Distribution of opioid analgesics by community racial/ethnic and socioeconomic profiles, 2011-2021.

Rapid declines in opioid analgesics dispensed in American communities since 2011 raise concerns about inadequate access to effective pain management among patients for whom opioid therapies are appropriate, especially for those living in racial/ethnic minority and socioeconomically deprived communities. Using 2011 to 2021 national data from the Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System and generalized linear models, this study examined quarterly per capita distribution of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine (in oral morphine milligram equivalents [MMEs]) by communities' racial/ethnic and socioeconomic profiles. Communities (defined by 3-digit-zip codes areas) were classified as "majority White" (≥50% self-reported non-Hispanic White population) vs "majority non-White.

Human Oncostatin M deficiency underlies an inherited severe bone marrow failure syndrome.

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a cytokine with the unique ability to interact with both the OSM receptor (OSMR) and the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR). On the other hand, OSMR interacts with IL31RA to form the interleukin-31 receptor. This intricate network of cytokines and receptors makes it difficult to understand the specific function of OSM.

Comparative- and Cost-Effectiveness Research Determining the Optimal Intervention for Advancing Transgender Women With HIV to Full Viral Suppression (Text Me, Alexis!): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Many transgender women with HIV achieve suboptimal advancement through the HIV Care Continuum, including poor HIV health care usage, retention in HIV medical care, and rates of viral suppression. These issues are exacerbated by comorbid conditions, such as substance use disorder, which is also associated with reduced quality of life, increased overdose deaths, usage of high-cost health care services, engagement in a street economy, and cycles of incarceration. Thus, it is critical that efforts to End the HIV Epidemic include effective interventions to link and retain transgender women in HIV care through full viral suppression.

Violence against women and girls research: Leveraging gains across disciplines.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, linked to numerous health, economic, and human rights outcomes. Target 5.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for elimination of all forms of VAWG; however, progress toward achieving this goal has been inadequate.

Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OPCAB) has been suggested as superior to on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery (ONCAB) in certain high-risk subgroups, but its benefit in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate OPCAB versus ONCAB outcomes in COPD patients.

Methods: We followed PRISMA guidelines and searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library in August 2024 for studies comparing OPCAB and ONCAB in COPD patients.

Updates on CAD risk assessment: using the coronary artery calcium score in combination with traditional risk factors.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide, so prevention and early diagnosis play important roles to reduce mortality and morbidity. Traditional risk-score assessments were used to find the at-risk patients in order to prevent or early treatment of CAD. Adding imaging data to traditional risk-score systems will able us to find these patients more confidently and reduce the probable mismanagements.

Improving postsurgical paresis in brain tumor patients by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Background And Objectives: Recently, reduction of transcallosal inhibition by contralateral navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) improved neurorehabilitation of glioma patients with new postoperative paresis. This multicentric study examines the effect of postoperative nrTMS in brain tumor patients to treat surgery-related upper extremity paresis.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of two randomized and three one-arm studies in brain tumor patients with new/progressive postoperative paresis.

Evolution of sleep disordered breathing in infants with achondroplasia.

Purpose: Children with achondroplasia (ACH) are at risk for sudden death in infancy due to sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and foramen magnum stenosis (FMS). Sleep studies and neuroimaging are performed in infants with ACH, but interpretation of infant studies is challenging. We sought to describe baseline data on polysomnography (PSG) indices in infants with achondroplasia as well as effects of age and surgery on these parameters.

Pro-angiogenic VEGF inhibition by cadaverine and hydrocinnamic acid metabolites: impairment of periodontal regeneration due to periodontal inflammation.

Background: Cadaverine and hydrocinnamic acid are frequent metabolites in inflamed periodontal areas. Their role as a metabolite for plant growth inhibition has been established, but their relevance in humans has yet to be determined. Moreover, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VGEF) is a consistent growth factor in neo-angiogenesis in periodontal regeneration.

Association of Self-Recognition of Hearing Loss With Hospitalizations in Older Adults in the United States.

Background: Hearing loss is highly prevalent and associated with increased health care utilization. Recognition of hearing loss may play an important role in self-advocacy in difficult communication situations and prevent negative outcomes.

Objectives: To investigate the associations between self-recognition of hearing loss and hospitalization outcomes.

Is it time to retire preoperative radiation for localized esophageal and gastro-esophageal adenocarcinoma?

Whether preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or perioperative chemotherapy is superior for localized esophageal or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) cancers has been a topic of long-standing debate. For years, standard of care in the United States for localized esophageal or GEJ adenocarcinoma (EAC) has been physician's choice between the 2 strategies. More recently, adjuvant immunotherapy has also been introduced into the treatment approach for those who received neoadjuvant CRT.

Pooled safety analysis and management of sotorasib-related adverse events in KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: We describe the safety of sotorasib monotherapy in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and discuss practical recommendations for managing key risks.

Methods: Incidence rates of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were pooled from 4 clinical trials: CodeBreaK 100 (NCT03600883), CodeBreaK 101 (NCT04185883), CodeBreaK 105 (NCT04380753), and CodeBreaK 200 (NCT04303780) and graded according to CTCAE v5.0.

Severe hypophosphatemia following idecabtagene vicleucel regardless of the severity of cytokine release syndrome.

Background Aims: Hypophosphatemia has been recently recognized adverse event in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, complicating 70-75% of patients. Severe hypophosphatemia can cause cytokine release syndrome (CRS)-like symptoms, such as respiratory and cardiovascular dysfunction. Some reports have described the association between inorganic phosphate (iP) and CRS in patients treated with tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel), lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel), axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel).

Outcomes of chronic limb-threatening ischemia revascularization in patients with chronic kidney disease in the BEST-CLI trial.

Background: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a high risk of poor outcomes. We aimed to compare the outcomes of lower extremity revascularization in patients with CLTI stratified by CKD severity in patients enrolled in the prospective, randomized Best Endovascular vs Best Surgical Therapy in Patients with CLTI (BEST-CLI) trial.

Methods: The BEST-CLI trial dataset was queried to categorize patients into three groups according to CKD stage.

Atraumatic Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: Epidemiology and Association with Refractive Error in U.S. Armed Forces Service Members.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence, refractive error (RE) association, and distribution of atraumatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in U.S. military service members (SMs).

Intratumoral or Subcutaneous MK-2118, a Non-Cyclic Dinucleotide STING Agonist, With or Without Pembrolizumab for Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors or Lymphomas.

Background: We evaluated the non-cyclic dinucleotide stimulator of interferon genes agonist MK-2118 ± pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphomas.

Methods: This first-in-human study (NCT03249792) enrolled patients with refractory, advanced solid tumors or lymphomas. Patients received intratumoral (IT) MK-2118 100-20,000 µg (arm 1), IT MK-2118 900-15,000 µg plus intravenous (IV) pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks (Q3W; arm 2), or subcutaneous (SC) MK-2118 5000-150,000 µg plus IV pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W (arm 4); arm 3 (visceral injection of MK-2118) was not pursued.

The effect of increased vascular afterload measures on flow rate and survival in severe aortic stenosis.

Aims: Although an association between the systemic circulation and transaortic flow rate (TFR) is frequently hypothesized in patients with aortic stenosis (AS), it has not been demonstrated previously. We sought to explore the relationship between blood pressure (BP), vascular afterload measures, clinical history of hypertension, TFR, and survival in patients with severe AS (aortic valve area ≤ 1 cm²).

Methods And Results: We studied 323 patients ≥ 65 years (110 prospective, 213 registry analysis) who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement over a 5-year period.

Research Note: New Estimates of Immigrants' Self-employment From Linked Tax Records.

Self-employment plays a crucial role in immigrants' economic assimilation. Previous studies examining immigrants' self-employment relied on estimates obtained from national surveys, which could contain measurement error. In this research note, we compare estimates of immigrant men's self-employment obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS) with those from data linking respondents to their tax records.

In Vivo Imaging of Cobalt-Induced Ocular Toxicity in a Mouse Model.

Cobalt is a trace element, crucial for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Cobalt toxicity is often only diagnosed after severe manifestations, including visual impairment. We aimed to investigate whether optical coherence tomography (OCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can effectively detect cobalt-induced ocular toxicity in a murine model.

Why Is the Association Between Mediterranean Diet and Physical Performance in Athletes Inconclusive? Implications for Future Studies.

: Athletes increasingly turn to nutrition and supplements to enhance performance, yet the evidence surrounding the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet (MD) remains inconclusive. This scoping review aims to evaluate identify gaps in the existing literature and provide implications for future research on the MD's potential to improve athletic performance across various demographics, sport types, and performance measures. : We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed studies published across four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, and Google Scholar) using the following terms and their combinations: "mediterranean diet", "performance", "athlete", "sport".