A Topical Formulation Containing Ferment for Managing Barrier Damage After Mild-Moderate Skin Disruption from Cosmetic Dermatologic Procedures.

Objective: The primary objective of these studies was to evaluate the potential of a serum containing Macrocystis pyrifera ferment (MPF-Serum) to both strengthen the barrier of intact skin and enhance barrier recovery after a non-ablative laser procedure or glycolic acid chemical peel.

Methods: Two whole-face clinical trials and three split-face, randomized, controlled clinical trials were conducted in women aged 31 to 65 years. The effect of MPF-Serum on barrier integrity and strength was assessed by transepidermal water loss measurement before and after controlled tape-stripping experiments and in-clinic 70% glycolic acid peel and non-ablative laser procedures.

Utilization of Low-Dose Phentermine for Weight Loss Prior to Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized, and Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Studies examining preoperative weight loss using pharmacotherapy in metabolic and bariatric patients are limited. The objective was to investigate if patients taking a low-dose formulation of phentermine had improved weight loss.

Methods: This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial including patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy.

Frugivore Traits Predict Plant-Frugivore Interactions Using Generalized Joint Attribute Modeling.

Under an adaptive hypothesis, the reciprocal influence between mutualistic plants and frugivores is expected to result in suites of matching frugivore and plant traits that structure fruit consumption. Recent work has suggested fruit traits can represent adaptations to broad groups of functionally similar frugivores, but the role of frugivore traits and within-species variation in structuring fruit consumption is less understood. To address these knowledge gaps, we assess the presence of reciprocal trait matching for the mutualistic ecological network comprising of bats that feed on and disperse seeds.

Pharmacological Enhancement of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Improves Behavioral Pattern Separation in Young and Aged Male Mice.

Background: Impairments in behavioral pattern separation (BPS)-the ability to distinguish between similar contexts or experiences-contribute to memory interference and overgeneralization seen in many neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, dementia, and age-related cognitive decline. Although BPS relies on the dentate gyrus and is sensitive to changes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis, its significance as a pharmacological target has not been tested.

Methods: In this study, we applied a human neural stem cell high-throughput screening cascade to identify compounds that increase human neurogenesis.

The CD123 antibody-drug conjugate pivekimab sunirine exerts profound activity in preclinical models of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combining monoclonal antibodies with cytotoxic payloads are a rapidly emerging class of immune-based therapeutics with the potential to improve the treatment of cancer, including children with relapse/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). CD123, the α subunit of the interleukin-3 receptor, is overexpressed in ALL and is a potential therapeutic target. Here, we show that pivekimab sunirine (PVEK), a recently developed ADC comprising the CD123-targeting antibody, G4723A, and the cytotoxic payload, DGN549, was highly effective in vivo against a large panel of pediatric ALL patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models ( = 39).

Associations Between Joint Attention, Supported Joint Engagement and Language in TD Children and Children with ASD: Potential Sources of Individual and Group Differences in Language Outcomes.

Joint Attention (JA) and Supported Joint Engagement (Supported JE) have each been reported to predict later language development in typically developing (TD) children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this longitudinal study including 33 TD children (20 months at V1) and 30 children with ASD (33 months at V1), the contributions of JA and Supported JE to later language, assessed via standardized tests and spontaneous speech, were directly compared. Frequency and durations of JA and Supported JE episodes were coded from 30-minute interactions with caregivers; subsequent language skills were assessed two years later.

Impact of COVID-19 School Closures on White Matter Plasticity in the Reading Network.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children worldwide experienced school closures. Several studies have detected a negative impact on reading-related skills in children who experienced these closures during the early stages of reading instruction, but the impact on the reading network in the brain has not been investigated. In the current longitudinal study in a sample of 162 Dutch-speaking children, we found a short-term effect in the growth of phonological awareness in children with COVID-19 school closures compared to children without school closures, but no long-term effects one year later.

Neuroimaging Findings for the Overnight Consolidation of Learned Non-native Speech Sounds.

Research over the past two decades has documented the importance of sleep to language learning. Sleep has been suggested to play a role in establishing new speech representations as well; however, the neural mechanisms corresponding to sleep-mediated effects on speech perception behavior are unknown. In this study, we trained monolingual English-speaking adults to perceive differences between the Hindi dental vs.

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in Diabetic Kidney Disease: Clinical Evidence and Potential Adverse Events.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) globally and is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). DKD management requires a multipronged approach to decrease the progression of CKD and CVD. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) added to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor therapy reduce the incidence of cardiovascular outcomes and progression of CKD.

Association Between the Need to Change Initial Antifungal Therapy and Treatment Costs in Patients With Invasive Aspergillosis.

Background: Early antifungal initiation in invasive aspergillosis (IA) is recommended. Changing antifungals occurs for a myriad of reasons but associated costs are unclear.

Methods: US claims data for adults admitted for IA were identified from 10/1/2015 to 11/30/2022.

Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Self-Powered Degradation of Chemical Pollutants.

Environmental and human health is severely threatened by wastewater and air pollution, which contain a broad spectrum of organic and inorganic pollutants. Organic contaminants include dyes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), medical waste, antibiotics, pesticides, and chemical warfare agents. Inorganic gases such as CO, SO, and NO are commonly found in polluted water and air.

Characteristics of nursing homes with high rates of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Background: Nursing home residents experience a large burden of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Data are limited regarding nursing home characteristics associated with differences in facility-level invasive MRSA rates.

Methods: We analyzed 2011-2015 data from CDC's Emerging Infections Program (EIP) active population- and laboratory-based surveillance for invasive MRSA cases within seven states.

Relaxin mimetic in pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease: Design and rationale of Re-PHIRE.

Aims: Despite receiving guideline-directed medical heart failure (HF) therapy, patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) experience higher mortality and hospitalization rates than the general HF population. AZD3427 is a functionally selective, long-acting mimetic of relaxin, a hormone that has the potential to induce vasodilation and prevent fibrosis. In a phase 1b study conducted in patients with HF, AZD3427 demonstrated a favourable safety and pharmacokinetic profile.

The efficacy of second-line chemotherapy for advanced biliary tract cancer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: This network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to provide evidence-based guidance for selecting the second-line chemotherapy for biliary tract cancer (BTC).

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE through July 2024. Inclusion criteria involved: (1) patients underwent second-line chemotherapy following platinum-based first-line therapy, (2) intervention/comparator groups consisted of various chemotherapeutic agents, and (3) outcomes measured as hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies.

A juvenile spinner shark in southern New England: A rare visitor or a sign of change?

A juvenile spinner shark, Carcharhinus brevipinna, was captured and released in the coastal waters of Rhode Island, USA, where range delineations based on historic records of spinner sharks and the species' congener, the blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus, are plagued by misidentification. The shark in question was within the size range of neonates for C. brevipinna and bore a partially healed umbilical wound.

American Society of Cytopathology's cytopathology workforce survey in the United States.

Introduction: To assess the current state of the cytopathology workforce shortage in the United States.

Materials And Methods: A survey comprising 32 questions was developed by the Government Affairs and Economic Policy Committee of the American Society of Cytopathology using Survey Monkey software. It was distributed to the American Society of Cytopathology membership through email, and the anonymous responses were compiled into an Excel spreadsheet.

Diagnosing Huntington's disease on the medical ward.

An African American man in his early 40s with progressive gait impairment and chronic cognitive impairment initially presented to the emergency department after statements of self-harm and was hospitalised. Examination revealed notable neurological abnormalities including impaired memory recall, oral dyskinesia/choreiform movements, dystonia of the right upper extremity with drift, hyper-reflexia and spastic gait. On further evaluation, including neurology and genetics consultation and workup, a clinical diagnosis of the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD) was made.

International Expert-Based Consensus Definition, Classification Criteria, and Minimum Data Elements for Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw: An Inter-Disciplinary Modified Delphi Study.

Purpose: Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) is a severe iatrogenic disease characterized by bone death after radiation therapy (RT) to the head and neck. With over 9 published definitions and at least 16 classification systems, the true incidence and severity of ORNJ are obscured by lack of a standard for disease definition and severity assessment, leading to inaccurate estimation of incidence, reporting ambiguity, and likely under-diagnosis worldwide. This study aimed to achieve consensus on an explicit definition and phenotype of ORNJ and related precursor states through data standardization to facilitate effective diagnosis, monitoring, and multidisciplinary management of ORNJ.

The Ethical and Practical Issues of Guiding Uninsured Patients with Skin Cancer to Resources that Alleviate Financial Burden.

A skin cancer diagnosis imposes not only a psychosocial burden but also significant financial stress due to treatment costs. This stress can intensify dramatically for patients who suddenly lose health insurance coverage, especially considering that uninsured patients are more likely to experience late-stage melanoma diagnoses and face a higher overall incidence of skin cancer than the general population. Dermatology clinics and physicians serving uninsured and vulnerable populations should be equipped with resources and strategies to ensure these patients receive adequate and timely care.

Rates of Return to Sexual Activity Are High In Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy And Occurs Within Six Weeks Postoperatively In Most Patients: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To provide an aggregate review of literature on 1) outcomes related to the quality of intercourse (frequency, postoperative pain during intercourse, postoperative sexual dysfunction) after hip arthroscopy and 2) patient-reported outcomes regarding postoperative sexual function after hip arthroscopy.

Methods: This systematic review followed The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), and Scopus were queried in March 2024.

Symptom Documentation in Unstructured Palliative Care Notes of Children and Adolescents with Cancer.

Context: Children and adolescents with cancer experiencing complex symptoms can benefit from subspeciality palliative care. However, standardized methods of symptom documentation by pediatric palliative care teams are lacking. Understanding current approaches to symptom documentation will inform next steps to optimize symptom support.

Neurotransmitter and metabolic effects of interferon-alpha in association with decreased striatal dopamine in a Non-Human primate model of Cytokine-Induced depression.

Inflammatory stimuli administered to humans and laboratory animals affect mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways in association with impaired motivation and motor activity. Alterations in dopaminergic corticostriatal reward and motor circuits have also been observed in depressed patients with increased peripheral inflammatory markers. The effects of peripheral inflammation on dopaminergic pathways and associated neurobiologic mechanisms and consequences have been difficult to measure in patients.

The Quality of Veterans Healthcare Administration Cardiovascular Care.

A total of 9 million veterans receive care in a unique healthcare system, the Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA), with nearly 50% reporting at least one cardiovascular disease. Despite evidence for high quality of health care in the VHA, more veteran care is being moved to the non-VHA community. An assumption of this shift in care is that the quality of non-VHA care is at least comparable to VHA care.