Demographic differences between patients selecting video or telephone for contraceptive counseling via telehealth.

Objective: To explore differences in demographic characteristics and telehealth usability between patients who chose video versus telephone for telehealth contraceptive counseling.

Study Design: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort comparing the interpersonal quality of contraceptive counseling between in-person and telehealth visits at a single Title X-funded clinic. Before the clinical visit, a non-clinician counselor provided structured contraceptive counseling based on patients' preferred modality.

User and Usability Testing of a Web-Based Genetics Education Tool for Parkinson Disease: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Genetic testing is essential to identify research participants for clinical trials enrolling people with Parkinson disease (PD) carrying a variant in the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) or leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) genes. The limited availability of professionals trained in neurogenetics or genetic counseling is a major barrier to increased testing. Telehealth solutions to increase access to genetics education can help address issues around counselor availability and offer options to patients and family members.

Experimental investigation of mechanical properties and multi-objective optimization of electronic, glass, and ceramic waste-mixed concrete.

The utilization of waste from various sources plays an important role in minimizing environmental pollution and civil construction costs. In this research, the mechanical properties of concrete were studied by mixing electronic waste (EW), glass powder (GW), and ceramic tile waste (CW). The effects of weight percentages of EW, GW, and CW are considered to investigate improvements in mechanical properties such as compressive strength (CS), split tensile strength (STS), and flexural strength (FS) of concrete.

Genetic and phenotypic characterization of Parkinson's disease at the clinic-wide level.

Observational studies in Parkinson's disease (PD) deeply characterize relatively small numbers of participants. The Molecular Integration in Neurological Diagnosis Initiative seeks to characterize molecular and clinical features of every PD patient at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). The objectives of this study are to determine the feasibility of genetic characterization in PD and assess clinical features by sex and GBA1/LRRK2 status on a clinic-wide scale.

Disparities in Genetic Testing for Neurologic Disorders.

Background And Objectives: Genetic testing is now the standard of care for many neurologic conditions. Health care disparities are unfortunately widespread in the US health care system, but disparities in the utilization of genetic testing for neurologic conditions have not been studied. We tested the hypothesis that access to and results of genetic testing vary according to race, ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, and insurance status for adults with neurologic conditions.

Elevating Voices, Addressing Depression, Toxic Stress, and Equity Through Group Prenatal Care: A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Elevating Voices, Addressing Depression, Toxic Stress and Equity (EleVATE) is a group prenatal care (GC) model designed to improve pregnancy outcomes and promote health equity for Black birthing people. This article outlines the foundational community-engaged process to develop EleVATE GC and pilot study results.

Methods: We used community-based participatory research principles and the Ferguson Commission Report to guide creation of EleVATE GC.

The Association between Mode of Transportation Support and Research Study Visit Attendance among Pregnant Patients.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between transportation assistance and study visits, and explore differences by transportation modality.

Study Design: This was a secondary analysis of prospective cohort study. We identified patients requesting transportation support for research ultrasound visits and identified controls (1:2 ratio) who did not request support matched for age, race, and insurance type.

Diabetes Group Prenatal Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To estimate the effect of diabetes group prenatal care on rates of preterm birth and large for gestational age (LGA) among patients with diabetes in pregnancy compared with individual diabetes prenatal care.

Data Sources: We searched Ovid Medline (1946-), Embase.com (1947-), Scopus (1823-), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.

Mi Vida Saludable: Content Validity and Reliability of The Preferences and Self-Efficacy of Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors Questionnaire for Latina Women (PSEDPALW) for Cancer Survivors.

The purpose of this study is to conduct validity and reliability testing of a new instrument, the Preferences and Self-Efficacy of Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors Questionnaire for Latina Women (PSEDPALW) which is for women who identify as Latina and are breast cancer survivors. PSEDPALW measures preferences and self-efficacy for four behaviors: physical activity (PA), fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, dietary fat (DF) intake, and added sugar (AS) intake (eight scales in total). Validity testing was conducted through an expert panel review and a cognitive interviewing focus group ( = 4).

Clinical Reasoning: A 48-Year-Old Man With Spasticity and Progressive Ataxia.

A 48-year-old man was referred to the movement disorders clinic for 10 years of progressive slurred speech, spasticity, limb incoordination, and wide-based gait. Extensive neurologic workup was inconclusive, including serum and CSF testing, neuroimaging, EMG/NCS, exome sequencing, and mitochondrial testing. An ataxia repeat expansion panel ultimately revealed the final diagnosis.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Adult-Onset Neurodegenerative Disease: Considerations for Access, Utilization, and Counseling.

Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions (PGT-M), formerly called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, is a specialized assisted reproduction technique that aims to reduce the risk of a pregnancy inheriting a monogenic condition. Despite calls to increase awareness and prepare neurologists for discussing PGT-M with patients and their families, no guidelines currently exist. When introducing PGT-M to those who may be interested in using it, there are major factors for discussion, including (1) genetic considerations (e.

Women's preferences for a new contraceptive under development: an exploratory study.

Objective: Currently available contraceptive methods do not meet the needs of all users. We sought to explore preferences of potential end-users regarding an on-demand, non-hormonal female contraceptive currently under development, using a web-based survey.

Study Design: We recruited respondents for an exploratory survey via web link on Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk).

A Micro-evolutionary Change in Target Binding Sites as a Key Determinant of Ultrabithorax Function in Drosophila.

Hox genes encode Homeodomain-containing transcription factors, which specify segmental identities along the anterior-posterior axis. Functional changes in Hox genes have been directly implicated in the evolution of body plans across the metazoan lineage. The Hox protein Ultrabithorax (Ubx) is expressed and required in developing third thoracic (T3) segments in holometabolous insects studied so far, particularly, of the order Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera.

Improvement in contraceptive knowledge after using an online educational resource.

Objectives: To measure the change in contraceptive knowledge after interaction with a web-based contraception education resource in an online cohort of potential users.

Study Design: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of reproductive-aged, biologically female respondents using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Respondents provided demographic characteristics and responded to 32 contraceptive knowledge questions.

Young women's preferences for contraceptive education & development of an online educational resource.

Objectives: To explore young women's preferences for contraceptive education to inform the development of an educational resource and to pilot test the resource with patients and clinicians.

Methods: We performed a mixed-methods study to elicit preferences for contraceptive educational resources among patients, develop an online resource, and pilot test the resource with clinicians and patients to assess feasibility, systems usability, and contraceptive knowledge.

Results: Forty-one women aged 16-29 completed in-depth interviews: they preferred an online format which was recommended by a clinician, presented contraceptive methods in order of effectiveness, and contained information from experts and experiences from individual users.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Latent Profiles of Maternal Distress: Associations With 5-Year Maternal and Child Mental Health Outcomes.

Objective: To examine profiles of distress of mothers of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and relate profiles to maternal and child outcomes at child age 5 years.

Method: A racially and economically diverse sample of mothers (n = 94; 39% African American, 52% White) of preterm infants (≤30 weeks of gestation) completed validated questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety (state and trait), NICU stress, and life stress at NICU discharge of their infant. Mothers reported on their own and their children's symptomatology at child age 5.

Outcomes of the "BRCA Quality Improvement Dissemination Program": An initiative to improve patient receipt of cancer genetics services at five health systems.

Objective: A quality improvement initiative (QII) was conducted with five community-based health systems' oncology care centers (sites A-E). The QII aimed to increase referrals, genetic counseling (GC), and germline genetic testing (GT) for patients with ovarian cancer (OC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods: QII activities occurred at sites over several years, all concluding by December 2020.

The pioneering function of the hox transcription factors.

Ever since the discovery that the Hox family of transcription factors establish morphological diversity in the developing embryo, major efforts have been directed towards understanding Hox-dependent patterning. This has led to important discoveries, notably on the mechanisms underlying the collinear expression of Hox genes and Hox binding specificity. More recently, several studies have provided evidence that Hox factors have the capacity to bind their targets in an inaccessible chromatin context and trigger the switch to an accessible, transcriptional permissive, chromatin state.

Comparison of Early Pregnancy Loss Management Between States With Restrictive and Supportive Abortion Policies.

Introduction: Mifepristone-misoprostol and office uterine aspiration used for abortion care are also evidence-based, cost-effective strategies for early pregnancy loss management. We aimed to compare the provision of mifepristone-misoprostol and office uterine aspiration for early pregnancy loss between states with restrictive and supportive abortion policies.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, internet-based survey regarding early pregnancy loss management among obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs) at academic medical centers.

Developing a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention for Hispanic/Latina Breast Cancer Survivors.

Objectives: There is limited guidance on how to effectively educate cancer survivors to adopt and maintain specific diet and physical activity recommendations, especially among underserved and under-resourced populations. Here, the objective is to present the development of a behavioral and theoretically-based multi-modal diet and physical activity intervention program for Hispanic/Latina breast cancer survivors, (My Healthy Life).

Methods: The development process was based on the 6 steps of the Nutrition Education DESIGN Procedure: (1).

One-Step Compared With Two-Step Gestational Diabetes Screening and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To estimate short-term maternal and neonatal outcomes with one-compared with two-step testing for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Data Sources: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing one-step and two-step GDM testing strategies before September 2021 was conducted. We searched Ovid Medline (1946-), EMBASE (1947-), Scopus (1960-), Cochrane Central, and ClinicalTrials.

IRE1α overexpression in malignant cells limits tumor progression by inducing an anti-cancer immune response.

IRE1α is one of the three ER transmembrane transducers of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) activated under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. IRE1α activation has a dual role in cancer as it may be either pro- or anti-tumoral depending on the studied models. Here, we describe the discovery that exogenous expression of IRE1α, resulting in IRE1α auto-activation, did not affect cancer cell proliferation but resulted in a tumor-suppressive phenotype in syngeneic immunocompetent mice.