Cognitive impairment and limited health literacy are associated with poor health outcomes among patients with heart failure residing in rural areas.

Background: Cognitive impairment and limited health literacy are prevalent among patients with heart failure, particularly those residing in rural areas, and are linked to poor health outcomes. Little is known about the intricate relationships among cognitive function, health literacy, and rehospitalization and death in rural patients with heart failure.

Objectives: To determine the relationships among cognitive function, health literacy, and cardiac event-free survival (ie, heart failure hospitalizations and cardiac mortality) in rural patients with heart failure.

Long-Term Family Needs After a Traumatic Brain Injury: A VA TBI Model Systems Study.

Objective: To describe the self-reported needs of family caregivers of service members and veterans (SMVs) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) at 10 to 15 years post-injury and to identify unique predictors of unmet family needs.

Setting: Five Department of Veterans Affairs Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers.

Participants: A total of 209 family caregivers of SMVs with TBI from the VA TBI Model Systems national database who completed a 10- or 15-year follow-up assessment.

Lessons Learned in Virtual Launch of an Antenatal Opioid Exposure Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted researchers to develop new ways to design and launch studies and recruit and retain participants. Pregnant women and infants are considered vulnerable populations in research, and families affected by substance use are particularly difficult to recruit and retain. Recruitment for studies involving medical technologies such as MRI can also be difficult due to misconceptions and fear of the technologies.

Specialty laboratory testing for chronic abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder seen by both primary care providers (PCPs) and gastroenterologists, and further diagnostic testing is generally discouraged unless red-flag symptoms are present.

Aims: Examine if advanced serologic testing for chronic abdominal pain in IBS patients followed society-specific guidelines and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these tests.

Methods: The study involved a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of adults aged 18 and older who were seen at our institution between 2013 and 2018.

Wear Resistance of Light-Cure Resin Luting Cements for Ceramic Veneers.

The purpose of this study was to compare the wear resistance of light-cure resin luting cements for veneers with that of other luting materials investigated in earlier studies. An Alabama wear-testing machine was used to measure the wear resistance of four recent light-cure resin luting cements for veneers (G-Cem Veneer; Panavia V5 LC; RelyX Veneer Cement; and Vario-link Esthetic LC). The volume loss ranged from 0.

Mental Rotation Performance: Contribution of Item Features to Difficulties and Functional Adaptation.

Mental rotation is an important aspect of spatial ability. While the importance of measuring mental rotation has been explored, disputes still exist within the literature surrounding sources of item difficulty in mental rotation tests (MRTs). Furthermore, gender differences in MRT performance are often seen but not fully understood.

Evaluating Normalization Methods for Robust Spectral Performance Assessments of Hyperspectral Imaging Cameras.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology, which offers both spatial and spectral information, holds significant potential for enhancing diagnostic performance during endoscopy and other medical procedures. However, quantitative evaluation of HSI cameras is challenging due to various influencing factors (e.g.

Effect of Kinases in Extracellular Vesicles from HIV-1-Infected Cells on Bystander Cells.

As of 2023, there were 39.9 million people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1). Although great strides have been made in treatment options for HIV-1, and our understanding of the HIV-1 life cycle has vastly improved since the start of this global health crisis, a functional cure remains elusive.

Glucose-Sensing Carbohydrate Response Element-Binding Protein in the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy.

Glucose-sensing ChREBP and MondoA are transcriptional factors involved in the lipogenic, inflammatory, and insulin signaling pathways implicated in metabolic disorders; however, limited ocular studies have been conducted on these proteins. We aimed to investigate the potential role of ChREBP in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). We used diabetic human and mouse retinal cryosections analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Effects of a Distributed Form of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for Clinical Application: The Keys Treatment Protocol.

Background/aim: Currently, there are limited evidence-based protocols for improving upper extremity (UE) motor function after stroke. The Keys protocol, a distributed form of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), delivers CIMT components in fewer hours per day over an extended period, fitting outpatient rehabilitation schedules and third-party payor models. This pilot study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Keys protocol in enhancing UE capacity and performance poststroke.

Decoding the Epigenetic and Transcriptional Basis of Direct Cardiac Reprogramming.

Heart disease, particularly resulting from myocardial infarction (MI), continues to be a leading cause of mortality, largely due to the limited regenerative capacity of the human heart. Current therapeutic approaches seek to generate new cardiomyocytes from alternative sources. Direct cardiac reprogramming, which converts fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs), offers a promising alternative by enabling in situ cardiac regeneration and minimizing tumorigenesis concerns.

Risk factors affecting polygenic score performance across diverse cohorts.

Apart from ancestry, personal or environmental covariates may contribute to differences in polygenic score (PGS) performance. We analyzed the effects of covariate stratification and interaction on body mass index (BMI) PGS (PGS) across four cohorts of European (N = 491,111) and African (N = 21,612) ancestry. Stratifying on binary covariates and quintiles for continuous covariates, 18/62 covariates had significant and replicable R differences among strata.

October 2024 ACIP Meeting Update: Influenza, COVID-19, RSV and Other Vaccines.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of medical and public health experts that provides advice to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, normally meets 3 times per year to develop US vaccine recommendations. The ACIP met October 23-24, 2024, to discuss influenza vaccines, chikungunya vaccines, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines, RSV immunizations, meningococcal vaccines, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, pneumococcal vaccines, and adult and child/adolescent immunization schedule revisions. This update summarizes the proceedings of these meetings, with an emphasis on topics that are most relevant to the pediatric population.

A STRONG call for intensive oral heart failure therapy in acute heart failure patients.

Heart failure (HF), a chronic and progressive disease, is increasing in prevalence worldwide and is associated with increased hospitalizations and death. Despite notable improvements in medical therapy for HF, patients are still at risk of future negative outcomes. Current guidelines recommend four classes of medication for treating patients with HF, deemed guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT).

Contraceptive use and pregnancy in cystic fibrosis: Survey findings from 10 cystic fibrosis centers.

Background: Reproductive life planning is key, now that people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) may live into their 60s. This study explores contraceptive use, pregnancy trends, and whether concomitant cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapy reduces contraceptive effectiveness.

Methods: Females with CF aged 18-45 years from 10 U.

The Role of Sex and Gender in Acute Kidney Injury - Consensus Statements from the 33 Acute Disease Quality Initiative.

Sex differences exist in acute kidney injury (AKI), and the role that sex and gender play along the AKI care continuum remains unclear. The 33 Acute Disease Quality Initiative meeting evaluated available data on the role of sex and gender in AKI and identified knowledge gaps. Data from experimental models, pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical care, gender, social determinants of health, education, and advocacy were reviewed.

Can gamification improve children's performance in mental rotation?

A common obstacle in cognitive development research is that many cognitive tasks can be long, repetitive, and hence seemingly boring for children. The current study examined whether incorporating gamification elements could make a classic mental rotation task more child-friendly and engaging for young children. A total of 100 children aged 6 to 9 years participated in two mental rotation tasks, where one included gamification elements and the other did not.

Treatment Options for Buerger Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Outcomes.

Introduction: Uncertainties exist regarding the optimal management strategy for patients with thromboangiitis obliterans (TAOs). The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of common interventions used for treating patients with TAO.

Methods: Endovascular treatment, revascularization, sympathectomy, stem cell therapy (SCT), and nonsurgical interventions were selected for inclusion in the study.

The interaction between antithrombin and endothelial heparan sulfate mitigates pulmonary thromboinflammation after trauma and hemorrhagic shock.

Introduction: Trauma and hemorrhagic shock (T/HS) are associated with multiple organ injury. Antithrombin (AT) has anti-inflammatory and organ protective activity through its interaction with endothelial heparan sulfate containing a 3-O-sulfate modification. Our objective was to examine the effects of T/HS on 3-O-sulfated (3-OS) heparan sulfate expression and determine whether AT-heparan sulfate interactions are necessary for its anti-inflammatory properties.

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.

A qualitative study on transgenerational trauma in emerging adults.

Objective: Given the potential impact on brain development and social issues related to trauma, better understanding and attending to transgenerational trauma (TT) are necessary. Typically, specific groups are examined when studying TT, which limits research on universal aspects. The present study presents qualitative data from a college sample of emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 23.