Lactation Support Services in Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Canada.

Introduction: Lactation support services can improve exclusive breastfeeding rates among infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There are limited data on how many NICUs offer these services.

Objective: To assess prevalence and type of lactation services provided in level III Canadian NICUs.

Integrating Community-Based Doulas into the Maternity Health Care System in an Urban Hospital.

Background: Maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States are higher than peer countries. These adverse events disproportionally affect Black women.

Local Problem: Rates of maternal morbidity and mortality among Black childbearing women in West Louisville, Kentucky are higher than rates in Kentucky and the United States.

Public Health.

Background: No study has synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the acute and chronic effects of reallocating sedentary time (ST) to physical activity (PA) on cognitive and brain health across the lifespan.

Method: Seven academic databases were systematically searched on October 26, 2022, with an updated search on June 23, 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed RCTs published in English involving healthy participants aged ≥ 4 years.

Public Health.

Background: Structural racism shapes educational quality by perpetuating unequal access to school resources, creating disproportionate exposure to disciplinary actions, and limiting access to advanced courses among racially minoritized children. School quality is linked to later life ADRD risk, but the benefit may vary across groups. We asked 1) whether the same high school social contexts and academic resources predict midlife cognitive functioning across race, ethnicity, and gender, and 2) how much could disparities in midlife cognitive function be narrowed if everyone had equal access to high quality high schools?

Method: Data was from the nationally representative High School and Beyond cohort, which prospectively followed 12,530 Americans from high school through age ∼60 and administered telephone- and web-based measures of memory, language, and attention in 2021-22.

Public Health.

Background: Environmental factors are increasingly being recognized as significant contributors to Alzheimer's and Related Dementias (ADRD). Previously, we reported that higher serum concentrations of DDE, the highly persistent metabolite of the pesticide DDT was associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. We further demonstrated in cell and animal models that DDT and DDE increase amyloid pathology in the brain (Fig.

Public Health.

Background: Observational studies have reported cognitive domain alterations in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), affecting cognitive domains of information-processing speed, memory, attention, and executive function. Epidemiological observational studies have shown an association between higher blood pressure [HBP], low processing speed, short-term memory and learning, and delayed recall. Within the US Hispanic/Latino population, specifically Mexican Americans, cognition remains insufficiently studied.

Public Health.

Background: Due to multiple benefits of sustained exercise and physical activity, it is important to understand factors that can facilitate regular engagement in physical activity in later adulthood. Prior work found that a more positive affective response to acute exercise was associated with greater physical activity levels in younger adults. However, this determinant has been understudied in older adults and individuals at risk of Alzheimer disease (AD).

Public Health.

Background: Previous research has predominantly examined life satisfaction in stroke patients as a singular variable, overlooking its multidimensional nature encompassing health, income, spouse, and child satisfaction. To address this research gap, our longitudinal study utilizes survival analysis to investigate how various aspects of life satisfaction are influenced by diverse lifestyle factors.

Method: We employed data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2010-2020), specifically focusing on stroke patients who survived from 2010 to 2020.

Transcorneal Vitrectomy in Eyes with Regressed Retinoblastoma.

Purpose: Current treatments for retinoblastoma facilitate globe salvage but can result in vitreoretinal disorders that may require surgery. There is controversy on surgical approaches in eyes with retinoblastoma. Here we describe a transcorneal vitrectomy approach that avoids the use of chemotherapy or cryotherapy.

Biomarkers.

Background: The hippocampus is a key site of atrophy in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and MRI derived estimates of hippocampal volume have been shown to be a robust biomarker of AD-related neurodegeneration. However, its application at the individual level is limited by the lack of reference standards from large normative datasets that can be applied across a wide range of settings. We aimed to investigate the utility of hippocampal volume centile scores adjusted for age, sex and total intracranial volume (TIV) derived from a normative data from 101,457 participants across the life course, as a biomarker of neurodegeneration in AD.

Biomarkers.

Background: There is an urgent need to move the use of plasma biomarkers from research setting to clinical practice for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aims of the study were to explore the combined use of plasma p-tau181 and NfL in Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients, evaluating diagnostic accuracy and concordance to propose a flow chart for the clinical applicability.

Method: We included 43 SCD, 41 MCI and 21 AD-dementia (AD-d) patients, who underwent plasma p-tau181 and NfL analysis with SiMoA assay.

Biomarkers.

Background: Clinical studies in COVID-19 patients have demonstrated evidence of neuroinflammation in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. In this pre-clinical work, we investigate neuroinflammation in vivo in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that exhibits both amyloid and tau pathology, the 3xTg-AD mice crossed with K18 hAce2 and infected with SARS-CoV-2 using a folate receptor-targeted nanoprobe for molecular MRI (mMRI) followed by ex vivo histopathology.

Method: In vivo studies with SARS-CoV-2 were performed in an animal biosafety level 3 (ABSL3) facility.

Biomarkers.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), is characterized by cognitive dysfunction not severe enough to affect one's activities of daily living (ADLs)1. Annually, approximately 15-20% adults 65 and older will present with MCI 1. MCI is considered a significant risk factor and a robust predictor for developing dementia.

Validation of Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (pSOFA) Scores to Predict Critical Events in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: To determine the prognostic value of the Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (pSOFA) to discriminate critical events, including code events and intubations, in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: We performed an observational cohort study of all critical events in a quaternary care PICU between 5/2020 and 4/2023. Critical events were extracted from our hospital communications platform and from the electronic health record (EHR).

Cytokine Profiles Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Meningitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review evaluated the correlation between inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with meningitis. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published until March 2024. A total of 139 articles were identified; 7 studies were eligible, and 3 provided data for the meta-analysis.

Implementation of a Checklist Tool to Improve Understanding of Rapid Response Team Protocols.

Rapid response teams (RRT) are multidisciplinary teams activated to assess patients outside of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and require a shared framework for approaching a deteriorating patient. In this project, we aimed to improve the understanding of RRT protocols through the development and implementation of the RRT Huddle Checklist. This quality improvement project took place from 2019 to 2022.

Machine Learning Approach for Sepsis Risk Assessment in Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Background: Ischemic stroke is a critical neurological condition, with infection representing a significant aspect of its clinical management. Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from infection, is among the most dangerous complications in the intensive care unit (ICU). Currently, no model exists to predict the onset of sepsis in ischemic stroke patients.

Biomarkers.

Background: The Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) is a predementia stage characterized by slow gait speed and subjective cognitive complaints. Defining the heterogeneity of brain volumetrics in individuals with MCR will improve current dementia risk assessments.

Method: We used data from 6 cohorts from the MCR consortium (N=2,007).

Biomarkers.

Background: CSF t-tau is considered a marker of neuronal injury in AD and strongly correlates with cognitive impairment. Evidence suggests that women accumulate more tau pathology early in AD than men. However, how pregnancy influences this relationship is unclear.

Do not Forget to Measure the Head: Hydrocephalus Can Phenotypically Mimic Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition presenting with poor motor skill development and impaired coordination at a young age. To diagnose DCD, neurologic conditions explanatory for the phenotype, including structural brain abnormalities like hydrocephalus, must be first ruled out. However, these neurologic conditions may phenotypically mimic DCD, which can hamper their distinction.

A Comparison Between Parents with Different Attitudes Towards Topical Fluoride Application for Their Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: Although fluoride is known to be effective and safe, an increasing number of parents refuse to allow fluoride applications for their children. This study aimed to compare the parents who accepted and rejected fluoride application for their children in terms of their attitudes toward fluoride and vaccinations, sociodemographic characteristics, and source of knowledge.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a previously validated questionnaire was administered to 85 parents who did not consent to have topical fluoride applied to their children's teeth (AF group) and the 143 parents who consented to have it applied (F group) in a pediatric dentistry clinic.

cyclicpeptide: a Python package for cyclic peptide drug design.

The unique cyclic structure of cyclic peptides grants them remarkable stability and bioactivity, making them powerful candidates for treating various diseases. However, the lack of standardized tools for cyclic peptide data has hindered their potential in today's artificial intelligence-driven efficient drug design landscape. To bridge this gap, here we introduce a Python package named cyclicpeptide specifically for cyclic peptide drug design.

Distinct molecular properties and functions of small EV subpopulations isolated from human umbilical cord MSCs using tangential flow filtration combined with size exclusion chromatography.

As functional derivatives of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have garnered significant attention and application in regenerative medicine. However, the technical limitations for large-scale isolation of sEVs and their heterogeneous nature have added complexity to their applications. It remains unclear if the heterogeneous sEVs represent different aspects of MSCs functions.