Anatomical Study of the Retrodural Space of Okada in the Cervical Region: 3D Micro-CT Findings.

The retrodural space of Okada (RSO) is a potential space located posterior to the ligamentum flavum. It can complicate epidural injections owing to its communication with the epidural space and facet joints. The purpose of this study was to clarify the anatomical structures of the cervical RSO and adjacent ligamentous tissues in cadavers.

Image quality and diagnostic performance of deep learning reconstruction for diffusion- weighted imaging in 3 T breast MRI.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the image quality and the diagnostic value of deep learning reconstruction (DLR) for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) compared with conventional single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) in 3 T breast MRI.

Methods: Between January and July 2023, this single-center prospective study involved patients who underwent both clinical breast MRI and additional DWIs including accelerated (fast DLR) and high-resolution (HR DLR) for the research purpose. Two radiologists independently evaluated image quality, including fat suppression homogeneity, image blurring, artifacts, and lesion conspicuity.

Anatomical Location of the Segmental Spinal Arteries in the Cervical Intervertebral Foramina: 3D-Micro CT Findings Relevant to Transforaminal Epidural Injection.

Purpose: Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a common treatment for cervical radiculopathy but carries potential risks because of the presence of crucial arteries in the intervertebral foramina (IVF). This study analyzed the precise anatomical location of the segmental spinal artery (SSA) within the cervical IVF using 3D micro-CT imaging to provide guidance for safer TFESI procedures.

Participants And Methods: Fourteen embalmed cadavers were used in this study: three for serial sectional dissection, two for histological examination, and nine for micro-CT analysis.

Postoperative cholesterol changes as early predictors of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Early prediction and management are crucial for treating breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), yet the risk factors remain poorly understood. This study aims to explore the relationship between postoperative changes in serum cholesterol levels and the development of lymphedema.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed breast cancer patients who underwent surgery between March 2014 and March 2019.

Selenium and Episodic Memory: The Moderating Role of Apolipoprotein E ε4.

Selenium (Se), a vital trace element, plays a neuroprotective role by mitigating oxidative stress through selenoproteins and regulating metal balance. The apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE4), a significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), has been linked to reduced Se levels and weakened antioxidant capacity. This research explores the association between serum Se concentrations and cognitive performance, with an emphasis on how APOE4 status influences this relationship.

Can social pain be medicated away? A pilot study on everyday discrimination and its exacerbation of opioid misuse risk in people of color with chronic pain.

Despite mounting evidence of a robust relation between discrimination and poor pain outcomes in people of color (POC) with chronic pain, little is known about everyday discrimination's role in increasing the risk of opioid misuse and its potential interactive effects. This study aimed to evaluate the potential moderating effect of everyday discrimination on the relationship between chronic pain severity and the risk of opioid misuse among POC with chronic pain. Everyday discrimination was assessed using the 9-item Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS), while the risk of opioid misuse was measured with the 14-item Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain (SOAPP).

Vitamin D deficiency may accelerate cognitive decline in female apolipoprotein E ε4 non-carriers.

Background & Aims: The impact of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) on cognition remains controversial. Evidences suggest that variability based on apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 status and gender, given APOE ε4's influence on vitamin D metabolism and women's heightened vitamin D sensitivity. We investigated the interplay between APOE ε4, gender, and VDD in cognitive decline among older adults.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy up-regulates PD-L1 in radioresistant colorectal cancer.

Background: Combining radiotherapy (RT) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a promising strategy that can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs. However, little is known about RT-induced changes in the expression of immune checkpoints, such as PD-L1, and their clinical implications in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to investigate the association between responsiveness to RT and changes in PD-L1 expression in human CRC tissue and cell lines.

Adverse childhood experiences and adult alcohol use during pregnancy - 41 U.S. jurisdictions, 2019-2023.

Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are preventable, potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. Alcohol use during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, and a range of lifelong behavioral, intellectual, and physical disabilities in the child. Limited research has examined the relationship between ACEs and alcohol use in pregnancy; available studies might not reflect current trends in this relationship.

Using ICD Codes Alone May Misclassify Overdoses Among Perinatal People.

Introduction: As perinatal drug overdoses continue to rise, reliable approaches are needed to monitor overdose trends during pregnancy and postpartum. This analysis aimed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ICD-9/10-CM codes for drug overdose events among people in the MATernaL and Infant clinical NetworK (MAT-LINK) with medication for opioid use disorder during pregnancy.

Methods: People included in this analysis had electronic health record documentation of medication for opioid use disorder and a known pregnancy outcome from January 1, 2014, through August 31, 2021.

Assessing Prenatal Alcohol Exposure History for Pediatric Patients: Practices Among U.S. Clinicians.

Objectives: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends clinicians who treat pediatric patients screen for prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) to facilitate the identification of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and promote timely access to behavioral and cognitive interventions. We evaluated how frequently clinicians inquire about PAE in their pediatric patient interactions and the methods used to ascertain this information.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Fall 2020 DocStyles survey, a web-based survey of primary healthcare professionals (n = 1754).

Introducing Open Dialogue as part of the WHO QualityRights Project in South Korea: experiences and opinions from an introductory workshop and 1-year pilot practice.

This study explores the subjective experiences of participants in a 5-day Open Dialogue (OD) workshop and a 1-year pilot practice, conducted as part of the WHO QualityRights Project in South Korea. Twenty-four participants, selected through purposive sampling, completed surveys immediately after the workshop and 1 year later. Data were analyzed through both statistical and thematic approaches.

Peripheral cranio-spinal nerve communication for trapezius muscle control using axonal profiling through immunostaining.

Accessory nerve (CNXI) has been known to be the primary conduit for motor control of the trapezius, while the supplementary cervical nerves (C3 and C4) are responsible for processing sensory information from muscle. However, the lack of substantial direct evidence has led to these conclusions being regarded as mere speculation. This study used immunostaining (using antibodies against neurofilament 200 for all axons, choline acetyltransferase for cholinergic axons, tyrosine hydroxylase for sympathetic axons, and alpha 3 sodium potassium ATPase for proprioceptive afferent axons) of human samples to verify the functional contributions of nerves.

A deep learning algorithm model to automatically score and grade obstructive sleep apnea in adult polysomnography.

Objective: Polysomnography (PSG) is unique in diagnosing sleep disorders, notably obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Despite its advantages, manual PSG data grading is time-consuming and laborious. Thus, this research evaluated a deep learning-based automated scoring system for respiratory events in sleep-disordered breathing patients.

The association between methimazole tapering and intractable Graves' disease in children.

Background: The aim of this study was to find predictive factors for intractable Graves' disease (GD).

Methods: Ninety-three GD patients who visited two pediatric endocrinology clinics from March 2009 to August 2019 were involved in this study. Data were collected on the methimazole (MZ) dosages prescribed from their first visits to their fifth visits.

Recurrence pattern of glioblastoma treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy versus three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy.

Purpose: To evaluate recurrence patterns of and survival outcomes in glioblastoma treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) versus three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively examined 91 patients with glioblastoma treated with either IMRT (n = 60) or 3D-CRT (n = 31) between January 2013 and December 2019. Magnetic resonance imaging showing tumor recurrence and planning computed tomography scans were fused for analyzing recurrence patterns categorized as in-field, marginal, and out-of-field based on their relation to the initial radiation field.

Diurnal cortisol patterns in chronic pain: Associations with work-family spillover, work, and home stress.

Chronic pain is a prevalent condition with significant impacts on individuals' lives, including heightened stress and impaired physiological functioning. Given that work and family are the two main social domains where stress manifests, this study aimed to investigate the interactions between chronic pain, work-family stressors, and diurnal cortisol patterns to understand how chronic pain affects daily life and physiological stress responses. We identified 1,413 adults with chronic pain and 1,413 matched controls within MIDUS II samples to examine work-family spillover, daily work and home stressors, and cortisol levels across multiple days.

Masticatory Function, Sex, and Risk of Dementia Among Older Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: A decline in masticatory function may indicate brain dysfunction related to dementia, but the relationship between masticatory function and dementia risk remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether masticatory function is associated with the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Methods: Data were obtained from the nationwide prospective cohort study of randomly sampled community-dwelling Koreans aged ≥ 60 years.