Exploring barriers to accessing treatment for Lymphatic Filariasis through a socio-ecological lens in Buvuma and Napak districts, Uganda.

Background: The World Health Organization launched the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in 2000, which aimed at eradicating the disease by 2030. This goal depends on community mass drug administration and essential care. Despite these efforts, many rural communities still face untreated lymphatic filariasis and lack access to treatment and self-management.

Achieving the state of Georgia 25% HIV incidence reduction target among men who have sex with men in Atlanta through expanded use of multimodal pre-exposure prophylaxis: A mathematical model.

The US faces substantial demographic and geographic disparities in both HIV burden and access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an effective strategy to prevent HIV acquisition. Long-acting cabotegravir (CAB) is a novel, injectable PrEP option which demonstrated superior reduction in risk of HIV acquisition compared to daily-oral PrEP in the HPTN083 trial. We modelled the impact of increased PrEP initiations and the introduction of long-acting CAB on HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Atlanta, Georgia, a population with a high burden of HIV.

Eight quick tips for biologically and medically informed machine learning.

Machine learning has become a powerful tool for computational analysis in the biomedical sciences, with its effectiveness significantly enhanced by integrating domain-specific knowledge. This integration has give rise to informed machine learning, in contrast to studies that lack domain knowledge and treat all variables equally (uninformed machine learning). While the application of informed machine learning to bioinformatics and health informatics datasets has become more seamless, the likelihood of errors has also increased.

A data management system for precision medicine.

Precision, or personalised medicine has advanced requirements for medical data management systems (MedDMSs). MedDMS for precision medicine should be able to process hundreds of parameters from multiple sites, be adaptable while remaining in sync at multiple locations, real-time syncing to analytics and be compliant with international privacy legislation. This paper describes the LogiqSuite software solution, aimed to support a precision medicine solution at the patient care (LogiqCare), research (LogiqScience) and data science (LogiqAnalytics) level.

The value of diabetes technology enabled coaching (DTEC) to support remission evaluation of medical interventions in T2D: Patient and health coach perspectives.

The multicomponent Remission Evaluation of Medical Interventions in T2D (REMIT) program has shown reduction of hazard of diabetes relapse by 34-43%, but could benefit from improved ability to scale, spread, and sustain it. This study explored, at the conceptualization phase, patient and health coach perspectives on the acceptability, adoption, feasibility, and appropriateness of a digital REMIT adaptation (diabetes technology enabled coaching (DTEC)). Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients (n = 6) and health coaches (n = 6) to explore their experiences with the REMIT study, opportunities for virtualisation, and a cognitive walkthrough of solution concepts.

Bayesian Gene Set Benchmark Dose Estimation for "omic" responses.

Motivation: Estimating a toxic reference point using tools like the benchmark dose (BMD) is a critical step in setting policy to regulate pollution and ensure safe environments. Toxicity can be measured for different endpoints, including changes in gene expression and histopathology for various tissues, and is typically explored one gene or tissue at a time in a univariate setting that ignores correlation. In this work, we develop a multivariate estimation procedure to estimate the BMD for specified gene sets.

Genetic and environmental influences on alcohol consumption in middle to late life.

Objective: Alcohol use is common in older adults and linked to poor health and aging outcomes. Studies have demonstrated genetic and environmental contributions to the quantity of alcohol consumption in mid-to-late life, but less is known about whether these influences are moderated by sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, and educational attainment. This study sought to better understand sociodemographic trends in alcohol consumption across the second half of the life course and their underlying genetic and environmental influences.

Dispositional coping profiles moderate the links between racial discrimination and mental health in Black Americans.

Objectives: Racial discrimination is consistently linked to negative mental health outcomes. However, less is known about how unique patterns of coping in Black Americans experiencing high discrimination stress may moderate the association between discrimination and mental health. The present study uses person-centered methods to identify and describe latent profiles of coping in Black Americans, to understand how these coping profiles are linked to mental health, and to examine whether latent coping profiles moderate the links between discrimination and mental health.

Longitudinal associations between screen time and children's language, early educational skills, and peer social functioning.

Children's high and increasing levels of screen time are of growing concern to parents, health professionals, and researchers. With the growing availability and use of devices such as smartphones and tablets, it is important to understand the impact of children's screen use on development. Prospective longitudinal data from 6,281 children (48.

Regional Trends and Spatial Gradients of Total Column Methane over India, China, and USA─Implications for Emissions from Coal Mining and Oil/Gas Exploitation.

Observation-based verification of regional/national methane (CH) emission trends is crucial for transparent monitoring and mitigation strategy planning. Although surface observations track the global and sub-hemispheric emission trends well, their sparse spatial coverage limits our ability to assess regional trends. Dense satellite observations complement surface observations, offering a valuable means to validate emission trends, especially in regions where emissions changes are substantial but debated.

Implementation of carceral medicaid suspension and enrollment programs: perspectives of carceral and medicaid leaders.

Background: Medicaid expansion via the Affordable Care Act, more recent legislation and Medicaid 1115 waivers offer opportunity to increase health care access among individuals involved in the carceral system. Effective enrollment of new beneficiaries and temporary suspension and reactivation of existing Medicaid benefits upon release is key to the success of these efforts. This study aims to characterize how jails, prisons and Medicaid agencies are implementing Medicaid suspension and enrollment programs and identifies barriers and facilitators to implementation.

Identification of Naloxone in Emergency Medical Services Data Substantially Improves by Processing Unstructured Patient Care Narratives.

Objectives: Structured data fields, including medication fields involving naloxone, are routinely used to identify opioid overdoses in emergency medical services (EMS) data; between January 2021 and March 2024, there were approximately 1.2 million instances of naloxone administration. in the United States.

Evaluating Harms Associated with Prolonged Antibiotic Duration of Therapy in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Cohort Study using Instrumental Variable Analysis.

Background: Shorter courses of antibiotic therapy are increasingly recommended to reduce antibiotic exposure. However quantifying the real-world impact of duration of therapy is hindered by bias common in observational studies. We aimed to evaluate the harms and benefits of longer versus shorter duration of therapy in older adults.

Physician Engagement in Addressing Health-Related Social Needs and Burnout.

Importance: Previous research suggests that a greater capacity of health care organizations to address patients' health-related social needs (HRSNs) is associated with lower physician burnout. However, individual physician-level engagement in addressing HRSNs has not been fully characterized, and its association with physician burnout remains understudied.

Objective: To characterize physicians' engagement in addressing HRSNs and examine its association with burnout.

Riluzole is associated with reduced risk of heart failure.

Background: Reduction of intracellular Na accumulation through late Na current inhibition has been recognized as a target for cardiac Ca handling which underlies myocardial contractility and relaxation in heart failure (HF). Riluzole, an Na channel blocker with enhancement of Ca-activated K channel function, used for management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is effective in suppressing Ca leak and therefore may improve cardiac function.

Objectives: The study aim was to investigate whether riluzole lowers HF incidence.

Explanatory models of common mental disorders among South Asians in high-income countries: A systematic review.

Mental health service use by individuals of South Asian origin living outside of South Asia is influenced by cultural factors such as endorsing psycho-social-spiritual over biological explanations, somatisation, and stigma. The aim of this review is to synthesise the evidence about (a) explanatory models of common mental disorders (CMDs) among people of South Asian origin residing in high-income countries, and (b) their help-seeking for CMDs, including formal and informal care. The systematic review protocol was registered a priori on Prospero (registration number CRD42021287583).

Associations between nurse-to-patient ratio, nurse educational level, and nurse-sensitive patient outcomes: A 12-month prospective observational study.

Aim: To investigate the associations between nurse staffing levels, nurse educational level, and nurse-sensitive patient outcomes among patients in medical and surgical wards.

Background: Patient outcomes are affected by a variety of factors, including nurse staffing and registered nurse (RN) educational levels. An examination of the associations between these factors and patient outcomes will help identify the impact that nurses make on patient care, including health and safety.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Oldest-Old Social Capital and Health and the Role of Digital Inequalities: Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, information and communication technology (ICT) became crucial for staying connected with loved ones and accessing health services. In this scenario, disparities in ICT use may have exacerbated other forms of inequality, especially among older adults who were less familiar with technology and more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 health consequences.

Objective: This study investigated changes in ICT use, psychological and physical health, and social capital before and after the pandemic among the oldest old population (aged 80 years or older after the pandemic) and explored how internet use influenced these changes.

The socioeconomic burden of cervical cancer and its implications for strategies required to achieve the WHO elimination targets.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable by vaccination and screening. Population based vaccination and screening programs are effective and cost effective, but millions of people do not have access to these programs, causing immense suffering. The WHO Global Strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem calls for countries to meet ambitious vaccination, screening and treatment targets.

Short-term outcomes of gradual ulnar lengthening in multiple hereditary osteochondromas of the forearm with monolateral external fixator.

Hereditary multiple exostoses is an autosomal dominant genetic condition primarily affecting long bones. Forearm deformities, including wrist ulnar deviation, ulnar shortening, radial or ulnar bowing, and radial head dislocation, are common manifestations. Gradual ulnar lengthening is suggested as a viable treatment option for managing these deformities.

Cost-effectiveness of finerenone therapy for patients with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes in England & Wales: results of the FINE-CKD model.

Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the leading cause of kidney failure, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The FIDELIO-DKD trial demonstrated that finerenone lowered the risk of renal and CV events in patients with CKD and T2D, regardless of cardiovascular disease history. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of finerenone added to background treatment (finerenone + BT) versus background treatment (BT) alone in patients with CKD and T2D from the perspective of the National Health Service in England and Wales.

Impact of Heart Transplant Allocation Changes on Waitlist Mortality and Clinical Practice in Pediatric and Adult Patients With Congenital Heart Disease and Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The United Network of Organ Sharing made changes to the priority for allocation of hearts for transplantation (HT) in 2016 for pediatric patients and 2018 for adult patients. Although recent work has evaluated the impact of the revised allocation systems on mechanical circulatory support practices and waitlist outcomes, there are limited data that focus more specifically on the impact of the allocation changes on patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) or cardiomyopathy and how these relationships might differ in pediatric and adult patients.

Methods: The United Network of Organ Sharing database was queried for pediatric (<18 years of age) and adult (18-50 years of age) patients with a CHD or cardiomyopathy diagnosis listed for HT.

Racism and Postpartum Blood Pressure in a Multiethnic Prospective Cohort.

Background: Postpartum hypertension is a key factor in racial-ethnic inequities in maternal mortality. Emerging evidence suggests that experiences of racism, both structural and interpersonal, may contribute to disparities. We examined associations between gendered racial microaggressions (GRMs) during obstetric care with postpartum blood pressure (BP).

Examining the Potential Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Individuals Receiving Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: An Interrupted Time Series Study in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Objective: The present research evaluated the impact of legalizing recreational cannabis among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) who may already use cannabis at high rates.

Method: Using an interrupted time series study design, we evaluated the potential impact of legalizing recreational cannabis among individuals seeking treatment for SUD within a hospital-based treatment setting in Guelph, Ontario. We examined 2,925 individuals who entered an inpatient SUD treatment program between April 2017 and December 2021.