Dissecting and Visualizing the Functional Diversity of Cardiac Macrophages.

Cardiac macrophages represent a functionally diverse population of cells involved in cardiac homeostasis, repair, and remodeling. With recent advancements in single-cell technologies, it is possible to elucidate specific macrophage subsets based on transcriptional signatures and cell surface protein expression to gain a deep understanding of macrophage diversity in the heart. The use of fate-mapping technologies and parabiosis studies have provided insight into the ontogeny and dynamics of macrophages identifying subsets derived from embryonic and adult definitive hematopoietic progenitors that include tissue-resident and bone marrow monocyte-derived macrophages, respectively.

The Past and Present of Breast Cancer Resources: A Re-evaluation of the Quality of Online Resources After Eight Years.

Background and objective The internet has become a major resource of information for cancer patients. However, the quality of these resources is variable, and a better understanding is needed to guide physicians as to how to best support patients in their online searches. We previously evaluated the quality of online breast cancer resources in 2011.

Low-dose methylprednisolone treatment in critically ill patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

Purpose: Severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring intensive care unit admission is associated with significant acute and long-term morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that downregulation of systemic and pulmonary inflammation with prolonged low-dose methylprednisolone treatment would accelerate pneumonia resolution and improve clinical outcomes.

Methods: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial recruited adult patients within 72-96 h of hospital presentation.

Selective loss of resident macrophage-derived insulin-like growth factor-1 abolishes adaptive cardiac growth to stress.

Hypertension affects one-third of the world's population, leading to cardiac dysfunction that is modulated by resident and recruited immune cells. Cardiomyocyte growth and increased cardiac mass are essential to withstand hypertensive stress; however, whether immune cells are involved in this compensatory cardioprotective process is unclear. In normotensive animals, single-cell transcriptomics of fate-mapped self-renewing cardiac resident macrophages (RMs) revealed transcriptionally diverse cell states with a core repertoire of reparative gene programs, including high expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (Igf1).

Reproductive male partner testing when the female is identified to be a genetic disease carrier.

Objective: To quantify carrier testing uptake rates for male partners of women found to be a carrier(s) for autosomal recessive conditions and to understand reasons for declining testing (uptake rate).

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 513 female patients seen at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School found to be carriers through expanded carrier screening (ECS) panels. The aims of this study were to determine how often their male partner chose testing, reasons for declining and the type of methodology chosen for their screening.

In Vivo Biosynthesis of Inorganic Nanomaterials Using Eukaryotes-A Review.

Bionanotechnology, the use of biological resources to produce novel, valuable nanomaterials, has witnessed tremendous developments over the past two decades. This eco-friendly and sustainable approach enables the synthesis of numerous, diverse types of useful nanomaterials for many medical, commercial, and scientific applications. Countless reviews describing the biosynthesis of nanomaterials have been published.

A Mechanistic View of the Light-Induced Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Extracellular Polymeric Substances of .

In the current study, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of and photon energy biosynthetically converted Ag to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The reaction mechanism began with the non-photon-dependent adsorption of Ag to EPS biomolecules. An electron from the EPS biomolecules was then donated to reduce Ag to Ag, while a simultaneous release of H acidified the reaction mixture.

Travel time and attrition from VHA care among women veterans: how far is too far?

Background: Travel time, an access barrier, may contribute to attrition of women veterans from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care.

Objective: We examined whether travel time influences attrition: (a) among women veterans overall, (b) among new versus established patients, and (c) among rural versus urban patients.

Research Design: This retrospective cohort study used logistic regression to estimate the association between drive time and attrition, overall and for new/established and rural/urban patients.

Establishing a data monitoring committee for clinical trials.

A data monitoring committee (DMC) is a group of clinicians and biostatisticians appointed by study sponsors who provide independent assessment of the safety, scientific validity and integrity of clinical trials. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires the formation of DMC in all trials that assess new interventions. DMC are also strongly recommended in other clinical studies that have substantial safety issues, that have double-blind treatment assignment or that are expected to have a major impact on clinical practice.

Prevalence, risk, and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder across ethnic and racial minority groups in the United States.

Objectives: We assess whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) varies in prevalence, diagnostic criteria endorsement, and type and frequency of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) among a nationally representative US sample of 5071 non-Latino whites, 3264 Latinos, 2178 Asians, 4249 African Americans, and 1476 Afro-Caribbeans.

Methods: PTSD and other psychiatric disorders were evaluated using the World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) in a national household sample that oversampled ethnic/racial minorities (n=16,238) but was weighted to produce results representative of the general population.

Results: Asians have lower prevalence rates of probable lifetime PTSD, whereas African Americans have higher rates as compared with non-Latino whites, even after adjusting for type and number of exposures to traumatic events, and for sociodemographic, clinical, and social support factors.

Consequences of radial artery harvest: results of a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial.

Importance: To date, no study has defined the consequences of radial artery harvest based on a large number of patients in a prospective randomized trial.

Objective: To compare pain at the harvest site and functional changes associated with harvesting the radial artery vs saphenous vein for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This study compares the consequences of radial artery harvest with saphenous vein harvest in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting procedures in Veterans Affairs hospitals.

Patient-clinician ethnic concordance and communication in mental health intake visits.

Objective: This study examines how communication patterns vary across racial and ethnic patient-clinician dyads in mental health intake sessions and its relation to continuance in treatment, defined as attending the next scheduled appointment.

Methods: Observational study of communication patterns among ethnically/racially concordant and discordant patient-clinician dyads. Primary analysis included 93 patients with 38 clinicians in race/ethnic concordant and discordant dyads.

What factors are associated with myopia in young adults? A survey study in Taiwan Military Conscripts.

Purpose: We investigated the independent impact of potential risk factors on myopia in young adults.

Methods: A survey study was conducted with male military conscripts aged 18 to 24 years between February 2010 and March 2011 in Taiwan. The participants were examined using non-cycloplegic autorefraction and biometry.

Diagnostic validity across racial and ethnic groups in the assessment of adolescent DSM-IV disorders.

We examine differential validity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnoses assessed by the fully-structured Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3.0 (CIDI) among Latino, non-Latino Black, and non-Latino White adolescents in comparison to gold standard diagnoses derived from the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-age Children (K-SADS). Results are based on the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement, a national US survey of adolescent mental health.

Role of referrals in mental health service disparities for racial and ethnic minority youth.

Objective: To investigate racial/ethnic differences in teachers' and other adults' identification and/or encouragement of parents to seek treatment for psychiatric problems in their children and to evaluate if and whether identification/encouragement is associated with service use.

Method: Data on identification/encouragement to seek treatment for externalizing disorders (i.e.

The impact of insurance coverage in diminishing racial and ethnic disparities in behavioral health services.

Objective: To estimate whether racial/ethnic behavioral health service disparities are likely to be reduced through insurance expansion coverage expected through the Affordable Health Care Act.

Data Sources: Pooled data from the nationally representative NIMH Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Studies (2001-2003).

Study Design: We employ a novel reweighting method to estimate service disparities in the presence and absence of insurance coverage.

Use and quality of mental health services for Haitian youth.

Objective: To describe the mental health service use of Haitian, African-American, and non-Latino White youth in a community mental health setting. Groups are compared on adherence to treatment guidelines for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depressive disorders.

Design: Retrospective review of outpatient mental health charts (n = 252) from five community sites in an urban area of the Northeastern United States.

Nanoparticle SERS substrates with 3D Raman-active volumes.

This Perspective reviews a new class of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoparticle substrates defined by their three-dimensional (3D) confinement of localized electromagnetic fields. First, we describe the critical design parameters and recent advances in nanofabrication to create reproducible nanoparticle assemblies for SERS. Next, we highlight a promising platform-gold nanopyramids-for testing how the local arrangement of particles in an assembly affects the overall SERS response.

Childhood trauma and psychiatric disorders as correlates of school dropout in a national sample of young adults.

The effect of childhood trauma, psychiatric diagnoses, and mental health services on school dropout among U.S.-born and immigrant youth is examined using data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys, a nationally representative probability sample of African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Asians, Latinos, and non-Latino Whites, including 2,532 young adults, aged 21-29.

How much does trust really matter? A study of the longitudinal effects of trust and decision-making preferences on diabetic patient outcomes.

Objective: To examine the impact of trust on patient outcomes (satisfaction, HbA(1C), physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL)) and to investigate the role of decision-making preferences in the trust-outcome relationship.

Methods: We conducted a one-year longitudinal analysis of 614 type 2 diabetic patients (mean age: 59.3 years; mean disease duration: 6.

Do patient autonomy preferences matter? Linking patient-centered care to patient-physician relationships and health outcomes.

As health care systems seek to provide patient-centered care as a cornerstone of quality, the link between patient-centeredness and patient outcomes is a concern. Past research reveals inconsistent findings regarding the impact of patient-centeredness on patient outcomes, and few studies have investigated the factors that moderate this relationship. Most studies have used self-rated outcomes on a cross-sectional basis, even though most patient care is inherently longitudinal.

Professional knowledge creation in the hospital sector: a qualitative study in Taiwan.

This paper aims to develop a professional knowledge creation model for the hospital sector. For this purpose, we qualitatively explore the determinants and process of knowledge creation in the hospital sector. Drawing from organization theory, we develop a hospital's professional knowledge creation model and develop three propositions first.