Interrupted versus uninterrupted anticoagulation for cardiac rhythm management device insertion.

Background: Guideline-recommended strategies to interrupt chronic anticoagulation with warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) during the perioperative period of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) surgery differ worldwide. There is uncertainty concerning the benefits and harms of interrupted and uninterrupted anticoagulation in patients undergoing CIED surgery.

Objectives: To assess the benefits and harms of interrupted anticoagulation (IAC) with either warfarin or DOAC in the perioperative period of CIED surgery versus uninterrupted anticoagulation (UAC), with or without heparin bridging, during an equivalent time frame, for CIED surgery.

Exploring the prevalence of gout among underrepresented low socioeconomic status type 2 diabetes populations.

Background: Underserved and underrepresented populations often lack access to affordable, quality healthcare, educational resources, and nutritious foods, all of which contribute to increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes and gout. Type 2 Diabetes is a condition characterized by the denaturation of the insulin receptors, due to chronically high blood glucose levels, leading to impaired regulation of blood sugar. Gout is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting joints in the lower limbs, marked by elevated serum urate levels and the accumulation of uric acid crystals in synovial fluid, causing painful flare-ups that significantly impact quality of life.

DNA-elucidated life cycle of a highly pathogenic avian nematode: (Spirurida: Acuariidae) and its morphological development from infective third-stage larva to adult.

Gibson, 1968 is an acuariid nematode associated with lethal cases of streptocarosis of diverse aquatic birds in North America and Europe. This study reports as an agent causing severe and fatal necrosis of the oesophagus and proventriculus of anatids, i.e.

Effect of Mediterranean Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Disease in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

We systematically evaluated effects of Mediterranean diets (MED) on cardiovascular (CV) disease and risk factors in overweight or obese adults. Five engines and two registries were searched until October 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating any type of MED compared to other diets or advice in adults. Outcomes of interest were clinical outcomes and CV risk factors (anthropometric, lipids, blood pressure, glucose metabolism, liver function).

Getting the Dose Right in Drug Development for Rare Diseases: Barriers and Enablers.

In the relentless pursuit of optimizing drug development, the intricate process of determining the ideal dosage unfolds. This involves "dose-finding" studies, crucial for providing insights into subsequent registration trials. However, the challenges intensify when tackling rare diseases.

PLASMA PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS IN THE WHITE STORK (): AGREEMENT BETWEEN AGAROSE GEL VERSUS CAPILLARY ZONE METHODS AND DEVELOPMENT OF REFERENCE INTERVALS.

The white stork () is a ciconiiform species widely represented in zoological institutions. Plasma protein electrophoresis is widely used in avian patients for assessment of inflammatory conditions, but reference intervals for this testing modality are lacking for the white stork. The two main electrophoretic methods are agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE).

Influence of Freezing Temperature, Freezing Duration, and Repeated Freeze/Thaw Cycles on Electrophoretic Profiles in the White Stork ().

Plasma electrophoresis is an ancillary diagnostic tool in avian medicine, with agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) being the most common techniques. Frozen samples can be used for quantitative studies or comparative diagnostic purposes, but stability of avian plasma proteins under freezing is poorly described. To evaluate the influence of plasma freezing on electrophoretograms in white storks (), heparin blood was sampled from 30 individuals during annual health examinations.

Low-Income Older Adults' Vulnerability to Anticholinergic Medication-Associated Frailty.

Background: A growing body of research supports the negative impact of anticholinergic drug burden on physical frailty. However, prior research has been limited to homogeneous white European populations, and few studies have evaluated how anticholinergic burden tools compare in their measurement function and reliability with minority community-dwelling adult populations. This study investigated the association between anticholinergic drug exposure and frailty by conducting a sensitivity analysis using multiple anticholinergic burden tools in a diverse cohort.

Cultivating Relationships as a Community-Based Recruitment Strategy in Transdisciplinary Aging Research: Lessons From an Academic-Community Partnership.

Participation of Black American older adults in community-engaged research remains challenging in health sciences. The objectives of this study were to describe the specific efforts, successes, and challenges in recruiting Black American older adults in research led by the Health and Wellness in Aging Across the Lifespan core, part of the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation (iCubed). We conducted a cross-case analysis of 6 community-engaged research projects using the community-engaged research continuum model.

The Role of Uric Acid in Human Health: Insights from the Gene.

Uric acid is the final product of purine metabolism and is converted to allantoin in most mammals via the uricase enzyme. The accumulation of loss of function mutations in the gene rendered hominoids (apes and humans) to have higher urate concentrations compared to other mammals. The loss of human uricase activity may have allowed humans to survive environmental stressors, evolution bottlenecks, and life-threatening pathogens.

Assessing the clinical utility of major indices for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in East Asian populations.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common form of chronic liver disease. The growing prevalence of NAFLD is strongly associated with the high incidence of metabolic syndrome. NAFLD affects as much as 19% of the US population with a disproportionate impact on minority racial groups such as Asian Americans.

Model-Informed Approaches and Innovative Clinical Trial Design for Adeno-Associated Viral Vector-Based Gene Therapy Product Development: A White Paper.

The promise of viral vector-based gene therapy (GT) as a transformative paradigm for treating severely debilitating and life-threatening diseases is slowly coming to fruition with the recent approval of several drug products. However, they have a unique mechanism of action often necessitating a tortuous clinical development plan. Expertise in such complex therapeutic modality is still fairly limited in this emerging class of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector-based gene therapies.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Asian Americans: Perspectives on the Role of Acculturation in Cardiovascular Diseases Health Disparities.

The growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States (US) has disproportionately affected minority populations more than their white counterparts. A population that is often overlooked is the Asian American population, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. Despite having relatively favorable socioeconomic indicators compared to the general US population, Asian Americans, specifically Southeast Asian individuals, face a significant burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and are considered a high cardiovascular disease risk group.

The frequency of major , and variants in Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women subgroups: implications for personalized statins dosing.

The frequencies of and and in specific Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) subgroups are unknown. Repository DNA samples from 1064 women self-identifying as Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Marshallese or Samoan and aged 18 years or older were used for targeted sequencing of three genetic variants (rs4149056, rs1799853 and rs1057910). was significantly less frequent in NHPI women (0.

Feasibility and performance of home sleep apnea testing in youth with Down syndrome.

Study Objectives: In-laboratory polysomnography is recommended for the evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in youth with Down syndrome. However, insufficient sleep laboratories are available, particularly for youth with neurocognitive disabilities such as Down syndrome. We hypothesized that level II home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) would be feasible, acceptable, and accurate in detecting polysomnography-defined moderate-severe OSA in youth with Down syndrome.

The frequency of rs2231142 in among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander subgroups: implications for personalized rosuvastatin dosing.

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. Rosuvastatin is a moderate- to high-intensity statin depending on the prescribed dose. Statin-associated muscle symptoms are the main side effects, contributing to low adherence to statins.

Moving the Needle in Gout Management: The Role of Culture, Diet, Genetics, and Personalized Patient Care Practices.

Gout is a metabolic disorder, and one of the most common inflammatory arthritic conditions, caused by elevated serum urate (SU). Gout is globally rising, partly due to global dietary changes and the growing older adult population. Gout was known to affect people of high socioeconomic status.

Beneficial and Harmful Effects of Monoclonal Antibodies for the Treatment and Prophylaxis of COVID-19: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: We systematically assessed beneficial and harmful effects of monoclonal antibodies for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, and prophylaxis in individuals exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Methods: We searched 5 engines and 3 registries until November 3, 2021 for randomized controlled trials evaluating monoclonal antibodies vs control in hospitalized or non-hospitalized adults with COVID-19, or as prophylaxis. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality, COVID-19-related death, and serious adverse events; hospitalization for non-hospitalized; and development of symptomatic COVID-19 for prophylaxis.

Efficacy of early treatment with hydroxychloroquine in people with mild to moderate COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: No early treatment intervention for COVID-19 has proven effective to date. We systematically reviewed the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine as early treatment for COVID-19.

Material And Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating hydroxychloroquine for early treatment of COVID-19 were searched in five engines and preprint websites until September 14, 2021.