Ventricular tachycardia ablation across age groups: Outcomes, trends and demographics. Insights from the National Inpatient Sample Database.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia ablation (VTA) is an important treatment option for ventricular tachycardia, with increasing use across all age groups. However, age-related differences in outcomes remain a concern.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate age-related trends in VTA procedures and their associated adverse events across the United States from 2011 to 2021.

A simple phylogenetic approach to analyze hypermutated HIV proviruses reveals insights into their dynamics and persistence during antiretroviral therapy.

Hypermutated proviruses, which arise in a single Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) replication cycle when host antiviral APOBEC3 proteins introduce extensive guanine to adenine mutations throughout the viral genome, persist in all people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, hypermutated sequences are routinely excluded from phylogenetic trees because their extensive mutations complicate phylogenetic inference, and as a result, we know relatively little about their within-host evolutionary origins and dynamics. Using >1400 longitudinal single-genome-amplified HIV sequences isolated from six women over a median of 18 years of follow-up-including plasma HIV RNA sequences collected over a median of 9 years between seroconversion and ART initiation, and >500 proviruses isolated over a median of 9 years on ART-we evaluated three approaches for masking hypermutation in nucleotide alignments.

Plagiarism in Publications: All about Being Fair!

Upholding the highest standards of publication ethics is critical for ensuring the integrity of scholarly work, maintaining public trust, and advancing knowledge responsibly in academia. Plagiarism, defined as intellectual theft, is a significant ethical issue that undermines these principles. There are many forms of plagiarism, including direct, self, mosaic, and accidental plagiarism.

American society for preventive cardiology 2024 cardiovascular disease prevention: Highlights and key sessions.

Groundbreaking strategies for preventive cardiology were showcased at the 2024 American Society for Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) Congress on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from August 2nd to 4th, 2024. The event featured 69 moderators and 13 scientific sessions comprised of 98 topics, 36 satellite events, 133 poster presentations, and 27 lifestyle classes. The conference highlighted innovative strategies focused on integrating cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic health, presenting a cohesive approach for managing complex, interrelated conditions.

Overview of Molecular Prognostication for Common Solid Tumor Histologies - What the Surgeon Should Know.

Study Design: Narrative Literature review.

Objective: To provide a general overview of important molecular markers and targeted therapies for the most common neoplasms (lung, breast, prostate and melanoma) that metastasize to the spine and offer guidance on how to best incorporate them in the clinical setting.

Methods: A narrative review of the literature was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline databases, as well as the histology-specific National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines to identify relevant articles limited to the English language.

The impact of an All-Hazard mass casualty event on emergency department operations: A retrospective study.

Background: Mass Casualty Events (MCI) which have a direct and persisting impact on the safety and well-being of an emergency department (ED) and its staff, secondary to specific targeting of the healthcare setting, represent a distinct and complex operational challenge. ED physicians may be faced with the prospect of providing ongoing patient care while simultaneously experiencing direct threats to their own health or physical safety. In our study we considered the unique operational challenges encountered, and management strategies adopted, by the ED staff and its leadership to an all-hazard MCI impacting an academic urban emergency department.

Preclinical and in silico studies of 3-benzothioyl-1-(3-hydroxy-3-phenyl-3-propyl)-1-methylthiourea: a promising agent for depression and anxiety.

The study investigated the anxiolytic, antidepressant, sedative/hypnotic and in silico molecular docking properties of the synthetic ephedrine-based derivative of thiourea, 3-benzothioyl-1-(3-hydroxy-3-phenyl-3-propyl)-1-methylthiourea. Safety profile of the compound at various doses was determined in an acute toxicity test. Results showed significant anti-anxiety effects of the compound in all mice studies.

Two Decades of the Walking While Talking Test: A Narrative Review.

Objectives: Early research reported that older adults who stopped walking when they began a conversation were more likely to fall in the future. As a systematic measure of dual-task performance, Verghese and colleagues developed the Walking While Talking (WWT) test, in which a person walks at a normal pace while reciting alternate letters of the alphabet. The present paper highlights key findings from the 2 decades of research using the WWT test.

Clinical Outcomes With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With FGFR2/3, MTAP or ERBB2 Genomic Alterations in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

Background: FGFR2/3, MTAP and ERBB2 genomic alterations have treatment targets in advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC). These alterations may affect tumor microenvironment and outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in aUC.

Patients And Methods: We identified patients with available genomic data in our multi-institution cohort of patients with aUC treated with ICI.

Do socioeconomic factors impair uptake of neoadjuvant therapy for patients with locoregional oesophageal cancer?

Objectives: The benefits of neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery for patients with locally advanced oesophageal cancer have been well established by multiple trials. However, there may be socioeconomic barriers impacting equitable administration. We aim to identify whether disparities exist in uptake of neoadjuvant therapy among patients with loco-regional oesophageal cancer.

State of the Art in Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion.

Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) has become an important therapeutic target for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Over the past 2 decades, several advancements in LAAO devices (percutaneous and surgical) have been made for stroke prevention and arrhythmia therapy. However, there are several unanswered questions regarding optimal patient selection, the preferred LAAO approach and device, the management of periprocedural and postprocedural complications, including pericardial effusion, device-related thrombus, and device leaks.

A Personalized Approach for Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer: Current Understanding and Future Directions.

Oligometastatic prostate cancer (OMPC) represents an intermediate state in the progression from localized disease to widespread metastasis when the radiographically significant sites are limited in number and location. With no clear consensus on a definition, its diagnostic significance and associated optimal therapeutic approach remain controversial, posing a significant challenge for clinicians. The current standard of care for metastatic disease is to start systemic therapy; however, active surveillance and targeted radiotherapy have become attractive options to mitigate the long-term effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

Point-of-care ultrasound in Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is changing the practice of nearly all specialties and is increasingly being incorporated as a bedside tool by more gastroenterologists and hepatologists. POCUS is most often used to answer focused clinical questions, supplement the traditional physical examination, and guide performance of invasive bedside procedures. This review describes several common POCUS applications used in gastroenterology and hepatology, as well as some novel applications that warrant further investigation.

DNTT-mediated DNA Damage Response Drives Inotuzumab Ozogamicin Resistance in B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Inotuzumab Ozogamicin (InO) is an antibody-calicheamicin conjugate with striking efficacy in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). However, there is wide inter-patient variability in treatment response, and the genetic basis of this variation remains largely unknown. Using a genome-wide CRISPR screen, we discovered the loss of DNTT as a primary driver of InO resistance.

Retroperitoneal Teratoma in a Newborn: A Case Report and Diagnostic Insights.

Retroperitoneal teratomas are rare neoplasms in neonates, presenting with nonspecific symptoms and variable clinical features, making diagnosis challenging. Radiological investigations, particularly fetal ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography, play a critical role in their detection. Differential diagnoses include neuroblastoma, adrenal hemorrhage, and congenital cystic lesions, which share overlapping clinical and imaging features.

Reporting quality of animal research in journals that published the ARRIVE 1.0 or ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines: a cross-sectional analysis of 943 studies.

Background: The adherence to the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines across the journals that initially published the guidelines and if adherence has improved since the guidelines update, remains unknown. We aimed to quantify the level of adherence and analyze factors that might influence reporting quality among these journals.

Methods: This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed interventional animal experiments published in journals that released ARRIVE 1.

The Influence of Photographic Representations on U.S. Medical Students' Attitudes and Beliefs About Persons With Disabilities: A Qualitative Study.

There is a crucial need to more deeply understand the impact and etiology of bias toward persons with developmental disabilities (PWDD). A largely unstudied area of concern and possible intervention is the portrayal of PWDD in medical education. Often, medical photographs portray PWDD with obscured faces, emotionless, and posed in an undignified way.

Antimelanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti-MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis: clinical features and outcomes in a racially diverse patient cohort.

Background: The anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti-MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis is known for its association with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) and ulcerative skin lesions, often presenting with or without muscle involvement. The aim of this study was to identify distinct clinical and laboratory features that could be used to evaluate disease progression in an ethnically diverse cohort of anti-MDA5 dermatomyositis patients at a U.S.

Sulfites: The 2024 American Contact Dermatitis Society Allergen of the Year.

The American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) selected sulfites as the 2024 Allergen of the Year. These common and potentially allergenic ingredients are used as preservatives and antioxidants in a variety of foods, beverages, medications, and personal care products. In this article, we review common sources of sulfite exposure, clinical manifestations of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to sulfites, and patch testing considerations for this emerging allergen.

Sociodemographic Disparities in the Use of Hospice by U.S. Nursing Home Residents: A Systematic Review.

Hospice can improve end-of-life (EOL) outcomes in U.S. nursing homes (NHs).

Restrictive or Liberal Blood Transfusion in Patients with Myocardial Infarction and CKD.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with higher risk of myocardial infarction and anemia. Among patients with anemia and CKD who experience myocardial infarction, it remains uncertain if a liberal red blood cell transfusion threshold strategy (hemoglobin cutoff [Hgb] < 10 g/dL) is superior to a restrictive transfusion threshold (Hgb 7-8 g/dL) strategy.

Methods: Among the 3,504 patients enrolled in the Myocardial Ischemia and Transfusion (MINT) trial with non-missing creatinine, we compared baseline characteristics and 30-day and 6-month outcomes of patients without CKD (N = 1279), CKD with eGFR 30-60 mL/min/1.

Children's executive functioning and health behaviors across pediatric life stages and ecological contexts.

Executive functioning (EF) has been linked to chronic disease risk in children. Health behaviors are thought to partially explain this association. The current cross-sectional study evaluated specific domains of EF and varied health behaviors in three pediatric life stages.