Safety and Efficacy of Deutetrabenazine at High versus Lower Daily Dosages in the ARC-HD Study to Treat Chorea in Huntington Disease.

Background: Huntington disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes psychiatric and neurological symptoms, including involuntary and irregular muscle movements (chorea). Chorea can disrupt activities of daily living, pose safety issues, and may lead to social withdrawal. The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitors tetrabenazine, deutetrabenazine, and valbenazine are approved treatments that can reduce chorea.

Adenosine accumulation in the blood of newborn mice weakens antimicrobial host defenses.

Pediatric intensive care patients are particularly susceptible to severe bacterial infections because of ineffective neutrophil responses. The reasons why neutrophils of newborns are less responsive than those of adults are not clear. Because adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine (ADO) tightly regulate neutrophils, we studied whether the ATP and ADO levels in the blood of newborn mice could impair the function of their neutrophils.

Renal Physiology Education via Podcast: Channel Your Enthusiasm.

Renal physiology is considered one of the most challenging medical disciplines to understand and to teach. Eight academic nephrologists have come together to produce a podcast devoted to helping learners at any level improve their understanding of this difficult topic. Using Dr Burton D.

Hybrid care model: Combining telemedicine and office visits for diabetes management in older adults with type 1 diabetes.

Aims: To evaluate the use of hybrid (telehealth and in-person) care on visitation and glycaemia in older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods: In this retrospective study, we examined clinical characteristics, number of visits (telehealth and in-person) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics for older adults (≥65 years) with T1D from electronic health records during the pre-COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2019-March 1, 2020; in-person) and pandemic (September 1, 2020-August 31, 2021; hybrid) periods. Main outcomes were the number of visits and changes in glycaemic control (HbA1c), and in a sub-group of older adults using CGM, changes in CGM metrics between in-person and hybrid care.

Impact of Lookback Duration on the Performance of a Claims-Based Frailty Proxy in Women With Stage I-III Breast Cancer.

Background: Frailty is an important prognostic indicator in older women with breast cancer. The Faurot frailty index, a validated claims-based frailty proxy measure, uses healthcare billing codes during a user-specified ascertainment window to predict frailty. We assessed how the duration of frailty ascertainment affected the ability of the Faurot frailty index to predict one-year mortality in women with stage I-II breast cancer.

Psychosocial Support Needs and Preferences Among Family Caregivers of ICU Patients with Severe Acute Brain Injury: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis.

Background: Family caregivers of patients with severe acute brain injury (SABI) are at risk for clinically significant chronic emotional distress, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Existing psychosocial interventions for caregivers of intensive care unit (ICU) patients are not tailored to the unique needs of caregivers of patients with SABI, do not demonstrate long-term efficacy, and may increase caregiver burden. In this study, we explored the needs and preferences for psychosocial services among SABI caregivers to inform the development and adaptation of interventions to reduce their emotional distress during and after their relative's ICU admission.

An 18-year comprehensive safety study on microfocused ultrasound and monopolar radiofrequency combined with cosmetic injectables in 1,040 patients.

Microfocused ultrasound (MFU) and (MRF) are non-invasive modalities widely used for skin rejuvenation and are often combined with injectables, including neuromodulators and soft tissue fillers. However, large-scale, long-term safety data on such combination therapies are lacking. To address this gap, we conducted a retrospective chart review at two private practice dermatology clinics in South Korea from June 2005 to December 2023.

Electroencephalography in Clinical Practice: Neurology Professionals' Views on Optimal Standards of Care.

Purpose: Delivering optimal care to patients with seizures and epilepsy requires all EEGs to be interpreted accurately and reliably. This study investigated neurology professionals' opinions on the ideal standards for EEG in clinical care.

Methods: We developed an anonymous e-survey targeting practicing and trainee neurologists focused on participants' demographics, clinical practice characteristics, and views on optimal EEG standards of care-including whether an EEG certification test is needed and whether postresidency/fellowship training in EEG/epilepsy is necessary for neurologists who interpret outpatient/routine EEGs in practice.

Building Public Health Quantitative Methods Capacity and Networks in sub-Saharan Africa: An Evaluation of a Faculty Training Program.

Introduction: There is a shortage of individuals trained in using quantitative methods in biomedical research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Improving public health in SSA requires new ways to promote quantitative knowledge and skills among faculty in biomedical research and better-integrated network systems of support.

Methods: We describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative faculty training and support program in SSA from December 2017-June 2020, using courses in monitoring and evaluation, data management, and complex surveys as prototypical examples.

Percutaneous VT Ablation via RA-to-LV Access in Patients With Double Mechanical Valves: A Multicenter Registry.

Background: In patients with mechanical aortic and mitral valves requiring catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT), a technique for access from the right atrium (RA) to the left ventricle (LV) via puncture of the inferoseptal process of the LV was previously described in a single-center series.

Objectives: This study sought to report the multicenter experience of VT ablation using this novel LV access approach.

Methods: We assembled a multicenter registry of patients with double mechanical valves who underwent VT ablation with RA-to-LV access.

Dietary Inflammatory Score and Incident Heart Failure in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study.

Background: Inflammation plays a key role in the development of heart failure (HF), and diet is a known modifiable factor that modulates systemic inflammation. The dietary inflammatory score (DIS) is a tool to quantify the inflammatory components of diet. We sought to determine whether the DIS is associated with incident HF events.

Diagnosing Epilepsy with Normal Interictal EEG Using Dynamic Network Models.

Objective: Whereas a scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) is important for diagnosing epilepsy, a single routine EEG is limited in its diagnostic value. Only a small percentage of routine EEGs show interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and overall misdiagnosis rates of epilepsy are 20% to 30%. We aim to demonstrate how network properties in EEG recordings can be used to improve the speed and accuracy differentiating epilepsy from mimics, such as functional seizures - even in the absence of IEDs.

Association of Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) remains challenging.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) on SCD in NICM patients.

Methods: Our study cohort included 173 consecutive patients (age 53 ± 14 years, 73% men) scheduled for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) implantation who underwent preimplant cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Rheumatic Heart Disease Burden in Africa and the Need to Build Robust Infrastructure.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an important public health problem in Africa. Mapping the epidemiology of RHD involves elucidating its geographic distribution, temporal trends, and demographic characteristics. The prevalence of RHD in Africa varies widely, with estimates ranging from 2.

Cholangioblastic Cholangiocarcinoma (NIPBL::NACC1 cholangiocarcinoma): Expanded Morphologic Spectrum and Further Genetic Characterization.

The cholangioblastic variant of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a distinctive neoplasm that typically affects young women without underlying liver disease. Morphologically, it demonstrates solid, trabecular, and tubulocystic architecture, biphasic small cell-large cell cytology, and immunoreactivity for inhibin, neuroendocrine markers, and biliary but not hepatocellular markers. In 2021, our group identified a characteristic NIPBL::NACC1 gene fusion in cholangioblastic cholangiocarcinoma, and since then ~20 genetically confirmed cases have been reported in the literature.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and epigenetic age acceleration in children.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in adults, but its impact on children remains less understood. This study analyzed data from 457 children (mean age: 7.9 years) in the Project Viva cohort (2007-2010, eastern Massachusetts, USA).

Progressive natural killer cell dysfunction in advanced-stage clear-cell renal cell carcinoma and association with clinical outcomes.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are important contributors to antitumor immunity in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, their phenotype, function, and association with clinical outcomes in ccRCC remain poorly understood.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from 13 primary tumors, 1 localized tumor extension, and 1 metastasis from ccRCC patients at different clinical stages.

Development of a recombinant Ang1 variant with enhanced Tie2 binding and its application to attenuate sepsis in mice.

The angiopoietin (Ang)-Tie axis, critical for endothelial cell function and vascular development, is a promising therapeutic target for treating vascular disorders and inflammatory conditions like sepsis. This study aimed to enhance the binding affinity of recombinant Ang1 variants to the Tie2 and explore their therapeutic potential. Structural insights from the Ang1-Tie2 complex enabled the identification of key residues within the Ang1 receptor binding domain (RBD) critical for Tie2 interaction.

Cervical dysplasia in women with HIV in the modern treat-all era: Elevated risk remains despite long-term ART and normal CD4 count.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of ART duration and CD4 count on risk for high grade cervical dysplasia in women with HIV (WWH) compared to women without HIV in the treat-all era with integrase strand inhibitors (INSTIs).

Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort study in Botswana.

Methods: From February 2021 to August 2022, baseline HPV self-sampling was offered to women with and without HIV.