Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health care use in the United States through December 2021.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health care provided from July 2020 through December 2021 using national claims data.

Methods: Deidentified quarterly claims from 2017 through 2021 were analyzed (2017-2019 provided prepandemic data). Data were sorted into multiple treatment categories.

Nectophore coordination and kinematics by physonect siphonophores.

Siphonophores are ubiquitous and often highly abundant members of pelagic ecosystems throughout the open ocean. They are unique among animal taxa in that many species use multiple jets for propulsion. Little is known about the kinematics of the individual jets produced by nectophores (the swimming bells of siphonophores) or whether the jets are coordinated during normal swimming behavior.

MicroRNA-144-3p targets relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) expression in lung fibroblasts from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

The hormone relaxin is considered a potential therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We have previously shown that a potential limitation to relaxin-based IPF therapy is decreased expression of a relaxin receptor, relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1), in IPF fibroblasts. The mechanism that down-regulates RXFP1 in IPF remains unclear.

A case series describing common radiographic and pathologic patterns of hard metal pneumoconiosis.

Introduction: Hard metal pneumoconiosis is a rare but serious disease of the lungs associated with inhalational exposure to tungsten or cobalt dust. Little is known about the radiologic and pathologic characteristics of this disease and the efficacy of treating with immunosuppression.

Objective: We describe the largest cohort of patients with hard metal pneumoconiosis in the literature, including radiographic and pathologic patterns as well as treatment options.