Upadacitinib Induction and Maintenance Therapy Improves Abdominal Pain, Bowel Urgency, and Fatigue in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Post Hoc Analysis of Phase 3 Data.

Background: This post hoc analysis of a large, phase 3 program evaluated the effects of upadacitinib on fatigue, bowel urgency, and abdominal pain in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.

Methods: Induction data were pooled from 2 identical studies, the U-ACHIEVE induction and U-ACCOMPLISH studies. Patients in these studies received upadacitinib 45 mg once daily or placebo as induction treatment.

Genetic Associations Between Smoking- and Glaucoma-Related Traits.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the genetic relationship between smoking and glaucoma.

Methods: We used summary-level genetic data for smoking initiation, smoking intensity (cigarettes per day [CPD]), intraocular pressure (IOP), vertical cup-disc ratio, and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) to estimate global genetic correlations (rg) and perform two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) experiments that explored relations between traits. Finally, we examined associations between smoking genetic risk scores (GRS) and smoking traits with measured IOP and OAG in Rotterdam Study participants.

The Cannabis Plant as a Complex System: Interrelationships between Cannabinoid Compositions, Morphological, Physiological and Phenological Traits.

Maintaining specific and reproducible cannabinoid compositions (type and quantity) is essential for the production of cannabis-based remedies that are therapeutically effective. The current study investigates factors that determine the plant's cannabinoid profile and examines interrelationships between plant features (growth rate, phenology and biomass), inflorescence morphology (size, shape and distribution) and cannabinoid content. An examination of differences in cannabinoid profile within genotypes revealed that across the cultivation facility, cannabinoids' qualitative traits (ratios between cannabinoid quantities) remain fairly stable, while quantitative traits (the absolute amount of Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerol (CBG), Δ-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and cannabidivarin (CBDV)) can significantly vary.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Early Syphilis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Australia, 2013-2019: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: We aimed to examine the incidence of syphilis in men who have sex with men (MSM) and identify subgroups of MSM at a higher risk of syphilis infection.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of MSM attending a sexual health clinic in Australia, during 2013-2019, who had at least 2 syphilis serological tests during the study period. The incidence of syphilis was expressed as per 100 person-years.

A Systematic Review of Kissing as a Risk Factor for Oropharyngeal Gonorrhea or Chlamydia.

Background: Tongue kissing is a poorly studied risk factor for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We undertook the first systematic review to assess whether kissing is a risk factor for gonorrhea or chlamydia of the oropharynx.

Methods: Online databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane) and reference lists were searched until September 30, 2022.

Outcomes of Third-Attempt Breast Reconstruction following Infection-Associated Failure of Secondary Implant-Based Reconstruction.

Background: Implant-based reconstruction (IBR) is the most common method of breast reconstruction in the United States. Despite ongoing advancements, periprosthetic infection is a serious problem that often results in device explantation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of third-attempt reconstruction in patients in whom secondary implant-based reconstruction failed because of infection.

A systematic review of perioperative clinical practice guidelines for care of older adults living with frailty.

Background: Perioperative frailty is prevalent and requires complex management, which could be guided by clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The objective of this systematic review was to identify and synthesise CPGs that provide perioperative recommendations specific to older adults living with frailty.

Methods: After protocol registration, we performed a systematic review of CPGs.

Primary and Metastatic Cutaneous Melanomas Discriminately Enrich Several Ligand-Receptor Interactions.

Introduction: Cutaneous melanoma remains a leading cancer with sobering post-metastasis mortality rates. To date, the ligand-receptor interactome of melanomas remains weakly studied despite applicability to anti-cancer drug discovery. Here we leverage established crosstalk methodologies to characterize important ligand-receptor pairs in primary and metastatic cutaneous melanoma.

Limited Metabolomic Overlap between Commensal Bacteria and Marine Sponge Holobionts Revealed by Large Scale Culturing and Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics: An Undergraduate Laboratory Pedagogical Effort at Georgia Tech.

Sponges are the richest source of bioactive organic small molecules, referred to as natural products, in the marine environment. It is well established that laboratory culturing-resistant symbiotic bacteria residing within the eukaryotic sponge host matrix often synthesize the natural products that are detected in the sponge tissue extracts. However, the contributions of the culturing-amenable commensal bacteria that are also associated with the sponge host to the overall metabolome of the sponge holobiont are not well defined.

Tension-tuned receptors for synthetic mechanotransduction and intercellular force detection.

Cells interpret mechanical stimuli from their environments and neighbors, but the ability to engineer customized mechanosensing capabilities has remained a synthetic and mechanobiology challenge. Here we introduce tension-tuned synthetic Notch (SynNotch) receptors to convert extracellular and intercellular forces into specifiable gene expression changes. By elevating the tension requirements of SynNotch activation, in combination with structure-guided mutagenesis, we designed a set of receptors with mechanical sensitivities spanning the physiologically relevant picoNewton range.

Induction and Maintenance Treatment With Upadacitinib Improves Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis: Phase 3 Study Results.

Background: We evaluated the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) benefits of upadacitinib (UPA) induction and maintenance treatment in a phase 3 study of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) across a broad range of patient-centered outcomes.

Methods: Patients received UPA 45 mg once daily or placebo as induction treatment for 8 weeks. Patients who achieved clinical response were rerandomized to receive once daily UPA 15 mg, 30 mg, or placebo as maintenance treatment for 52 weeks.

The duration and body position during tongue-kissing among heterosexual men and women.

Background: Emerging data suggest tongue-kissing may transmit gonorrhea. We aim to examine the duration or body position of heterosexual men and women during tongue-kissing (henceforth, known as kissing).

Methods: A cross-sectional survey among heterosexual men and women attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre in Australia between May 2019 and March 2020 collected data on the duration and body position (i.

Germline TP53 mutations undergo copy number gain years prior to tumor diagnosis.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome associated with germline TP53 pathogenic variants. Here, we perform whole-genome sequence (WGS) analysis of tumors from 22 patients with TP53 germline pathogenic variants. We observe somatic mutations affecting Wnt, PI3K/AKT signaling, epigenetic modifiers and homologous recombination genes as well as mutational signatures associated with prior chemotherapy.

Scalable Synthetic Route to PDMS Ring Polymers in High Yields from Commercially Available Materials Using the Piers-Rubinsztajn Reaction.

While cyclic polymers have intrigued researchers for their novel set of architecture-driven rheological interactions, the possibility of incorporating them in topological systems has been limited by the availability of large ring polymers. Thus, the need for scalable methods to produce ring polymers has become apparent. Here, a facile method to prepare polysiloxane ring polymers by means of Piers-Rubinsztajn chemistry is presented.

A Systematic Approach to Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

With the recent increase in primary total knee arthroplasties and the associated rise in failures of the index operation, there has been growing demand for orthopaedic surgeons to perform revision procedures. The orthopaedic surgeon performing revision total knee arthroplasty should be knowledgeable about the various etiologies of primary total knee arthroplasty failure, the steps for proper patient evaluation, and important factors in the preoperative planning process. A systematic methodology for obtaining surgical exposure, strategies for reconstruction, fundamentals of soft-tissue closure, and postoperative care also should be reviewed.

Rationale and Design of a Study to Test the Effect of Personal Protective Aids on Hypertension and Diabetes in People Living With High Levels of Air Pollution-Study Protocol.

Background: Air pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world today, disproportionally affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as India. Studies have shown that exposure to particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM) can contribute to cardiovascular disease and increase mortality.

Ischaemic stroke as the first presentation of antineutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis.

The diagnosis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis in first-episode strokes is particularly challenging, especially in patients lacking features of systemic vasculitis. We present the case of a 71-year-old woman with positive myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and negative proteinase 3 autoantibodies. The patient presented with 1 week history of pyramidal weakness in both upper and lower limbs, hyperreflexia, and clonus.

A Qualitative Evaluation of an Adapted Assertive Community Treatment Program: Perspectives During COVID-19.

The Pinellas County Empowerment Team (PCET) was an adapted assertive community treatment (ACT) program created to meet the needs of Pinellas County residents with serious behavioral health concerns and high frequency of hospitalization (medical and psychiatric) and incarceration. Recent research demonstrates that individuals participating in ACT programs can transition to lower-intensity services. To understand the needs and barriers in transitioning PCET clients to lower-intensity services and the unique experiences during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the researchers conducted a qualitative evaluation which includes a case record review and in-depth interviews with clients of PCET and staff members.

Parental Perspectives on Health Care Transition in Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Pediatric Cancer.

The health care transition (HCT) from pediatric to adult care is pivotal for childhood cancer survivors (CCS) and their parents. However, there is little research examining parental needs during HCT, despite this being a key predictor of successful HCT. The goal of this study was to investigate the needs of parents of CCS during HCT.

Comparison of the spread pattern of medial-to-lateral and lateral-to-medial rotator interval injections: A cadaveric study.

Objective: Rotator interval (RI) corticosteroid injections are used to alleviate pain associated with adhesive capsulitis, though the pattern of injectate spread remains unclear. The purpose of this anatomical study was to assess the staining patterns of intra-articular, intracapsular/extrasynovial, and pericapsular structures of the glenohumeral joint following medial-to-lateral and lateral-to-medial RI injections.

Design: Ten cadaveric specimens were injected with a methylene blue dye injectate: five using a medial-to-lateral RI injection technique and five using a lateral-to-medial RI injection technique.