Diagnostic Imaging for a Pectoralis Major Muscle Tear in a 30-Year-Old Weightlifter: A Case Report.

Objective: The purpose of this report is to describe the presentation of a patient with a pectoralis major tendon (PMJ) tear.

Clinical Features: A 30-year-old male weightlifter presented to a chiropractor with localized left arm pain that began while bench-pressing. Ecchymosis and swelling were present, but no contour abnormalities were seen.

Mortality After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in Patients From Disadvantaged Neighborhoods.

Background: Disadvantaged socioeconomic status correlates with adverse outcomes for patients with congenital heart disease. We examined individual and neighborhood characteristics associated with adverse short-term surgical outcomes and investigated potential drivers of disparities.

Methods: Single-center retrospective analysis collected clinical and demographic information on cardiovascular surgery patients over a 15-year period (2007-2022) from the District of Columbia metropolitan area.

Pregnancy & cardiovascular disease: the PREG-CVD-HH registry.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in pregnant and peripartal women in western countries. Physiological changes during pregnancy can lead to cardiovascular complications in the mother; women with pre-existing heart disease may not tolerate these changes well, increasing their susceptibility to adverse cardiovascular outcomes during pregnancy. The aim of this study is to characterize pregnancy-induced changes in cardiac function, biomarker concentrations and cardiovascular outcomes in women with CVD during pregnancy at a tertiary care hospital in Germany.

Costs of Influenza Illness and Acute Respiratory Infections by Household Income Level: Catastrophic Health Expenditures and Implications for Health Equity.

Background: Seasonal influenza illness and acute respiratory infections can impose a substantial economic burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We assessed the cost of influenza illness and acute respiratory infections across household income strata.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a prior systematic review of costs of influenza and other respiratory illnesses in LMICs and contacted authors to obtain data on cost of illness (COI) for laboratory-confirmed influenza-like illness and acute respiratory infection.

Association of Anatomical Features of the Petrotympanic Fissure and Presence of Foramen of Huschke With Temporomandibular Disorders.

Background: The foramen of Huschke (FH) and the petrotympanic fissure (PTF) are anatomical structures that can influence temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) by potentially affecting the movement and function of the mandibular condyle.

Objective: This study investigates the relationship between patients with TMD and the presence of FH and PTF to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images from 212 patients.

Analysis of Repeat Hepatitis C Viremia After Sustained Virologic Response in a Large Cohort of U.S. Veterans.

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects >1% of the U.S. population, higher among U.

Dietary Profile of Women With Chronic Muscle Temporomandibular Disorder: An Observational Study.

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is the main chronic pain that affects the face, and it is associated with dietary changes due to pain and dysfunction. However, there is a scarcity of studies on its impact on nutrition and vice versa.

Objectives: To assess and compare the intake of energy and nutrients among chronic TMD myalgia and asymptomatic women and to evaluate data according to dietary reference intakes (DRI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) values.

Deception and Fraud in the Justification of "Pediatric Drug Development": A Challenge at the Interface of Medicine and Law.

United States and European Union laws demand separate clinical studies in children as a condition for drugs' marketing approval. Justified by carefully framed pseudo-scientific wordings, more so the European Medicines Agency than the United States Food and Drug Administration, "Pediatric Drug Development" is probably the largest abuse in medical research in history. Preterm newborns are immature and vulnerable, but they grow.

Advanced control parameter optimization in DC motors and liquid level systems.

In recent times, there has been notable progress in control systems across various industrial domains, necessitating effective management of dynamic systems for optimal functionality. A crucial research focus has emerged in optimizing control parameters to augment controller performance. Among the plethora of optimization algorithms, the mountain gazelle optimizer (MGO) stands out for its capacity to emulate the agile movements and behavioral strategies observed in mountain gazelles.

Effect of Eight Months of Swimming on Bone Quality of Different Anatomical Regions: A Study on Wistar Rat Models.

Swimming is a popular sport with several health benefits, but its effects on bone quality are controversial possibly due to distinct effects on different anatomical regions. Our aim was to investigate the effect of 8-month swimming on bone growth, mass, geometry, trabecular microarchitecture and osteocyte density of the lumbar vertebrae, femur and tibia of male rats. Wistar rat models were assigned to either a swimming (n = 10; 2h/d, 5 d/week) or a physically active control group (n = 10) for 8 months, after which they were sacrificed and their lumbar vertebrae, femur and tibia assessed for bone mass, cortical geometry, trabecular microarchitecture and osteocyte density through µ-CT and histology.

Water, sanitation, handwashing, and nutritional interventions can reduce child antibiotic use: evidence from Bangladesh and Kenya.

Antibiotics can trigger antimicrobial resistance and microbiome alterations. Reducing pathogen exposure and undernutrition can reduce infections and antibiotic use. We assess effects of water, sanitation, handwashing (WSH) and nutrition interventions on caregiver-reported antibiotic use in Bangladesh and Kenya, longitudinally measured at three timepoints among birth cohorts (ages 3-28 months) in a cluster-randomized trial.

Wireless microwave-to-optical conversion via programmable metasurface without DC supply.

Microwave-optical interaction and its effective utilization are vital technologies at the frontier of classical and quantum sciences for communication, sensing, and imaging. Typically, state-of-the-art microwave-to-optical converters are realized by fiber and circuit approaches with multiple processing steps, and external powers are necessary, which leads to many limitations. Here, we propose a programmable metasurface that can achieve direct and high-speed free-space microwave-to-laser conversion.

Molecular logic for cellular specializations that initiate the auditory parallel processing pathways.

The cochlear nuclear complex (CN), the starting point for all central auditory processing, encompasses a suite of neuronal cell types highly specialized for neural coding of acoustic signals. However, the molecular logic governing these specializations remains unknown. By combining single-nucleus RNA sequencing and Patch-seq analysis, we reveal a set of transcriptionally distinct cell populations encompassing all previously observed types and discover multiple hitherto unknown subtypes with anatomical and physiological identity.

Inequitable distribution of risks associated with occupational heat exposure driven by trade.

The exposure to extreme heat at workplaces poses substantial threat to human effort and manual labour. This becomes more prominent due to the global dispersion of labour-intensive production activities via trade. We combine a climate model with an input-output model to quantify the risks associated with trade-related occupational extreme heat exposure.

Abnormal functional hubs in migraine patients: a resting-state MRI analysis about voxel-wise degree centrality.

The purpose was to explore the spatial centrality of the whole brain functional network related to migraine and to investigate the potential functional hubs associated with migraine. 32 migraine patients and 55 healthy controls were recruited and they received resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging voluntarily. Voxel-wise Degree Centrality (DC) was measured across the whole brain, and group differences in DC were compared.

Dysregulation of Airway and Systemic Interferon Responses Promote Asthma Exacerbations in Urban Children.

Background: Determining why some upper respiratory illnesses provoke asthma exacerbations remains an unmet need.

Objective: To identify transcriptome-wide gene expression changes associated with colds that progress to exacerbation.

Methods: 208 urban children (6-17 years) with exacerbation-prone asthma were prospectively monitored for up to two cold illnesses.

Acral Lentiginous Melanoma. Part II. Staging, Surgical Management, The Role of Systemic Therapy, Shortcomings and Future Directions.

This comprehensive review navigates the clinical management and challenges of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), including staging, surgical interventions, and systemic therapies. Multimodality treatment and clinical trials are recommended for advanced cases.

An in vitro nanocarrier-based B cell antigen loading system; tumor growth suppression via transfusion of the antigen-loaded B cells in vivo.

B cell-based vaccines are expected to provide an alternative to DC-based vaccines. However, the efficacy of antigen uptake by B cells in vitro is relatively low, and efficient antigen-loading methods must be established before B cell-based vaccines are viable in clinical settings. We recently developed an in vitro system that efficiently loads antigens into isolated splenic B cells via liposomes decorated with hydroxyl PEG (HO-PEG-Lips).

Opportunities in programs and policies to address the underlying drivers of sugary drink and water consumption in the Washington DC metro area: a qualitative community-based system dynamics approach.

Background: Though the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that individuals drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), this behavior is influenced and reinforced by a complex network of structures and systems.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to develop a shared understanding among multiple stakeholders about the structural and underlying, interconnected drivers of SSB and water consumption in the Washington D.C.

Preparation of bio-based flame retardants by modification of cottonseed meal with polyphosphate and boric acid and its durability to cotton fiber.

The durability and flame retardancy of cotton fabrics have been the focus of long-term research. In this paper, a method for preparing flame retardants through the direct modification of biomass was proposed, and the durable flame retardant of homologous cottonseed meal modified biomass flame retardants for cotton fabrics was achieved through biomass composition analysis and modeling. In this study, a cottonseed meal-phosphoric acid-boric acid synergistic bio-based flame retardant (CPB) was synthesized and characterized.

Global Epidemiology of Alcohol-Related Liver Disease, Liver Cancer, and Alcohol Use Disorder, 2000-2021.

Background/aims: Alcohol represents a leading burden of disease worldwide, including alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). We aim to assess the global burden of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-attributable primary liver cancer between 2000-2021.

Methods: We registered the global and regional trends of AUD, ALD, and alcohol-related liver cancer using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study, the largest and most up-to-date global epidemiology database.

Pathologic responses and clinical outcomes with neoadjuvant doublet chemotherapy for newly diagnosed, surgically-resectable p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: The feasibility and outcomes of neoadjuvant doublet chemotherapy with cisplatin and docetaxel followed by surgical resection of residual disease (NAC + S) for patients with newly diagnosed, resectable p16 positive (+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has been reported from a single institution. Here, we report pathologic responses, need for adjuvant treatment and recurrence-free survival (RFS) following this treatment from a second large academic institution.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with p16 + OPSCC receiving NAC + S and risk-adjusted adjuvant treatment between January 2017 and March 2024 was performed.