Nurses' Perceptions of Practice Supports Related to Medical Assistance in Dying.

Since the inception of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada in 2016, the health care system continues to refine MAiD delivery models. The frameworks informing nursing practice related to MAiD are subject to variability across the country, leading to nursing role ambiguity and barriers in relational practice. Using critical incident technique, this qualitative research study explores the experiences of 7 Canadian nurses engaging with patients seeking MAiD.

Spatial associations of Hansen's disease and schistosomiasis in endemic regions of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Background: Brazil has the second highest case count of Hansen's disease (leprosy, HD), but factors contributing to transmission in highly endemic areas of the country remain unclear. Recent studies have shown associations of helminth infection and leprosy, supporting a biological plausibility for increased leprosy transmission in areas with helminths. However, spatial analyses of the overlap of these infections are limited.

Altered neural recruitment during single and dual tasks in athletes with repeat concussion.

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) pose significant challenges to college-aged athletes, eliciting both immediate symptoms and subacute cognitive and motor function impairment. While most symptoms and impairments resolve within weeks, athletes with repeat SRCs may experience heightened risk for prolonged recovery trajectories, future musculoskeletal injuries, and long-term neurocognitive deficits. This study aimed to investigate the impact of repeat SRCs on dual task performance and associated neural recruitment using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Targeted degradation of oncogenic KRASG12V triggers antitumor immunity in lung cancer models.

KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in lung adenocarcinoma, with G12C and G12V being the most predominant forms. Recent breakthroughs in KRASG12C inhibitors have transformed the clinical management of patients with G12C mutation and advanced our understanding of its function. However, little is known about the targeted disruption of KRASG12V, partly due to a lack of specific inhibitors.

Consensus Preconception Educational Domains for People With Mobility Disabilities: A Delphi Study.

Background: Preconception health education is critical to improve pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, but people with mobility disabilities have specific, often unique issues related to preparing for pregnancy. This study sought to develop consensus-based domains for a preconception education curriculum for people with mobility disabilities.

Methods: We used a mixed methods approach, including a literature review and a Delphi method to develop consensus.

Strategies to Improve Women's Mental Health Across the Life Course.

The authors describe four important strategies to improve women's mental health during the perinatal period and across the life course.

Protektem pikinini blong yu trial: protocol for a single arm field trial to assess the effectiveness of treating-all pregnant women with hepatitis B infection with tenofovir prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission in Vanuatu, 2024-2025.

Background: Hepatitis B infection is a major public health concern in Vanuatu, with approximately 9% of the general population estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B. Most new infections are due to mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Hepatitis B vaccination is available in Vanuatu, but coverage rates for first dose within 24 h of birth and third dose are suboptimal.

Imlunestrant is an Oral, Brain-Penetrant Selective Estrogen Receptor Degrader with Potent Antitumor Activity in ESR1 Wildtype and Mutant Breast Cancer.

Targeting of the estrogen receptor (ER) by anti-estrogens is the standard-of-care for patients with ER+ HER2- advanced/metastatic breast cancer. While anti-estrogens that degrade ERα (fulvestrant) or block estrogen production (aromatase inhibitors) have improved patient outcomes, clinically important challenges remain related to drug administration, limited bioavailability, lack of brain exposure, and acquired resistance due to ESR1 mutations. These limitations indicate a need for more robust ER-targeted therapies.

Toxicology study of a tissue anchoring paclitaxel prodrug.

Background: Local drug presentation made possible by drug-eluting depots provides benefits for a vast array of diseases, including cancer, microbial infection, and wound healing. Drug-eluting depots provide sustained drug release of therapeutics directly at disease sites with tunable kinetics, remove the need for drugs to access disease sites from circulation, and reduce the side effects associated with systemic therapy. Recently, we introduced an entirely novel approach to local drug presentation named Tissue-Reactive Anchoring Pharmaceuticals (TRAPs).

Convergent effects of synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone and amyloid beta in human olfactory neurosphere-derived cells.

Stressful life events and glucocorticoid (stress) hormones appear to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and hasten its progression, but the reasons for this remain unclear. One potential explanation is that when amyloid β (Aβ) pathology is accumulating in the preclinical disease stage, glucocorticoid receptor signalling during stressful events exacerbates cellular dysfunction caused by Aβ. Alternatively, Aβ may disrupt glucocorticoid receptor signalling.

Personality and social determinants of health predict adolescent comfort and honesty reporting sports-related concussion symptoms.

Proper diagnosis is essential in mitigating risk associated with sports-related concussion (SRC); however, 50% of SRCs remain undiagnosed due to unreported symptoms. The current study aimed to identify the clinically-relevant, attainable personality and social determinants of health variables that are associated with honesty and comfortability reporting symptoms in 317 adolescents ( = 17.8, SD = 0.

A community-based study of intention to use HIV self-testing among young people in urban areas of southern Ethiopia.

In sub-Saharan Africa, young people are at high risk of HIV infection, representing nearly 4 out of 5 new infections. HIV self-testing (HIVST), a new and proactive testing scheme that involves self-collection of a specimen and interpretation of results, is deemed potentially helpful for increasing testing amongst population groups like young people who do not frequently use routine testing services. This study assessed young people's intention to use HIVST in urban areas of southern Ethiopia drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Shortened sleep duration impairs adipose tissue adrenergic stimulation of lipolysis in postmenopausal women.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the changes in adipose tissue lipolytic capacity and insulin signaling in response to shortened sleep duration (SSD) in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Adipose tissue from a randomized crossover study of nine healthy postmenopausal women (mean [SD], age: 59 [4] years; BMI: 28.0 [2.

Primary Care Clinician Perspectives on Team-Based Welcome Video Visits.

Background: Synchronous virtual visits aid in longitudinal primary care and fulfill unmet needs for patients and clinicians. Virtual visits are widely accepted for specialty consultation and follow-up; however, novel systems-based programs and processes may support earlier engagement.

Aim: Evaluate primary care clinician attitudes and perspectives on patient information obtained team-based, nurse-led virtual visits ahead of face to face visits.

Acceptability and use of HIV self-testing among young people in sub-Saharan Africa: a mixed methods systematic review.

Background: Young people (YP) are disproportionately affected by the HIV pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but testing rates remain low despite global targets of testing 95% of people with HIV infection by 2030. HIV self-testing (HIVST) has been recently introduced to reach high-risk population groups such as these. Thus, synthesis of emerging evidence on the acceptability and use of HIVST among YP in SSA is needed so that comprehensive information can be generated to inform policy and practice.

The common VTE-protective G haplotype of F5 increases factor V-short, TFPI function, and risk of bleeding.

The G haplotype is a group of co-inherited single nucleotide variants in the F5 gene that reduce venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk. Although 7% of the population is homozygous for the G haplotype (F5-G/G), the underlying mechanism of VTE protection is poorly understood. Using RNA sequencing data from 4651 blood donors in the INTERVAL study, we detected a rare excision event at the factor V (FV)-short splice sites in 5% of F5-G/Gs carriers as compared with 2.

Application of the Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogel RADA16 for Hemostasis during Tonsillectomy: A Feasibility Study.

Tonsillectomy is a common surgical procedure but carries a high risk of readmission for secondary bleeding and pain. This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of using the hemostatic self-assembling peptide hydrogel RADA16 (PuraBond, 3-D Matrix SAS; Caluire et Cuire, France) to control bleeding from the tonsillectomy wound bed. Readmission/re-operation rates were compared between a prospective case series of 21 primarily adult tonsillectomy patients treated with topical RADA16 and an untreated historical Control group of 164 patients who underwent tonsillectomy by 10 surgeons at a single tertiary hospital in the UK between March 2019 and June 2022.

Pathways to healthy ageing in Vanuatu: a qualitative evaluation of national policy priorities.

Background: The Pacific Island country of Vanuatu is at the early stages of demographic ageing. The government is yet to develop a strategic approach to optimize the health and wellbeing of older indigenous Vanuatu residents (ni-Vanuatu).

Methods: Using policy mapping and semi-structured interviews with 42 ni-Vanuatu, this research aimed to explore the current policy context surrounding ageing in Vanuatu and the priorities of older adults to inform preliminary steps to develop a national response to healthy ageing.

Disparities in Musculoskeletal Oncology.

Purpose Of Review: Disparities within the healthcare system serve as barriers to care that lead to poor outcomes for patients. These healthcare disparities are present in all facets of medicine and extend to musculoskeletal oncology care. There are various tenets to health disparities with some factors being modifiable and non-modifiable.

Early-life adversity severity, timing, and context type are associated with SLC6A4 methylation in emerging adults: Results from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation (DNAm), can play a role in the biological embedding of early-life adversity (ELA) through serotonergic mechanisms. The current study examines methylation of the CpG island in the promoter region of the stress-responsive serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) and is the first to jointly assess how it is influenced by ELA severity, timing, and type-specifically, deprivation and threat.

Methods: We use data from 627 Youth Emotion Project study participants, recruited from two US high schools.

Childhood Opportunity Index and Low-Value Care in Children's Hospitals.

Background And Objective: Few studies have explored the relationship between social drivers of health and pediatric low-value care (LVC). We assessed the relationship between Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) 2.0 and LVC in children's hospitals.