Implementation of an EOS calculator-based protocol decreased infant antibiotic exposure in chorioamnionitis without correlation with placental histopathology.

Objective: To determine the impact of the Early Onset Sepsis (EOS) calculator on antibiotic exposure in infants born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis and correlate EOS calculator-guided recommendations with placental histopathology.

Study Design: Retrospective observational study comparing infants ≥ 36 weeks gestation exposed to maternal clinical chorioamnionitis admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before (Group 1, n = 69) and after (Group 2, n = 139) implementation of an EOS calculator protocol for chorioamnionitis. Infant antibiotic exposure and placental pathology were reviewed.

The gut-immune-liver axis in patients with alcohol use disorder and clinically low serum zinc levels.

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) with chronic and heavy alcohol consumption causes alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Early-stage ALD exhibits dyshomeostasis of zinc. We investigated the role of zinc deficiency in gut-barrier dysfunction, proinflammatory response, hepatocyte injury, and death, as well as potential sex differences in AUD patients.

FABP4-mediated lipid accumulation and lipolysis in tumor associated macrophages promote breast cancer metastasis.

Unlabelled: A high density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is associated with poorer prognosis and survival in breast cancer patients. Recent studies have shown that lipid accumulation in TAMs can promote tumor growth and metastasis in various models. However, the specific molecular mechanisms that drive lipid accumulation and tumor progression in TAMs remain largely unknown.

Association between echocardiographic features, troponin levels, and survival time in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular events.

Introduction: This study aims to explore the predictive roles of echocardiographic parameters and biomarkers in determining outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients experiencing cardiovascular events.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 49 COVID-19 patients who encountered cardiovascular events during hospitalization and underwent echocardiography. Our findings revealed notable associations between echocardiographic parameters and survival time.

Different clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients complicated by cardiovascular events during the first, delta and omicron waves of COVID-19.

Background: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 have varied between significant waves of hospitalization.

Research Question: Are cardiovascular complications different among the first, delta and omicron waves of hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients?

Study Design And Methods: This was a multi-centre retrospective study of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: 632 were hospitalized during the (March-July 2020), 1013 during the (September 2020-March 2021), and 323 during the (January 2022-July 2022). Patients were stratified by wave and occurrence of cardiovascular events.

Association of pulmonary function test abnormalities and quality-of-life measures after COVID-19 infection.

Background: Long-COVID is a multisystem disease that can lead to significant impairments in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Following COVID-19 infection, abnormalities on pulmonary function tests (PFT) are common. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate for any correlation between PFT abnormalities and impairment in HRQoL scores following COVID-19 infection.

Multiomics Analysis of PCB126's Effect on a Mouse Chronic-Binge Alcohol Feeding Model.

Background: Environmental pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of liver disease. Our group recently demonstrated that PCB126 promoted steatosis, hepatomegaly, and modulated intermediary metabolism in a rodent model of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).

Objective: To better understand how PCB126 promoted ALD in our previous model, the current study adopts multiple omics approaches to elucidate potential mechanistic hypotheses.

Meta-analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Lianhua Qingwen in the Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

The rapid global spread of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seriously threatened human life and health. Effects of traditional Chinese medicine, Lianhua Qingwen, combined with western medicine remains controversial for treatment of COVID-19. Evidence to support use of Lianhua Qingwen in COVID-19 is lacking.

ALT poorly predicts Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and liver fibrosis as determined by vibration-controlled transient elastography in adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a growing problem in the United States, contributing to a range of liver disease as well as cardiovascular disease. ALT is the most widely used liver chemistry for NAFLD evaluation. We hypothesized that the normal range many laboratories use was too high, missing many patients with clinically important steatosis and/or fibrosis.

Corresponding ctDNA and tumor burden dynamics in metastatic melanoma patients on systemic treatment.

Radiographic imaging is the current standard for monitoring progression of tumor-burden and therapeutic resistance in patients with metastatic melanoma. Plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has shown promise as a survelience tool, but longitudinal data on the dynamics between plasma ctDNA concentrations and radiographic imaging is lacking. We evaluated the relationship between longitudinal radiographic measures of tumor burden and ctDNA concentrations in plasma on 30 patients with metastatic melanoma on systemic treatment.

Neutral ceramidase regulates breast cancer progression by metabolic programming of TREM2-associated macrophages.

The tumor microenvironment is reprogrammed by cancer cells and participates in all stages of tumor progression. Neutral ceramidase is a key regulator of ceramide, the central intermediate in sphingolipid metabolism. The contribution of neutral ceramidase to the reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment is not well understood.

Variation in Lymph Node Assessment for Colon Cancer at the Tumor, Surgeon, and Hospital Level.

Background: We hypothesized that tumor- and hospital-level factors, compared with surgeon characteristics, are associated with the majority of variation in the 12 or more lymph nodes (LNs) examined quality standard for resected colon cancer.

Study Design: A dataset containing an anonymized surgeon identifier was obtained from the National Cancer Database for stage I to III colon cancers from 2010 to 2017. Multilevel logistic regression models were built to assign a proportion of variance in achievement of the 12 LNs standard among the following: (1) tumor factors (demographic and pathologic characteristics), (2) surgeon factors (volume, approach, and margin status), and (3) facility factors (volume and facility type).

Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer after Cholecystectomy in the Elderly.

Background: Previous studies evaluating whether recent cholecystectomy is associated with a pancreas cancer diagnosis are limited. We aimed to examine if cholecystectomy was performed more frequently in the year prior to cancer diagnosis than would be expected in a similar non-cancer population.

Methods: SEER-Medicare linked files were used to identify patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

One-month assessment of Th-cell axis related inflammatory cytokines, IL-17 and IL-22 and their role in alcohol-associated liver disease.

Introduction: Changes in the expression of cyto- and chemokines due to alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) have been reported to be both protective and pathogenic. This study examined plasma levels of two key cytokines, Il-17 and Il-22, which construct the proinflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory axes across the spectrum of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and ALD including alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) to determine the underlying status of the inflammation.

Directed Acyclic Graph Assisted Method For Estimating Average Treatment Effect.

Observational data, such as electronic clinical records and claims data, can prove invaluable for evaluating the Average Treatment Effect (ATE) and supporting decision-making, provided they are employed correctly. The Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW) method, based on propensity scores, has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in estimating ATE, assuming that the assumptions of exchangeability, consistency, and positivity are met. Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) offer a practical approach to assess the exchangeability assumption, which asserts that treatment assignment and potential outcomes are independent given a set of confounding variables that block all backdoor paths from treatment assignment to potential outcomes.

Novel paradigms for the gut-brain axis during alcohol withdrawal, withdrawal-associated depression, and craving in patients with alcohol use disorder.

Introduction: Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) exhibit symptoms such as alcohol withdrawal, depression, and cravings. The gut-immune response may play a significant role in manifesting these specific symptoms associated with AUD. This study examined the role of gut dysfunction, proinflammatory cytokines, and hormones in characterizing AUD symptoms.

The Beneficial Effects of Lactobacillus GG Therapy on Liver and Drinking Assessments in Patients with Moderate Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis.

Introduction: We investigated the effect of daily oral Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in reducing liver injury/severity and drinking in patients with alcohol use disorder and moderately severe alcohol-associated hepatitis.

Methods: Forty-six male and female individuals with alcohol use disorder and moderate alcohol-associated hepatitis (12 ≤ model for end-stage liver disease score < 20, aged 21-67 years) received either LGG (n = 24) or placebo (n = 22). Data were collected/assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months.

Prevalence and Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders Based on Kentucky Medicaid 2012-2019 Datasets.

Alcohol use is the leading substance use in the United States. Persons with alcohol use disorder (AUD) face enormous health consequences and family problems. Analysis of Medicaid enrollee data is critical to understand different aspects of AUD and the treatment utilization for patients with AUD.

Serrated polyp detection rate in colonoscopies performed by gastrointestinal fellows.

Background: Clinically significant serrated polyp detection rate (CSSDR) and proximal serrated polyp detection rate (PSDR) have been suggested as the potential quality benchmarks for colonoscopy (CSSDR = 7% and PSDR = 11%) in comparison to the established benchmark adenoma detection rate (ADR). Another emerging milestone is the detection rate of lateral spreading lesions (LSLs).

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate CSSDR, PSDR, ADR, and LSL detection rates among gastrointestinal (GI) fellows performing a colonoscopy.

Quality of antibiotic prescribing to children through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Objective: To describe pediatric outpatient visits and antibiotic prescribing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design: An observational, retrospective control study from January 2019 to October 2021.

Setting: Outpatient clinics, including 27 family medicine clinics, 27 pediatric clinics, and 26 urgent or prompt care clinics.

Illustration of Gut-Thyroid Axis in Alcohol Use Disorder: Interplay of Gut Dysfunction, Pro-Inflammatory Responses, and Thyroid Function.

(1) Background: Heavy and chronic alcohol drinking leads to altered gut dysfunction, coupled with a pro-inflammatory state. Thyroid-associated hormones and proteins may be dysregulated by heavy and chronic alcohol intake; however, the mechanism for altered gut-derived changes in thyroid function has not been studied thus far. This study investigates the role of alcohol-induced gut dysfunction and pro-inflammatory cytokine profile in the thyroid function of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Analysis of alcohol use, consumption of micronutrient and macronutrients, and liver health in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Alcohol use is a major global healthcare burden that contributes to numerous adverse health outcomes, including liver disease. Many factors influence individual susceptibility to alcohol-associated diseases, including nutritional factors. The objective of the current study was to examine inter-relations among alcohol, dietary micronutrients and macronutrient consumption, and liver health by analyzing data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Statistical methods for assessing drug interactions using observational data.

With advances in medicine, many drugs and treatments become available. On the one hand, polydrug use (i.e.