Closing the Gap: Digital Innovations to Address Hypertension Disparities.

Purpose Of Review: Significant inequities persist in hypertension detection and control, with minoritized populations disproportionately experiencing organ damage and premature death due to uncontrolled hypertension. Remote blood pressure monitoring combined with telehealth visits (RBPM) is proving to be an effective strategy for controlling hypertension. Yet there are challenges related to technology adoption, patient engagement and social determinants of health (SDoH), contributing to disparities in patient outcomes.

Longitudinal qualitative assessment of meaningful symptoms and relevance of WATCH-PD digital measures for people with early Parkinson's.

Background: Longitudinal qualitative data on what matters to people with Parkinson's disease are lacking and needed to guide patient-centered clinical care and development of outcome measures.

Objective: To evaluate change over time in symptoms, impacts, and relevance of digital measures to monitor disease progression in early Parkinson's.

Methods: In-depth, online symptom mapping interviews were conducted with 33 people with early Parkinson's at baseline and 1 year later to evaluate (A) symptoms, (B) impacts, and (C) relevance of digital measures to monitor personally relevant symptoms.

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.

Content Validity of the Friedreich Ataxia Rating Scale in Patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

Introduction: The Friedreich Ataxia Rating Scale-Activities of Daily Living (FARS-ADL) is a validated and highly utilized measure for evaluating patients with Friedreich Ataxia. While construct validity of FARS-ADL has been shown for spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), content validity has not been established.

Methods: Individuals with SCA1 or SCA3 (n = 7) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with SCA expertise (n = 8) participated in qualitative interviews evaluating the relevance, clarity, and clinical meaningfulness of FARS-ADL for assessment of individuals with SCA.

Current Concepts and Clinical Applications in Cartilage Tissue Engineering.

Cartilage injuries are extremely common in the general population, and conventional interventions have failed to produce optimal results. Tissue engineering (TE) technology has been developed to produce neocartilage for use in a variety of cartilage-related conditions. However, progress in the field of cartilage TE has historically been difficult due to the high functional demand and avascular nature of the tissue.

Cenobamate as add-on treatment for SCN8A developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

Objectives: Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) caused by pathogenic variants in SCN8A are associated with difficult-to-treat and early-onset seizures, developmental delay/intellectual disability, impaired quality of life, and increased risk of early mortality. High doses of sodium channel blockers are typically used to treat SCN8A-DEE caused by gain-of-function (GoF) variants. However, seizures are often drug resistant, and only a few patients achieve seizure freedom.

Professional improbity: How Hermann J. Muller's ethics affected his science.

The present paper provides an assessment of how the scientific and national policy achievements/goals of Hermann J. Muller were impacted by his ethics and provides several documented episodes in which Muller acted unethically to promote his personal gain-at the expense of others-within the scientific community. Muller manipulated the scientific community in self-serving ways to suppress perspectives that challenged his own views on radiation-induced gene mutation, and hereditary and cancer risk assessment in ways that influenced his significant awards (e.

Innovative applications of bio-inspired technology in bio-based food packaging.

Traditionally, food packaging was used to extend the shelf life of food or to monitor its condition. Inspired by many biological structures found in nature, bio-inspired functional materials for bio-based food packaging have been shown to have significantly improved capabilities over traditional bio-based food packaging materials in various aspects and to attract consumers through novel freshness preservation features. This review synthesizes recent advances in bio-inspired bio-based food packaging materials that mimic the structure of natural organisms with specific functionalities, with examples of specific biomimetics in different enhancement areas.

General Kernel Machine Methods for Multi-Omics Integration and Genome-Wide Association Testing With Related Individuals.

Integrating multi-omics data may help researchers understand the genetic underpinnings of complex traits and diseases. However, the best ways to integrate multi-omics data and use them to address pressing scientific questions remain a challenge. One important and topical problem is how to assess the aggregate effect of multiple genomic data types (e.

Clinical Trial: Study to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of the Alpha-2-Delta Ligand PD-217,014 in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Introduction: Despite the emergence of drugs to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), improving abdominal pain can still be challenging. αδ ligands, such as gabapentin and pregabalin, are sometimes used off-label to tackle this problem. However, evidence for efficacy is limited, and no large-scale studies have been published.

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.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Exposures to PFAS and Other Unregulated Industrial Drinking Water Contaminants in US Public Water Systems.

Background: Unregulated contaminants in drinking water, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), can contribute to cumulative health risks, particularly in overburdened and less-advantaged communities. To our knowledge, there has been no nationwide assessment of socioeconomic disparities in exposures to unregulated contaminants in drinking water.

Objective: The goals of this study were to identify determinants of unregulated contaminant detection among US public water systems (PWSs) and evaluate disparities related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Critical reflection and action in response to an anti-immigration context: What we can learn from migrant young adults from Latin America.

Migrant youth from Latin America who arrive in the United States are faced with a social and political context that dehumanizes migrants of color. These anti-immigrant sentiments become reflected in federal and state policies that deny migrants rights to freedom and safety. The present paper examined how the U.

Enhanced sampling of robust molecular datasets with uncertainty-based collective variables.

Generating a dataset that is representative of the accessible configuration space of a molecular system is crucial for the robustness of machine-learned interatomic potentials. However, the complexity of molecular systems, characterized by intricate potential energy surfaces, with numerous local minima and energy barriers, presents a significant challenge. Traditional methods of data generation, such as random sampling or exhaustive exploration, are either intractable or may not capture rare, but highly informative configurations.

Health Care Resource Utilization With Dronedarone Versus Sotalol Following Catheter Ablation in Adults With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Clinical trials support dronedarone use for atrial fibrillation (AF) following catheter ablation (CA); however, comparative data on health care resource utilization (HCRU) with other antiarrhythmic drugs are lacking.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of Merative MarketScan databases (January 01, 2012-March 31, 2020) comparatively assessed HCRU in US adults with AF who received dronedarone or sotalol post-CA. Patients with ≥ 12-months' pre-CA data were followed from post-CA index treatment to disenrollment, death, or study end.

White Matter Tract Crossing and Bottleneck Regions in the Fetal Brain.

There is a growing interest in using diffusion MRI to study the white matter tracts and structural connectivity of the fetal brain. Recent progress in data acquisition and processing suggests that this imaging modality has a unique role in elucidating the normal and abnormal patterns of neurodevelopment in utero. However, there have been no efforts to quantify the prevalence of crossing tracts and bottleneck regions, important issues that have been investigated for adult brains.

Synthesis of Chiral Saturated Heterocycles Bearing Quaternary Centers via Enantioselective β-C(sp)-H Activation of Lactams.

The development of catalytic methods for the synthesis of enantiopure saturated heterocycles has been a long-standing challenge in asymmetric catalysis. We describe the first highly enantioselective palladium-catalyzed βC(sp)-H arylation and olefination of lactams for the preparation of various chiral N-heterocycles bearing quaternary carbon centers. The presence of strongly electron-withdrawing groups on the chiral bifunctional MPAThio ligand is crucial to the reactivity of weakly coordinating lactams.

RNA Translocation through Protein Nanopores: Interlude of the Molten RNA Globule.

Direct translocation of RNA with secondary structures using single-molecule electrophoresis through protein nanopores shows significant fluctuations in the measured ionic current, in contrast to unstructured single-stranded RNA or DNA. We developed a multiscale model combining the oxRNA model for RNA with the 3-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck formalism for electric fields within protein pores, aiming to map RNA conformations to ionic currents as RNA translocates through three protein nanopores: α-hemolysin, CsgG, and MspA. Our findings reveal three distinct stages of translocation (pseudoknot, melting, and molten globule) based on contact maps and current values.

Olfactory Cleft Opacification Improves With Intranasal Steroid Treatment and Is Correlated With Objective and Patient-Reported Olfactory Outcomes.

In patients with severe olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, olfactory cleft opacification improves with expanded intranasal steroid treatment (EDS-FLU) relative to placebo. This is directly associated with objective and patient-reported taste/smell improvement.

EV-idence uncovered: kidney-on-chip study links circulating EVs of cardiorenal syndrome to renal pathology.

The intertwined nature of cardiac and renal failure, where dysfunction in one organ predicts a poor outcome in the other, has long driven the interest in uncovering the exact molecular links between the two. Elucidating the mechanisms driving Cardiorenal Syndrome (CRS) will enable the development of targeted therapies that disrupt this detrimental cycle, potentially improving outcomes for patients. A recent study by Chatterjee .

Identifying cognitive test scores associated with early tau burden in Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: This study aimed to identify cognitive tests that optimally relate to tau positron emission tomography (PET) signal in the inferior temporal cortex (ITC), a neocortical region associated with early tau accumulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the harvard aging brain study (HABS) (= 128) and the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's (A4) study (= 393). We used elastic net regression to identify the most robust cognitive correlates of tau PET signal in the ITC.

Computerized cognitive testing to capture cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease: Longitudinal findings from the ARMADA study.

Introduction: Timely detection and tracking of Alzheimer's disease (AD) -related cognitive decline has become a public health priority. We investigated whether the NIH Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function-Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) detects AD-related cognitive decline.

Methods:  = 171 participants (age 76.

Validating and utilizing dried blood spots for family screening: Screening Programme Providing Outreach for Testing Hereditary Angioedema (SPPOT-HAE).

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder with potentially life-threatening consequences, traditionally diagnosed by conventional laboratory methods that can be resource intensive and inconvenient. Incorporating dried blood spot (DBS) tests may be a promising alternative for diagnosing HAE and family screening.

Objective: This study aimed to validate DBS with conventional laboratory assays among confirmed C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) HAE patients and assess the utility of DBS in a Screening Programme Providing Outreach for Testing Hereditary Angioedema (SPPOT-HAE).

Development of a latency model for HIV-1 subtype C and the impact of long terminal repeat element genetic variation on latency reversal.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for almost 70 % of people living with HIV (PLWH) worldwide, with the greatest numbers centred in South Africa where 98 % of infections are caused by subtype C (HIV-1C). However, HIV-1 subtype B (HIV-1B), prevalent in Europe and North America, has been the focus of most cure research and testing despite making up only 12 % of HIV-1 infections globally. Development of latency models for non-subtype B viruses is a necessary step to address this disproportionate focus.