Efficacy of lactoferrin supplementation in pediatric infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pediatric infections account for approximately one-third of all deaths in children under 5 globally. Lactoferrin (LF) supplementation has the potential to reduce infection-related morbidity due to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of oral LF supplementation randomized controlled trials (RCT) in population under 18 years old.

Sex Differences in Long COVID.

Importance: A substantial number of individuals worldwide experience long COVID, or post-COVID condition. Other postviral and autoimmune conditions have a female predominance, but whether the same is true for long COVID, especially within different subgroups, is uncertain.

Objective: To evaluate sex differences in the risk of developing long COVID among adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Stem Cell Therapies for Pain in Diabetic Neuropathy, Osteoarthritis, and Spinal Cord Injuries.

Purpose Of Review: The use of stem cell therapy is a rapidly evolving and progressing frontier of science that has been used to treat illnesses such as malignancies, immunodeficiencies, and metabolic syndromes. This review aims to give an overview of the use of stem cell therapy in the treatment of pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, osteoarthritis, and other spinal cord pathologies.

Recent Findings: Pain is defined as a generalized or localized feeling of distress related to a physical or emotional stimulus and can be caused by a multitude of pathologies.

Long-term effects of combined exposures to simulated microgravity and galactic cosmic radiation on the mouse lung: sex-specific epigenetic reprogramming.

Most studies on the effects of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) have relied on terrestrial irradiation using spatially homogeneous dose distributions of mono-energetic beams comprised of one ion species. Here, we exposed mice to novel beams that more closely mimic GCR, namely, comprising poly-energetic ions of multiple species. Six-month-old male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 0 Gy, 0.

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Mediated Weight Loss and Diabetes Mellitus Benefits: A Narrative Review.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are chronic diseases with increasing prevalence, underscoring the urgent need for effective treatment and management strategies. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have emerged as an essential class of drugs for managing both obesity and T2DM, offering additional benefits for cardiovascular and kidney health. GLP-1 RAs work by targeting GLP-1 receptors, mimicking the effects of the natural hormone GLP-1 to regulate blood glucose levels, promote weight loss, and provide potential benefits for cardiovascular health.

A Mixed Method Evaluation of Practitioners' Perspectives on Implementation Strategies for Healthy Eating and Active Living Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes.

Context: The National Cooperative Extension System is a leader in delivering healthy eating and active living (HEAL) policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes; however, these interventions are challenging, and technical assistance efforts often misalign with implementation science concepts.

Objective: The study objective was to understand the importance of implementation strategies and tailoring needs to support Louisiana Nutrition and Community Health (NCH) practitioners' delivery of rural HEAL PSE changes.

Design: An explanatory sequential mixed method study design was used, including a survey to rank the importance of implementation strategies for HEAL PSE changes and a follow-up interview.

Assessing the State of Published Research Concerning COVID-19 and Transgender and Nonbinary People in the United States via a Scoping Review: Lessons Learned for Future Public Health Crises.

Transgender and nonbinary people (TNB) experienced a disproportionate burden of poor health and socioeconomic outcomes resulting from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, largely driven by increased vulnerability due to pervasive structural discrimination. To characterize the extent and nature of TNB inclusivity within COVID-19 research, we conducted a scoping review of studies published in English from 2019-2022 reporting COVID-19 pandemic impacts on TNB individuals in the United States. We searched PubMed (PubMed.

Food access and the severity of newly diagnosed pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) results from genetic susceptibility, gut microbiome, and environmental factors. Diet, one modifiable environmental factor, has been linked to the increased prevalence of IBD. This study aimed to evaluate a potential association between food deserts and disease severity at diagnosis.

A Friendlier "Kinda" Social System: Male Kinda Baboons Invest in Long-Term Social Bonds With Females.

Objectives: Certain group-living mammals-including many primates-exhibit affiliative relationships between sexes that persist past copulation. Relationships between females and males in baboons (Papio sp.) are particularly well-characterized.

Muscle power is associated with higher levels of walking capacity and self-reported gait performance and physical activity in individuals with cerebral palsy.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between a Power Leg Press test (PLP) with walking capacity and self-reported performance and participation in individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP), and to compare the strength of the associations between two power tests (PLP and isokinetic (IsoK)) with walking capacity.

Methods: Ambulatory individuals with CP (n = 33; age 17.89 ± 7.

Coccidioidal Meningitis in a Patient With HIV.

Coccidioidal meningitis is a rare yet life-threatening complication of disseminated infection, primarily affecting immunocompromised individuals.  and  are dimorphic fungi endemic to the southwestern United States, where exposure to inhaled spores can lead to a range of clinical manifestations, including pulmonary and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. This report describes the case of a 27-year-old correctional officer with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who presented with chronic headaches, altered mental status, and significant weight loss following his relocation from Arizona to Louisiana.

Effects of Infant Formula Supplemented With Prebiotics on the Gut Microbiome, Gut Environment, Growth Parameters, and Safety and Tolerance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Context: Prebiotics are often added to infant formulas to mimic the benefits of oligosaccharides found in human milk.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of prebiotic-supplemented cow's milk-based formula on the gut microbiota, gut environment, growth parameters, and safety and tolerance in infants ≤6 months old, compared with a standard formula or human milk comparator.

Data Sources: Searches were performed in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses databases.

Racial disparities of type 2 diabetes through exercise: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Introduction: Persistent racial and ethnic disparities exist for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the United States. Racial and ethnic minorities have higher T2D risk and studies suggest they engage in less exercise than Whites. This study examined whether, and to what degree, racial differences in T2D were explained by exercise.

Efficacy of peripheral nerve stimulation in refractory postamputation pain: A narrative review.

The management of postamputation pain remains a significant clinical challenge, with existing therapeutic approaches often yielding inconsistent outcomes. Neuromodulation techniques, particularly peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), have emerged as promising interventions. However, the evidence supporting their effectiveness in treating phantom limb pain (PLP) and residual limb pain (RLP) remains limited.

Exercise Therapy Rescues Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction and Exercise Intolerance in Cardiometabolic HFpEF.

Exercise intolerance, a hallmark of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) exacerbated by obesity, involves unclear mechanisms related to skeletal muscle metabolism. In a "2-hit" model of HFpEF, we investigated the ability of exercise therapy (voluntary wheel running) to reverse skeletal muscle dysfunction and exercise intolerance. Using state-of-the-art metabolic cages and a multiomic approach, we demonstrate exercise can rescue dysfunctional skeletal muscle lipid and branched-chain amino acid oxidation and restore exercise capacity in mice with cardiometabolic HFpEF.

Assessment, Decision, Adaptation, Production, Topical Experts-Integration, Training, and Testing (ADAPT-ITT) Framework to Tailor Evidence-Based Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment for People With HIV to Enhance Engagement and Adherence: Qualitative Results from a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Individuals with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and HIV are at high-risk for negative HIV-related outcomes, including low adherence to antiretroviral therapy, faster disease progression, more hospitalizations, and almost twice the rate of death. Despite high rates of PTSD in persons with HIV (PWH) and poor HIV-related health outcomes associated with PTSD, an effective evidence-based treatment for PTSD symptoms in PWH does not exist.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the adaptation and theater testing of an evidence-based intervention designed for people with co-occurring PTSD and HIV.

Decoding the blueprint of receptor binding by filoviruses through large-scale binding assays and machine learning.

Evidence suggests that bats are important hosts of filoviruses, yet the specific species involved remain largely unidentified. Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) is an essential entry receptor, with amino acid variations influencing viral susceptibility and species-specific tropism. Herein, we conducted combinatorial binding studies with seven filovirus glycoproteins (GPs) and NPC1 orthologs from 81 bat species.

The percentage of sacroiliac fusions done in the U.S. by non-surgical specialties has increased.

Background: Surgical fusion of the sacroiliac (SI) joint is often performed to manage chronic lower back or buttock pain. When Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were introduced, SI joint fusion procedures were done primarily by orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons. The purpose of this study was to examine the utilization of SI joint fusion CPT codes by physician specialty over time.

Mismatch repair deficiency confers worse survival in stage IV colon cancer.

Background: Metastatic colon cancer (MCC) is a debilitating condition with a poor prognosis. Currently, there is limited data that investigates MCC in relation to mismatch repair (MMR) status. The aims of this study are to compare sociodemographic and clinicopathologic features and mortality between patients with MMR-proficient (MMR-P) and MMR-deficient (MMR-D) MCC.

Are men's gender equality beliefs associated with self-reported intimate partner violence perpetration? A state-level analysis of California men.

Objectives: To assess the association between gender equality beliefs and self-reported intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among California men.

Methods: We analyzed men's data (N = 3609) from three waves (2021, 2022, and 2023) of cross-sectional data from a statewide sample of California adults. We assessed gender equality beliefs using a three-item measure adapted from the World Values Survey, with higher scores representing more gender unequal beliefs (e.

Palliative Care Initiated in the Emergency Department: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The emergency department (ED) offers an opportunity to initiate palliative care for older adults with serious, life-limiting illness.

Objective: To assess the effect of a multicomponent intervention to initiate palliative care in the ED on hospital admission, subsequent health care use, and survival in older adults with serious, life-limiting illness.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Cluster randomized, stepped-wedge, clinical trial including patients aged 66 years or older who visited 1 of 29 EDs across the US between May 1, 2018, and December 31, 2022, had 12 months of prior Medicare enrollment, and a Gagne comorbidity score greater than 6, representing a risk of short-term mortality greater than 30%.

Outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for medium vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke patients with ASPECTS 4-5 vs. 6-7: a retrospective, multicenter, and multinational study.

Introduction: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) efficacy in medium vessel occlusion (MeVO) stroke, particularly in patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS), remains less explored.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 443 AIS patients treated with MT for MeVO and low ASPECTS (4-7) at 37 centers across North America, Asia, and Europe, from September 2017 to July 2021. Patients were categorized into ASPECTS of 4-5 and 6-7.

Assessing Clinical Improvement of Infants Hospitalized for Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Related Critical Illness.

Background: Pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) commonly requires hospitalization. The Clinical Progression Scale Pediatrics (CPS-Ped) measures level of respiratory support and degree of hypoxia across a range of disease severity, but it has not been applied in infants hospitalized with severe RSV-LRTI.

Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective surveillance registry of infants hospitalized for RSV-related complications across 39 U.

Cathepsin-D and outcomes in peripartum cardiomyopathy: Results from IPAC.

Objective: Evaluate the relationship of cathepsin-D (CD) on disease severity and clinical outcomes for women with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Background: Cathepsin-D is a protease released during oxidative stress that cleaves prolactin (PRL) generating a 16 kDa fragment that is pro-apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Methods: In 99 women with newly diagnosed PPCM enrolled in the Investigation in Pregnancy Associated Cardiomyopathy (IPAC) study, CD levels were assessed by ELISA from serum obtained at study entry.

ETV2/ER71 regulates hematovascular lineage generation and vascularization through an H3K9 demethylase, KDM4A.

ETV2/ER71, an ETS (E-twenty six) transcription factor, is critical for hematopoiesis and vascular development. However, research about the molecular mechanisms behind ETV2-mediated gene transcription is limited. Herein, we demonstrate that ETV2 and KDM4A, an H3K9 demethylase, regulate hematopoietic and endothelial genes.