Revisiting development strategy under climate uncertainty: case study of Malawi.

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of agriculture-led versus non-agriculture-led development strategies under climate-induced economic uncertainty. Utilizing Malawi as a case study, we introduce the application of Stochastic Dominance (SD) analysis, a tool from decision analysis theory, and compare the two strategies in the context of weather/climate-associated economic uncertainty. Our findings suggest that an agriculture-led development strategy consistently surpasses its non-agriculture-led antagonist in poverty and undernourishment outcomes across almost all possible weather/climate scenarios.

Biological Evaluation of Oral Care Products Using 3D Tissue-Engineered In Vitro Models of Plaque-Induced Gingivitis.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate and visualize the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects of different oral care products using an infected and inflamed 3D tissue-engineered gingival mucosal model.

Methods: A 3D full-thickness oral mucosal model was engineered inside tissue culture inserts using collagen hydrogels populated with human gingival fibroblasts and THP-1 monocytes and layered with oral epithelial cell lines. Oral saliva bacteria were cultured and added to the surface of the models and inflammation was further simulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of .

Worker's Compensation Injury and Illness Care: A Global Round Table.

Background: Work-related injuries and diseases have a significant impact on workers and their families, society, and the economy. There is a gap in the literature regarding the structures, content, quality, and outcomes of international occupational health systems serving injured and ill workers. This global round table was an attempt to elucidate, evaluate, and identify areas needing improvement.

UK trainees' perceptions of leadership and leadership development.

Purpose: This paper reports on trainees' perceptions of leadership and leadership development, to inform the support that may be provided to them. It draws on a formative evaluation of the new role of clinical leadership mentor (CLM), introduced by Health Education England South-West in 2018. CLMs are responsible for 'overseeing the process and progress of leadership development among the trainees within their Trust/Local Education Provider'.

The Ukraine war and rising commodity prices: Implications for developing countries.

The Russia-Ukraine war's impact on food, fuel, and fertilizer prices is a major concern for global poverty and food insecurity. Despite numerous studies and editorials on the risks and challenges of the crisis, there is little quantitative analysis of its consequences for developing countries. We use national economywide models to measure the near-term impacts of the crisis on agrifood systems, poverty, and food insecurity in 19 countries.

Clinical and Military Outcomes of Kidney Diseases Diagnosed in Active Duty Service Members.

Introduction: Renal biopsy is a valuable tool for determining diagnosis, management, and prognosis of intrinsic kidney diseases. Indications for biopsy depend on the clinical presentation. Within the military, renal biopsies also enable medical review boards to make military service fitness assessments after diagnosis of a kidney disease.

A Healthy Active Duty Soldier with an Elevated Serum Creatinine.

Creatine products and sports supplements are widely used by active duty soldiers. These products are associated with both acute renal failure and elevated serum creatinine levels without renal injury. We present a case involving an active duty, 26-year-old Caucasian soldier who was evaluated in our clinic for elevated creatinine levels.

The short-term economywide impacts of COVID-19 in Africa: Insights from Ethiopia.

The COVID-19 impact on the global economy combined with partial lockdown measures in Ethiopia represents a large, unprecedented shock to the country's economy. The social accounting matrix (SAM) multiplier model, built on the most up-to-date SAM (2017) for Ethiopia, shows that the country suffered a 14.3% loss in GDP (Birr 43.

Global Epidemiology of End-Stage Kidney Disease and Disparities in Kidney Replacement Therapy.

Background: The global epidemiology of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) reflects each nation's unique genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and sociodemographic characteristics. The response to ESKD, particularly regarding kidney replacement therapy (KRT), depends on local disease burden, culture, and socioeconomics. Here, we explore geographic variation and global trends in ESKD incidence and prevalence and examine variations in KRT modality, practice patterns, and mortality.

A Program of Research to Evaluate the Impact of Deceased Organ Donation Legislative Reform in Nova Scotia: The LEADDR Program.

Background: This is the first time deemed consent, where the entire population of a jurisdiction is considered to have consented for donation unless they have registered otherwise, will be implemented in North America. While relatively common in other regions of the world-notably Western Europe-it is uncertain how this practice will influence deceased donation practices and attitudes in Canada.

Methods: We describe a Health Canada funded program of research that will evaluate the implementation process and full impact of the deceased organ donation legislation and the health system transformation in Nova Scotia that includes opt-out consent.

The Economic Costs of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from a Simulation Exercise for Ghana.

Globally, countries have resorted to social distancing, travel restrictions and economic lockdowns to reduce transmission of COVID-19. The socioeconomic costs of these blunt measures are expected to be high, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where many live hand-to-mouth and lack social safety nets. Social Accounting Matrix multiplier model results show that Ghana's urban lockdown, although in force for only three weeks in April 2020, has likely caused GDP to fall by 27.

Detection of PLA2R Autoantibodies before the Diagnosis of Membranous Nephropathy.

Background: Circulating serum autoantibodies against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R-AB) are a key biomarker in the diagnosis and monitoring of primary membranous nephropathy (MN). However, little is known about the appearance and trajectory of PLA2R-AB before the clinical diagnosis of MN.

Methods: Using the Department of Defense Serum Repository, we analyzed PLA2R-AB in multiple, 1054 longitudinal serum samples collected before diagnosis of MN from 134 individuals with primary MN, 35 individuals with secondary MN, and 134 healthy volunteers.

Association of Race and Poverty With Mortality Among Nursing Home Residents on Maintenance Dialysis.

Objectives: The association of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors with survival rates of nursing home (NH) residents with treated end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is unclear. We examined whether race/ethnicity, ZIP code-level, and individual-level indicators of poverty relate to mortality of NH residents on dialysis.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

A Case Report of Acute Renal Failure as a Result of Light-Chain-Mediated Acute Tubular Interstitial Nephritis in a 30-Year-Old Combat Veteran.

We present a 30-year-old combat veteran with an unclear exposure history, with multiple deployments who was later diagnosed with acute renal failure as a result of light-chain deposition disease. Despite a drastic decline in kappa light chains following chemotherapy; his renal function worsened, and he progressed to end-stage renal disease, requiring hemodialysis. Light-chain-mediated acute tubular interstitial nephritis is an uncommon type of monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance presenting with acute renal failure without significant glomerular disease.

Dialysate-induced hypocalcemia presenting as acute intradialytic hypotension: A case report, safety review, and recommendations.

Intradialytic hypotension is the most common complication associated with hemodialysis. We describe a case of severe intradialytic hypotension during routine chronic dialysis, the presenting symptom of hypocalcemia due to a procedural error involving a zero calcium liquid acid dialysate concentrate. Although human factors were the root cause of this event, we discuss physical and procedural controls that may help to minimize the risk of human error.

Rhabdomyolysis in a Sickle Cell Trait Positive Active Duty Male Soldier.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis is a complication of sickle cell trait (SCT) likely first reported in the military population over 40 years ago. Although commonly a benign condition, numerous studies and case reports have identified SCT positive patients to be at increased risk for rhabdomyolysis, compartment syndrome and sudden cardiac death. We report a recent case of an SCT positive African American active duty male Soldier who suffered exertional rhabdomyolysis following an Army Physical Fitness Test.

Effects of Traumatic Amputation on β-Trace Protein and β2-Microglobulin Concentrations in Male Soldiers.

Background: Serum creatinine (SCr) levels are decreased following traumatic amputation, leading to the overestimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). β-Trace protein (BTP) and β2-microglobulin (B2M) strongly correlate with measured GFR and have not been studied following amputation. We hypothesized that BTP and B2M would be unaffected by traumatic amputation.

Possible potassium chlorate nephrotoxicity associated with chronic matchstick ingestion.

We present a case of a 48-year-old active duty male soldier with a history of chronic exposure to potassium chlorate, later diagnosed with chronic interstitial nephritis. He reported regular matchstick consumption to prevent chigger (Trombicula autumnalis) bites, amounting to ∼5.8 g of potassium chlorate over 3 years.

Identification of two distinct carcinoma-associated fibroblast subtypes with differential tumor-promoting abilities in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Heterogeneity of carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) has long been recognized, but the functional significance remains poorly understood. Here, we report the distinction of two CAF subtypes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) that have differential tumor-promoting capability, one with a transcriptome and secretome closer to normal fibroblasts (CAF-N) and the other with a more divergent expression pattern (CAF-D). Both subtypes supported higher tumor incidence in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) Ilγ2(null) mice and deeper invasion of malignant keratinocytes than normal or dysplasia-associated fibroblasts, but CAF-N was more efficient than CAF-D in enhancing tumor incidence.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in household plumbing as possible cause of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) often persist despite treatment. Because nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are resistant to commonly used antimicrobial drugs and are found in drinking water that patients may use for sinus irrigation, we investigated whether some CRS patients were infected with NTM in New York, New York, USA, during 2001-2011. Two approaches were chosen: 1) records of NTM-infected CRS patients were reviewed to identify common features of infection and Mycobacterium species; 2) samples from plumbing in households of 8 NTM-infected patients were cultured for NTM presence.

Restoration of auditory evoked responses by human ES-cell-derived otic progenitors.

Deafness is a condition with a high prevalence worldwide, produced primarily by the loss of the sensory hair cells and their associated spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Of all the forms of deafness, auditory neuropathy is of particular concern. This condition, defined primarily by damage to the SGNs with relative preservation of the hair cells, is responsible for a substantial proportion of patients with hearing impairment.

Stopping, goal-conflict, trait anxiety and frontal rhythmic power in the stop-signal task.

The medial right frontal cortex is implicated in fast stopping of an initiated motor action in the stop-signal task (SST). To assess whether this region is also involved in the slower behavioural inhibition induced by goal conflict, we tested for effects of goal conflict (when stop and go tendencies are balanced) on low-frequency rhythms in the SST. Stop trials were divided, according to the delays at which the stop signal occurred, into short-, intermediate-, and long-delay trials.

Fibroblast gene expression profile reflects the stage of tumour progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. This study examined the behaviour of fibroblast strains from normal oral mucosa, dysplastic epithelial tissue, and genetically stable (minimal copy number alterations-CNA; minimal loss of heterozygosity-LOH; wild-type p53; wild-type p16INK4A) and unstable (extensive CNA and LOH; inactivation of p53 and p16INK4A) oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Fibroblasts from genetically unstable OSCC relative to the other fibroblast subtypes grew more slowly and stimulated the invasion of a non-tumourigenic keratinocyte cell line into fibroblast-rich collagen gels.