The Health Equity Scholars Program: Fostering Culturally Competent and Successful Independent Investigators in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Research.

Introduction: The Health Equity Scholars Program (HESP) addresses the critical need for a diverse, culturally competent workforce to study and treat older adults from underrepresented populations (URPs) with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). The HESP offers tailored mentored training in AD/ADRD research concepts, aiming to develop successful independent researchers. It recruits Scholars from underrepresented backgrounds as well as those passionate about AD/ADRD health equity research.

A pilot intervention trial to reduce the use of post-procedural antimicrobials after common endourologic surgeries.

Objective: Post-procedural antimicrobial prophylaxis is not recommended by professional guidelines but is commonly prescribed. We sought to reduce use of post-procedural antimicrobials after common endoscopic urologic procedures.

Design: A before-after, quasi-experimental trial with a baseline (July 2020-June 2022), an implementation (July 2022), and an intervention period (August 2022-July 2023).

Menstruation: An Important Indicator for Assessing Stroke Risk and Its Outcomes.

In recent years, stroke incidence in older adults has declined strikingly, but stroke in younger women has become more common. Abnormalities of menstruation, the shedding of the uterine lining at the beginning of each menstrual cycle, may offer clues about stroke risk in young and midlife women. Endometrial and structural uterine abnormalities are associated with anemia and may be associated with hypercoagulability, possibly increasing stroke risk.

Effects of systemic oxytocin and beta-3 receptor agonist (CL 316243) treatment on body weight and adiposity in male diet-induced obese rats.

Previous studies have implicated hindbrain oxytocin (OT) receptors in the control of food intake and brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. We recently demonstrated that hindbrain [fourth ventricle (4V)] administration of oxytocin (OT) could be used as an adjunct to drugs that directly target beta-3 adrenergic receptors (β3-AR) to elicit weight loss in diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents. What remains unclear is whether systemic OT can be used as an adjunct with the β3-AR agonist, CL 316243, to increase BAT thermogenesis and elicit weight loss in DIO rats.

Rare variants and survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: The clinical course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is highly variable and unpredictable, with multiple genetic variants influencing IPF outcomes. Notably, rare pathogenic variants in telomere-related genes are associated with poorer clinical outcomes in these patients. Here we assessed whether rare qualifying variants (QVs) in monogenic adult-onset pulmonary fibrosis (PF) genes are associated with IPF survival.

ARGONAUT-IV: susceptibility of carbapenemase-producing to the oral bicyclic boronate β-lactamase inhibitor ledaborbactam combined with ceftibuten.

Ledaborbactam (formerly VNRX-5236), a bicyclic boronate β-lactamase inhibitor with activity against class A, C, and D β-lactamases, is under development as an orally bioavailable etzadroxil prodrug (VNRX-7145) in combination with ceftibuten for the treatment of urinary tract infections. At ceftibuten breakpoints of ≤1 mg/L (EUCAST) and ≤8 mg/L (CLSI), 92.5% and 99.

A short version of the Everyday Cognition scale can predict clinical progression and cognitive decline.

Background: The Everyday Cognition scale (ECog-39) scores are associated with future cognitive decline. We investigated whether the 12-item ECog (ECog-12), which is being collected in Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)4, can predict progression.

Methods: Baseline self (PT)- and study partner (SP)-ECog-12 data were extracted from the 39-item version collected in the ADNI.

Patient Experiences With Group Teletherapy for the Treatment of Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study.

Objective: The authors sought to understand patient experiences with group teletherapy to inform improvements in service delivery.

Methods: From December 2022 to October 2023, semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 adults with depression or bipolar disorder who had received outpatient group teletherapy in the past 2 years. A rapid thematic analysis was conducted by using a matrix to identify patterns and synthesize data.

Differing needs for Advance Care Planning in the Veterans Health Administration: use of latent class analysis to identify subgroups to enhance Advance Care Planning via Group Visits for veterans.

Background: Advance Care Planning via Group Visits (ACP-GV) is a patient-centered intervention facilitated by a clinician using a group modality to promote healthcare decision-making among veterans. Participants in the group document a "Next Step" to use in planning for their future care needs. The next step may include documentation of preferences in an advance directive, discussing plans with family, or anything else to fulfill their ACP needs.

Sympathetic Innervation of Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue Is Not a Predominant Mediator of Oxytocin-Induced Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Female High Fat Diet-Fed Rats.

Recent studies have indicated that hindbrain [fourth ventricle (4V)] administration of the neurohypophyseal hormone, oxytocin (OT), reduces body weight, energy intake and stimulates interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature (T) in male diet-induced obese (DIO) rats. What remains unclear is whether chronic hindbrain (4V) OT can impact body weight in female high fat diet-fed (HFD) rodents and whether this involves activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT). We hypothesized that OT-elicited stimulation of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation of interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) contributes to its ability to activate BAT and reduce body weight in female high HFD-fed rats.

Targeted Deletion of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Rescues Metabolic Dysregulation of Diet-induced Obesity in Female Mice.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a bone-secreted protein widely recognized as a critical regulator of skeletal and mineral metabolism. However, little is known about the nonskeletal production of FGF23 and its role in tissues other than bone. Growing evidence indicates that circulating FGF23 levels rise with a high-fat diet (HFD) and they are positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) in humans.

Temporal Trends in Thyroid Nodule Size on Ultrasonography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: In recent years, concern has grown around the overdetection of thyroid cancer. Changes to thyroid nodule risk stratification systems and guidelines were made to improve diagnostic yield. It is not known how these advancements have affected the size of thyroid nodules reported on ultrasonography over time.

Clinical Correlates and Prognostic Impact of Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction: Insights From PARAGON-HF.

Background: Cognitive impairment is common in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction but its clinical correlates and prognostic associations are poorly understood.

Methods: We analyzed cognitive function, using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction enrolled in a prespecified substudy of the PARAGON-HF trial (Prospective Comparison of Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor With Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Global Outcomes in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction). Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the variables associated with lower MMSE scores at baseline and postbaseline decline in MMSE scores at 48 weeks.

Arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: Past, present, and future.

On the 20th anniversary of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the role of arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in understanding perfusion changes in the aging brain and the relationship with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology and its comorbid conditions. We summarize previously used acquisition protocols, available data, and the motivation for adopting a multi-post-labeling delay (PLD) acquisition scheme in the latest ADNI MRI protocol (ADNI 4). We also detail the process of setting up this scheme on different scanners, emphasizing the potential of ASL imaging in future AD research.

Timing of Alzheimer's disease biomarker progressions: A two-decade observational study from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).

Introduction: Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) has been pivotal in identifying and refining Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers for clinical trials. This study leverages longitudinal data from participants who have progressed to amyloid-positivity during their study participation to track evolution of biomarkers and cognitive function.

Methods: We modeled AD biomarker (positron emission tomography [PET], structural, cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], cognition) trajectories before and after observed amyloid-positivity onset time to detect time at which each biomarker had detectable trajectory changes.

Catalytic activities of wild-type C. elegans DAF-2 kinase and dauer-associated mutants.

DAF-2, the Caenorhabditis elegans insulin-like receptor homolog, regulates larval development, metabolism, stress response, and lifespan. The availability of numerous daf-2 mutant alleles has made it possible to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying these physiological processes. The DAF-2 pathway is significantly conserved with the human insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway; it includes proteins homologous to human IRS, GRB-2, and PI3K, making it an important model to investigate human pathological conditions.

Association of CSF α-synuclein seed amplification assay positivity with disease progression and cognitive decline: A longitudinal Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study.

Introduction: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) α-synuclein (α-syn) seed amplification assay (SAA) is a sensitive and specific tool for detecting Lewy body co-pathology in Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: A total of 1637 cross-sectional and 407 longitudinal CSF samples from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were tested with SAA. We examined longitudinal dynamics of amyloid beta (Aβ), α-syn seeds, and phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181), along with global and domain-specific cognition in stable SAA+, stable SAA-, and those who converted to SAA+ from SAA-.

A Newly Identified Protective Role of C5a Receptor 1 in Kidney Tubules against Toxin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a major reason for hospitalization with limited therapeutic options. Although complement activation is implicated in AKI, the role of C5a receptor 1 (C5aR1) in kidney tubular cells is unclear. Herein, aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) and folic acid nephropathy (FAN) models were used to establish the role of C5aR1 in kidney tubules during AKI in germline C5ar1, myeloid cell-specific, and kidney tubule-specific C5ar1 knockout mice.

Optimization of B-Ring-Functionalized Antimalarial Tambjamines and Prodiginines.

Malaria has been a deadly enemy of mankind throughout history, affecting over 200 million people annually, along with approximately half a million deaths. Resistance to current therapies is of great concern, and there is a dire need for novel and well-tolerated antimalarials that operate by clinically unexploited mechanisms. We have previously reported that both tambjamines and prodiginines are highly potent novel antiplasmodial agents, but they required rigor optimizations to enhance the oral efficacy, safety, and physicochemical properties.

Sertraline-induced 5-HT dysregulation in mouse cardiomyocytes and the impact on calcium handling.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are prescribed in 15% of pregnancies in the United States for depression. Maternal use of SSRIs has been linked to an increased risk of congenital heart defects, but the exact mechanism of pathogenesis is unknown. SSRIs, including sertraline, are permeable to the placenta and can produce direct fetal exposure.

Using Telehealth to Increase Lung Cancer Screening Referrals for At-Risk Veterans in Rural Communities.

Background: At-risk rural veterans have low rates of lung cancer screening (LCS). This proof-of-principle quality improvement project aimed to determine whether a telehealth intervention would increase referrals for at-risk veterans living in the rural upper Midwest and attending a smoking cessation program to LCS with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) of the chest.

Methods: Sixty-eight of 74 LCS-eligible rural veterans who self-enrolled in a smoking cessation program were contacted by telephone.