Distribution of opioid analgesics by community racial/ethnic and socioeconomic profiles, 2011-2021.

Rapid declines in opioid analgesics dispensed in American communities since 2011 raise concerns about inadequate access to effective pain management among patients for whom opioid therapies are appropriate, especially for those living in racial/ethnic minority and socioeconomically deprived communities. Using 2011 to 2021 national data from the Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System and generalized linear models, this study examined quarterly per capita distribution of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine (in oral morphine milligram equivalents [MMEs]) by communities' racial/ethnic and socioeconomic profiles. Communities (defined by 3-digit-zip codes areas) were classified as "majority White" (≥50% self-reported non-Hispanic White population) vs "majority non-White.

Factors Influencing Informed Consent Preferences in Digital Health Research: Survey Study of Prospective Participants.

Background: Readability is important to consider when developing informed consent communications for prospective research participants, but not the most important consideration. Other factors to consider relate to learning preferences and literacy needs of people recruited to participate in research, as these factors can influence understanding of consent communications. To promote understanding among prospective participants, researchers should take a human-centered approach to develop consent communications.

Judaism, Women's Health and COVID-19.

This issue commences with a review of the top 100 most cited papers in the Journal of Religion and Health. This is followed by Part 2 of a series examining Judaism and health related research, which is subsequently followed by an extensive collection of research specifically connected to women's health. Finally, research continues to present the unique and ongoing effects of COVID-19.

Improving postsurgical paresis in brain tumor patients by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Background And Objectives: Recently, reduction of transcallosal inhibition by contralateral navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) improved neurorehabilitation of glioma patients with new postoperative paresis. This multicentric study examines the effect of postoperative nrTMS in brain tumor patients to treat surgery-related upper extremity paresis.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of two randomized and three one-arm studies in brain tumor patients with new/progressive postoperative paresis.

Evolution of sleep disordered breathing in infants with achondroplasia.

Purpose: Children with achondroplasia (ACH) are at risk for sudden death in infancy due to sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and foramen magnum stenosis (FMS). Sleep studies and neuroimaging are performed in infants with ACH, but interpretation of infant studies is challenging. We sought to describe baseline data on polysomnography (PSG) indices in infants with achondroplasia as well as effects of age and surgery on these parameters.

The Brussels consensus for non-invasive ICP monitoring when invasive systems are not available in the care of TBI patients (the B-ICONIC consensus, recommendations, and management algorithm).

Background: Invasive systems are commonly used for monitoring intracranial pressure (ICP) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and are considered the gold standard. The availability of invasive ICP monitoring is heterogeneous, and in low- and middle-income settings, these systems are not routinely employed due to high cost or limited accessibility. The aim of this consensus was to develop recommendations to guide monitoring and ICP-driven therapies in TBI using non-invasive ICP (nICP) systems.

Is it time to retire preoperative radiation for localized esophageal and gastro-esophageal adenocarcinoma?

Whether preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or perioperative chemotherapy is superior for localized esophageal or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) cancers has been a topic of long-standing debate. For years, standard of care in the United States for localized esophageal or GEJ adenocarcinoma (EAC) has been physician's choice between the 2 strategies. More recently, adjuvant immunotherapy has also been introduced into the treatment approach for those who received neoadjuvant CRT.

Pooled safety analysis and management of sotorasib-related adverse events in KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: We describe the safety of sotorasib monotherapy in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and discuss practical recommendations for managing key risks.

Methods: Incidence rates of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were pooled from 4 clinical trials: CodeBreaK 100 (NCT03600883), CodeBreaK 101 (NCT04185883), CodeBreaK 105 (NCT04380753), and CodeBreaK 200 (NCT04303780) and graded according to CTCAE v5.0.

Intrapericardial Corticosteroids and Colchicine Prevent Pericarditis and Atrial Fibrillation After Epicardial Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias.

Background: Postprocedural pericarditis (PP) can occur in up to 29.4% of patients undergoing epicardial catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). Despite several proposed strategies to mitigate this adverse outcome, rates of PP and pericarditic pain remain high.

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Long-Term Risk of Heart Failure in Women: National Cohort and Co-Sibling Study.

Background: Adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm delivery and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, may be associated with higher future risks of heart failure (HF). However, the comparative effects of different adverse pregnancy outcomes on long-term risk of HF, and their potential causality, are unclear.

Objectives: The authors sought to examine 5 major adverse pregnancy outcomes in relation to long-term risk of HF in a large population-based cohort.

Incidental Findings on Computed Tomography in Children With Blunt Abdominal Trauma.

Study Objective: Nontraumatic, incidental findings on computed tomography (CT) may be discovered after blunt abdominal trauma in children; however, the rate and importance of these findings are not well known. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and types of incidental CT findings among injured children undergoing abdominal/pelvic CT.

Methods: This was a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort study of children (<18 years) who underwent abdominal/pelvic CT after blunt trauma.

Reduced autoimmunity associated with deletion of host CD73.

CD73 is ubiquitously expressed and regulates critical functions across multiple organ systems. The sequential actions of CD39 and CD73 accomplish the conversion of adenosine triphosphate to adenosine and shift the adenosine triphosphate-driven proinflammatory immune cell milieu toward an anti-inflammatory state. This immunological switch is a major mechanism by which regulatory T (Treg) cells control inflammation.

Intratumoral or Subcutaneous MK-2118, a Non-Cyclic Dinucleotide STING Agonist, With or Without Pembrolizumab for Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors or Lymphomas.

Background: We evaluated the non-cyclic dinucleotide stimulator of interferon genes agonist MK-2118 ± pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphomas.

Methods: This first-in-human study (NCT03249792) enrolled patients with refractory, advanced solid tumors or lymphomas. Patients received intratumoral (IT) MK-2118 100-20,000 µg (arm 1), IT MK-2118 900-15,000 µg plus intravenous (IV) pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks (Q3W; arm 2), or subcutaneous (SC) MK-2118 5000-150,000 µg plus IV pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W (arm 4); arm 3 (visceral injection of MK-2118) was not pursued.

Dehydration-induced regulates midgut infection in mosquitoes.

Unlabelled: Climate change is predicted to increase the spread of mosquito-borne viruses, but genetic mechanisms underlying the influence of environmental variation on the ability of insect vectors to transmit human pathogens is unknown. In response to a changing climate, mosquitoes will experience longer periods of drought. An important physiological response to dry environments is the protection against dehydration, here defined as desiccation tolerance.

Development, Validation, and Application of the Paya Hamsan Technologies Underivatized Newborn Screening Assay (PHUNSA) for Inborn Metabolic Disorders in Dried Blood Spot Samples from Iranian Infants.

Screening for inborn metabolic disorders (IMDs) in newborns is an important way to prevent serious metabolic and developmental difficulties that can result in lasting disabilities or even death. Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) provides an efficacious newborn blood spot screening (NBS) mechanism for analyzing dried blood spot specimens (DBSs) for biochemical markers for these conditions. Where possible, the elimination of derivatization in specimen preparation can simplify and streamline analysis.

Consolidated Newborn Bloodspot Screening Efforts in Developing Countries in the Asia Pacific-2024.

Approximately half of all births globally occur in the Asia Pacific Region. Concerted efforts to support local activities aimed at developing national newborn screening (NBS) have been ongoing for almost 30 years, first by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and then through volunteer efforts. Sustainable newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) continues to be initiated and develop in many of the countries with developing economies in the region.

Trends and Association between Smoking and the Socio-Demographic Index Among 11 South American Countries, 1990-2019.

Objectives: To examine prevalence trends in the use of smoked tobacco products in 11 South American (SA) countries (i.e., Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela) and their association with country-specific socio-demographic index (SDI) over 30 years.

A review of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT in the evaluation and treatment of hepatobiliary tumors.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and biliary tract cancers (BTC) pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and multiphase computed tomography (CT) have been the preferred imaging modalities for diagnosis, staging, and surveillance of patients with these malignancies. The best clinical outcomes depend on the appropriate selection of treatment options from the tools available in neo-adjuvant therapy, surgical resection, locoregional therapy, liver transplantation, and adjuvant therapy.

Cardiovascular Reactivity to Mental Stress and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Acute psychological stress may induce physiological changes predisposing individuals to adverse health outcomes through hemodynamic and vascular effects. We studied the association between the aggregated stress-induced changes in hemodynamic and vascular function tests with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease, after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors.

Methods And Results: Individuals with stable coronary artery disease from 2 prospective cohort studies were studied.

Inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell PERK/ATF4 ER stress signaling protects against abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are a life-threatening cardiovascular disease for which there is a lack of effective therapy preventing aortic rupture. During AAA formation, pathological vascular remodeling is driven by vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dysfunction and apoptosis, for which the mechanisms regulating loss of VSMCs within the aortic wall remain poorly defined. Using single-cell RNA-Seq of human AAA tissues, we identified increased activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response pathway, PERK/eIF2α/ATF4, in aortic VSMCs resulting in upregulation of an apoptotic cellular response.

Non-screw glenoid augmentation constructs for shoulder instability with bone loss: A biomechanical assessment of static and elastic cerclage constructs.

Purpose: This study aims to compare the biomechanical performance of elastic and static suture-based cerclage systems to traditional screw constructs in the setting of modeled glenoid bony augmentation.

Methods: Biomechanical testing was conducted on polyurethane cellular foam blocks modeling a 20 % glenoid defect repaired with a coracoid graft. Constructs consisted of an elastic suture-based cerclage, static suture-based cerclage, and a two-screw construct.