insatiable appetite and harmful overeating in a hospice patient that showcases the burden of hypothalamic hyperphagia, a rare complication of brain cancer. While confounders exist such as progression of disease and prior tapering of dexamethasone, in this case the initiation of metformin was associated with substantial appetite reduction and resolution of our patient's debilitating food-seeking behaviors. We will explore metformin as a potential cost-effective option for palliation in a hospice setting and explore some of the physiologic mechanisms involved.

A Study on How Libraries Operate as Health Spaces in the United States.

A health space is any physical, social, or virtual space that supports building health literacy skills, promotes health behavior, preventive health, and wellbeing, or provides health care, health information, or health or social services. To move the needle on health, especially preventive health, a focus on non-traditional health spaces is critical. Libraries serve various community needs such as food distribution, health literacy, education, immunization, and health screenings.

Designing Health Interventions to Meet the Needs and Experiences of Minoritized Adolescents: #DoubleTap4Health.

Engagement in preventive health behaviors (PHBs; i.e., healthy eating, sleep, and physical activity) during adolescence is associated with reduced risks for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, in adulthood.

Exploring Gendered Relational Dynamics in Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study on Women Professional Caregivers in India.

Introduction: The gendered dynamics in palliative care settings in India are deeply influenced by societal norms, which position caregiving primarily as a woman's responsibility. This study explores the experiences of women caregivers in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, to understand their challenges and strategies.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a narrative approach to investigate the lived experiences of 38 women caregivers from six palliative care institutions in Bengaluru.

Identification of HEPACAM2 as a novel and specific marker of small cell carcinoma.

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive neuroendocrine lung cancer, with a dismal 5-year survival rate. No reliable biomarkers or imaging are available for early SCLC detection. In a search for a specific marker of SCLC, this study identified that hepatocyte cell adhesion molecule 2 (HEPACAM2), a member of the immunoglobulin-like superfamily, is highly and specifically expressed in SCLC.

Genomic study of taste perception genes in African Americans reveals SNPs linked to Alzheimer's disease.

While previous research has shown the potential links between taste perception pathways and brain-related conditions, the area involving Alzheimer's disease remains incompletely understood. Taste perception involves neurotransmitter signaling, including serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine. Disruptions in these pathways are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases.

Diet-Induced Obesity Induces Transcriptomic Changes in Neuroimmunometabolic-Related Genes in the Striatum and Olfactory Bulb.

The incidence of obesity has markedly increased globally over the last several decades and is believed to be associated with the easier availability of energy-dense foods, including high-fat foods. The reinforcing hedonic properties of high-fat foods, including olfactory cues, activate reward centers in the brain, motivating eating behavior. Thus, there is a growing interest in the understanding of the genetic changes that occur in the brain that are associated with obesity and eating behavior.

Continuity of care during severe civil unrest with a model of community-based HIV care: a retrospective cohort study from Haiti.

Background: There are limited data on the effectiveness of differentiated service delivery (DSD) for HIV care during sociopolitical turmoil. We assessed outcomes with a DSD model of care that includes patient choice between community-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres, home-based ART dispensing, or facility-based care at GHESKIO clinic during a period of severe civil unrest in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included data on patients with at least one HIV visit at GHESKIO between May 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021.

Existing and Novel Assessment Methods for Metal Sensitivity in Elective Lower-Limb Arthroplasty-A Scoping Review.

Background: Metal sensitivity is a possible cause for revision in elective lower-limb arthroplasty. This scoping review aims to identify and evaluate all existing and novel assessment methods for metal sensitivity in elective lower-limb arthroplasty.

Methods: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Ovid Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were searched for studies published between January 1, 2000, and September 1, 2023.

Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Their Associations With Risk Factors in Southeast Asia: A PURE Substudy.

Background: The drivers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality may differ around the world. Regional-level prospective data can help guide policies to reduce CVD and all-cause mortality.

Objectives: This study examined the incidence of CVD and mortality in Malaysia and the Philippines and estimated the population-level risks attributable to common risk factors for each outcome.