Factors and Outcomes Associated With Using Scratch-Cooked, Organic, and Locally Grown Foods in School Meals in California.

Background: Incorporating scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods into school meal programs can enhance meal quality and support local food systems.

Methods: 430 California school food authorities were surveyed to (1) evaluate their use of scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods in their programs; (2) identify demographic and operational characteristics related to this use; and (3) analyze the relationship between serving more of these foods and perceived barriers to student meal participation. Poisson and logistic regression models, adjusted for SFAs' demographic characteristics, were used.

Monocyte-derived macrophages act as reinforcements when microglia fall short in Alzheimer's disease.

The central nervous system (CNS) is endowed with its own resident innate immune cells, the microglia. They constitute approximately 10% of the total cells within the CNS parenchyma and act as 'sentinels', sensing and mitigating any deviation from homeostasis. Nevertheless, under severe acute or chronic neurological injury or disease, microglia are unable to contain the damage, and the reparative activity of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) is required.

cSTAR analysis identifies endothelial cell cycle as a key regulator of flow-dependent artery remodeling.

Fluid shear stress (FSS) from blood flow sensed by vascular endothelial cells (ECs) determines vessel behavior, but regulatory mechanisms are only partially understood. We used cell state transition assessment and regulation (cSTAR), a powerful computational method, to elucidate EC transcriptomic states under low shear stress (LSS), physiological shear stress (PSS), high shear stress (HSS), and oscillatory shear stress (OSS) that induce vessel inward remodeling, stabilization, outward remodeling, or disease susceptibility, respectively. Combined with a publicly available database on EC transcriptomic responses to drug treatments, this approach inferred a regulatory network controlling EC states and made several notable predictions.

Advocating for an Advanced Cardiac POCUS Curriculum Among Internal Medicine Residents.

Advocating for integrating a cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) curriculum into Internal Medicine residency, this letter emphasizes the unique advantages of cardiac POCUS, particularly its rapid utility and safety, while highlighting existing knowledge gaps among trainees. This perspective research letter underscores the need for a structured advanced cardiac POCUS elective to address the knowledge and skill gaps among internal medicine trainees who have taken the introductory POCUS elective, providing a career preparatory course for internal medicine residents interested in cardiology, critical care, hospital medicine, primary care, and rural medicine. The perspective research paper also underscores the feasibility and benefits of such training, ultimately supporting the implementation of an advanced cardiac POCUS elective in the United States Internal Medicine residency programs.

Conformational response of αβ and αβ integrins to force.

As major adhesion receptors, integrins transmit biochemical and mechanical signals across the plasma membrane. These functions are regulated by transitions between bent and extended conformations and modulated by force. To understand how force on integrins mediates cellular mechanosensing, we compared two highly homologous integrins, αβ and αβ.

Esophageal Obstruction from Food Bolus Impaction Successfully Managed with the "Upright Posture, Chin Tuck, Double Swallow" Maneuver: A Case Report.

Introduction: An attempt at medical management is often the initial step in addressing esophageal obstruction from an impacted food bolus. Medical management, however, has limited success and often requires urgent endoscopy. We present a case in which standard medical treatment failed, but a swallowing augmentation maneuver resolved the obstruction.

Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 promotes atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the leading cause of mortality worldwide, is driven by endothelial cell inflammatory activation and counter-balanced by anti-inflammatory transcription factors Klf2 and Klf4 (Klf2/4). Understanding vascular endothelial inflammation to develop effective treatments is thus essential. Here, we identify, Polycomb Repressive Complex (PRC) 2, which blocks gene transcription by trimethylating histone3 Lysine27 in gene promoter/enhancers, as a potent, therapeutically targetable determinant of vascular inflammation and ASCVD progression.

Integrins as Drug Targets in Vascular and Related Diseases.

Integrins are transmembrane receptors that, as critical participants in a vast range of pathological processes, are potential therapeutic targets. However, in only a few cases has the promise been realized by drug approval. In this review, we briefly review basic integrin biology and participation in disease, challenges in the development of safe, effective integrin-targeted therapies, and recent advances that may lead to progress.

Patient Persistence to OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment for Overactive Bladder Using a Reduced Injection-Site Paradigm: A Retrospective Chart Review Study.

Aims: OnabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA) is an approved treatment for overactive bladder (OAB). This chart review study aims to determine treatment persistence in patients receiving onabotA (100 U) via a reduced injection-site paradigm distributed across ≤ 3 injection sites.

Methods: This study was a single site, noninterventional, retrospective chart review evaluating adult female OAB patients refractory to behavioral modification and pharmacotherapy before receiving ≥ 1 treatment with onabotA (100 U) via 1-3 injections between July 2017 and June 2021.

Optical assessment of scars after endoscopic mucosal resection of large colorectal polyps in a multicenter, community hospital setting: is routine biopsy still necessary?

Background And Study Aims: Piecemeal EMR of large (≥20mm) non-pedunculated colorectal polyps (LNPCPs) is succeeded by a 6-month surveillance endoscopy to evaluate the post-EMR scar for recurrence. Data from expert centers suggest that routine tattoo placement and scar biopsies can be omitted, but data from community hospitals are lacking.

Patients And Methods: In a post-hoc analysis of the STAR-LNPCP study (NTR7477), containing prospective data on 6-month post-pEMR scar assessments in 30 Dutch community hospitals (October 2019 to May 2022), the agreement between optical assessment and histological confirmation by routine biopsies was evaluated.

PIEZO1 overexpression in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia arteriovenous malformations.

Background: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an inherited vascular disorder characterized by arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Loss-of-function mutations in Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) cause type 2 HHT and knockout (KO) mice develop AVMs due to overactivation of VEGFR2/PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. However, the full spectrum of signaling alterations in mutants remains unknown and means to combat AVM formation in patients are yet to be developed.

Bivalent CD47 Immunotoxin for Targeted Therapy of T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

CD47 is overexpressed on the surface of many types of cancer cells, including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells. In this study, we have developed a diphtheria toxin-based bivalent anti-human CD47 immunotoxin (bi-CD47-IT) for the targeted therapy of CD47+ cancers using a unique diphtheria toxin-resistant yeast Pichia pastoris expression system. Bi-CD47-IT demonstrated compelling in vivo efficacy in multiple T-ALL cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models.

Multi-session adaptation to audiovisual and sensorimotor biofeedback is heterogeneous among adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Background: There is growing interest in the use of biofeedback-augmented gait training in cerebral palsy (CP). Audiovisual, sensorimotor, and immersive biofeedback paradigms are commonly used to elicit short-term gait improvements; however, outcomes remain variable. Because biofeedback training requires that individuals have the capacity to both adapt their gait in response to feedback and retain improvements across sessions, changes in either capacity may affect outcomes.

Dataset of seed characteristics of the main weeds on Reunion Island.

Characterizing seeds of tropical weeds is crucial for future research to understand their ability to disperse in space and time through their seeds, and building up seed banks. Seeds of 55 weed species occurring on Reunion Island were collected and characterized. Seeds were described by their shape, size, color, texture, hairiness, or particular markings.

DNA nanodevice for analysis of force-activated protein extension and interactions.

Force-induced changes in protein structure and function mediate cellular responses to mechanical stresses. Existing methods to study protein conformation under mechanical force are incompatible with biochemical and structural analysis. Taking advantage of DNA nanotechnology, including the well-defined geometry of DNA origami and programmable mechanics of DNA hairpins, we built a nanodevice to apply controlled forces to proteins.

Age at diagnosis of diabetes, obesity, and the risk of dementia among adult patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: While Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) prevalence is increasing among younger individuals, few studies have examined how age at T2DM diagnosis relates to dementia risk in diabetic populations. We aimed to investigate the association between age at T2DM diagnosis and subsequent dementia risk, and to determine whether obesity moderates this relationship.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2002-2016) matched with its 2003 Diabetes Mail-Out Survey.

Phase 3 Validation of Prognostic Liver Secretome Signature With α-Fetoprotein Plus Age, Male Sex, Albumin-Bilirubin, and Platelets for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Stratification in Cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk stratification is an urgent unmet need for cost-effective HCC screening and early detection in patients with cirrhosis to improve poor HCC prognosis.

Methods: Molecular (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein) and clinical (aMAP [age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets] score) variable-based scores were integrated into PAaM (prognostic liver secretome signature with α-fetoprotein plus age, male sex, albumin-bilirubin, and platelets), which was subsequently validated in 2 phase 3 biomarker validation studies: the statewide Texas HCC Consortium and nationwide HCC Early Detection Strategy prospective cohorts, following the prospective specimen collection, retrospective blinded evaluation design. The associations between baseline PAaM and incident HCC were assessed using Fine-Gray regression, with overall death and liver transplantation as competing events.

Impact of underlying liver disease on unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are standard therapy for unresectable HCC, but many patients do not respond. Non-viral HCC, particularly non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), have been implicated in ICI resistance.

Methods: We reviewed 288 patients with unresectable HCC who received ICI from 1/2017 to 12/2021.

Cancer survivor preferences on the timing and content of interventions to mitigate financial toxicity associated with cancer treatment.

Purpose: Despite growing research on financial toxicity among cancer survivors, large gaps remain in understanding how to intervene to minimize financial toxicity. Uptake and efficacy of interventions mitigating cancer financial toxicity, though promising, remain limited and inconsistent. To date, survivor preferences for financial toxicity interventions are underexplored.

Outcomes After Brexucabtagene Autoleucel Administered as a Standard Therapy for Adults With Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell ALL.

Purpose: On the basis of the results of the ZUMA-3 trial, brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, gained US Food and Drug Administration approval in October 2021 for adults with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell ALL (B-ALL). We report outcomes of patients treated with brexu-cel as a standard therapy.

Methods: We developed a collaboration across 31 US centers to study adults with B-ALL who received brexu-cel outside the context of a clinical trial.