Involving youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities as collaborators in a comparative effectiveness trial: A community-engaged research approach.

Background: Practices to include youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) are necessary to design and implement research that specifically meets the behavioral health needs of this population. This article describes a protocol for engaging youth with IDD as collaborators in a comparative effectiveness clinical trial using a community-engaged research (CEnR) approach.

Methods: Our engagement protocol, guided by the Community Engaged Research (CEnR) Framework, emphasized harm avoidance, accessibility, demonstrated value, capacity bridging and co-learning, shared power and equity in decision-making, accountability and respect, and transparent communication.

Rethinking obesity care in the United States: Lessons from the cardiovascular disease - Cardiac rehabilitation model.

The prevalence of obesity in the United States (U.S.), in conjunction with the myriad of detrimental health consequences associated with this disease, justifiably warrants deep concern and characterization as a national health crisis of epidemic proportions.

High precision newborn screening for mucopolysaccharidosis type I by enzymatic activity followed by endogenous, non-reducing end glycosaminoglycan analysis.

Measurement of enzymatic activity in newborn dried blood spots (DBS) is the preferred first-tier method in newborn screening (NBS) for mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) disorders. However, false positives are observed due mainly to the presence of pseudodeficiencies. Our previous publications on glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biomarker levels in dried blood spots (DBS) for mucopolysaccharidoses demonstrated that second-tier GAG biomarker analysis can dramatically reduce the false positive rate in NBS.

Pleiotropic anti-cancer activities of novel non-covalent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors against triple negative breast cancer.

Mounting evidence shows that tumor growth and progression rely on thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1)-mediated detoxification of oxidative stress that results from deregulated metabolism and mitogenic signaling in tumors. TXNRD1 levels are significant higher in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) compared to normal tissue, making TXNRD1 a compelling TNBC therapeutic target. Despite the many attempts to generate TXNRD1 inhibitors, all known and reported compounds inhibiting TXNRD1 are problematic; they interact with TXNRD1 irreversibly and non-specifically resulting in numerous adverse side effects.

Axonal organelle buildup from loss of AP-4 complex function causes exacerbation of amyloid plaque pathology and gliosis in Alzheimer's disease mouse model.

Lysosomes and related precursor organelles robustly build up in swollen axons that surround amyloid plaques and disrupted axonal lysosome transport has been implicated in worsening Alzheimer's pathology. Our prior studies have revealed that loss of Adaptor protein-4 (AP-4) complex function, linked primarily to Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), leads to a similar build of lysosomes in structures we term "AP-4 dystrophies". Surprisingly, these AP-4 dystrophies were also characterized by enrichment of components of APP processing machinery, β-site cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and Presenilin 2.

"Rest of the folks are tired and weary": The impact of historical lynchings on biological and cognitive health for older adults racialized as Black.

Childhood structural racism may lead to poorer health and longevity for individuals racialized as Black. Racism-related stress cumulatively taxes the body resulting in worsening biological and cognitive health. This study examines the association between state-level exposure to historical lynchings (adverse childhood racism for modern older adults), with C-reactive protein (CRP, a marker of systemic inflammation), and global cognitive performance (modified TICS).

Endocrine pathology in young rabbits with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the transmembrane conductance regulator gene. CF-related pancreatic lesions are known to cause exocrine dysfunctions such as pancreatic insufficiency, and endocrine dysfunctions, including CF related diabetes. In a previous study, we generated CF rabbits using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing.

A Measure of Inclusion: Women as Authors in Oral Epidemiology and Dental Public Health, 2017-2022.

Dentistry has traditionally been male-dominated in North America, although "primary care" dentistry disciplines, including dental public health (DPH), have greater gender equity than other areas. However, gender gaps are likely to persist, specifically in academia. As an example of the measurement of inclusion, we sought to identify gender equity in authorship in publications in DPH and epidemiology over six years.

Inclusive Language to Support Health Equity and Belonging in Dentistry.

Inclusive language in dentistry is essential for delivering high-quality, equitable care that respects and empathizes with patients from diverse backgrounds. It involves using language that avoids exclusion and bias, focusing on person-first terms, and understanding the preferences of individuals and communities. This approach not only promotes health equity and belonging but also strengthens trust and communication between providers and patients and among members of the dental health care team.

Sex and Gender Health Education Tenets: An Essential Paradigm for Inclusivity in Dentistry.

Sex and gender are essential components of person-centered care. This article presents and discusses four important tenets regarding sex and gender health that should be incorporated into dental education and oral health care to foster inclusivity and improve care for all patients, including a sex and gender-diverse patient population.

The "I" in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Challenge of Inclusivity in Dentistry.

Inclusion is an essential part of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dentistry's history has been such that the profession has experienced inclusion and exclusion, sometimes by choice and sometimes by the actions of others. This study reviews the concept of inclusion in the context of the current need to create inclusive environments for a workforce that is culturally and structurally sound to serve all patients, including the underrepresented or marginalized, in integrated health care.

Bioinspired designer DNA NanoGripper for virus sensing and potential inhibition.

DNA has shown great biocompatibility, programmable mechanical properties, and precise structural addressability at the nanometer scale, rendering it a material for constructing versatile nanorobots for biomedical applications. Here, we present the design principle, synthesis, and characterization of a DNA nanorobotic hand, called DNA NanoGripper, that contains a palm and four bendable fingers as inspired by naturally evolved human hands, bird claws, and bacteriophages. Each NanoGripper finger consists of three phalanges connected by three rotatable joints that are bendable in response to the binding of other entities.

Advice to the FDA to Improve Its Proposed Guidelines to Rationalize Clinical Trials by Restricting Placebo Control, Preventing Low-Powered Studies, and Disallowing Studies Where Bioavailability Is Not Proven.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of new drugs and biologicals. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proactively improved the trial designs to make them scientifically rational while avoiding unnecessary human exposure. Several new guidelines by the FDA have come in 2024 that address consolidating the RCTs with the Real-World Evidence (RWE) trials, decentralizing the testing platforms, and allowing the point-of-use clinicians to participate.

Cannabinoids as Antibacterial Agents: A Systematic and Critical Review of In Vitro Efficacy Against and .

Background: Two major bacterial pathogens, and , are becoming increasingly antibiotic-resistant. Despite the urgency, only a few new antibiotics have been approved to address these infections. Although cannabinoids have been noted for their antibacterial properties, a comprehensive review of their effects on these bacteria has been lacking.

Relationships Among COVID-19-Related Service Uptake, HIV Status, Drug Use, and COVID-19 Antibody Status Among HIV Testing Intervention Participants in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

People living with HIV (PLWH) and people who use drugs are vulnerable populations who may face barriers to accessing health services and may have irregularities in immune function. People with undiagnosed HIV infection may be particularly likely to have compromised immune function. However, research about whether/how HIV status is related to COVID-19-related health outcomes has been equivocal, and research on the predictors of COVID-19-related health service access/uptake has been limited in Sub-Saharan African settings.

Placebo Effects: Neurological Mechanisms Inducing Physiological, Organic, and Belief Responses-A Prospective Analysis.

The placebo effect can induce physiological or clinical neurological and organic responses despite the recipient receiving no active ingredients; these responses are based instead on the recipient's perceptions. Placebo effects come from the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, pontine nucleus, and cerebellum of the brain; this information provides a better understanding of placebo effects and can also help us understand the mechanism of the modulation of neurotransmitters from the use of psychedelic substances, activity of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the process of transcranial magnetic stimulation, and deep brain stimulation, as well as aid in developing novel therapies, challenging the validity of controlled clinical trials (RCTs) that the regulatory agencies now appreciate. Education about how placebo effects bring in social, political, and religious beliefs and whether these can be modulated may help reduce global confrontations.

Dual Targeting of CXCR1 and PARP in Models of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma.

Background/objectives: Clinical use of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) against metastatic high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is limited to cases with deficient a homologous recombination (HR). Our objective was to determine whether the impairment of the fractalkine receptor (CXCR1) could sensitize HR-proficient cases to PARPis.

Methods: The efficacy of a dual drug combination, including AZD8797, an inhibitor of CXCR1, and several PARPis was examined using cell lines and xenograft models.

miR-29a Downregulates PIK3CA Expression and Inhibits Cervical Cancer Cell Dynamics: A Comparative Clinical Analysis.

HPV/pap tests are widely used for cervical cancer screening, playing a crucial role in early diagnosis and guiding future treatment options. However, approximately 50% of cervical cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, which is associated with higher recurrence rates and poorer survival outcomes than early-stage diagnoses. This underscores the need for effective treatments for advanced-stage cervical cancer.