Low Utility of Routine Thyroid Function Testing for Bowel Symptoms: A Population-Based Assessment.

Background: Chronic constipation, diarrhea, and fecal incontinence (FI) are prevalent with significant impact on quality of life and healthcare utilization. Thyroid dysfunction was recognized as a potential contributor to bowel disturbances in selected populations, but the strength/consistency of this association remain unclear.

Aims: To investigate the relationship between thyroid function and bowel health measures (constipation, diarrhea, and FI) in a nationally representative sample of the U.

Error compensation in a redundant system during 'failure' of individual motor elements.

A characteristic feature of redundancy in the motor system is the ability to compensate for the failure of individual motor elements without affecting task performance. In this study, we examined the pattern and variability in error compensation between motor elements during a virtual task. Participants performed a redundant cursor control task with finger movements.

Epigenome-wide association study of perceived discrimination in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Perceived discrimination, recognized as a chronic psychosocial stressor, has adverse consequences on health. DNA methylation (DNAm) may be a potential mechanism by which stressors get embedded into the human body at the molecular level and subsequently affect health outcomes. However, relatively little is known about the effects of perceived discrimination on DNAm.

Light-Triggered Protease-Mediated Release of Actin-Bound Cargo from Synthetic Cells.

Synthetic cells offer a versatile platform for addressing biomedical and environmental challenges, due to their modular design and capability to mimic cellular processes such as biosensing, intercellular communication, and metabolism. Constructing synthetic cells capable of stimuli-responsive secretion is vital for applications in targeted drug delivery and biosensor development. Previous attempts at engineering secretion for synthetic cells have been confined to non-specific cargo release via membrane pores, limiting the spatiotemporal precision and specificity necessary for selective secretion.

DNA methylation at birth and IgE trajectories from birth to adolescence, different patterns between White and Asian.

Aim: We aim to assess association of DNA methylation (DNAm) at birth with total immunoglobulin E (IgE) trajectories from birth to late adolescence and whether such association is ethnicity-specific.

Methods: We examined the association of total IgE trajectories from birth to late adolescence with DNAm at birth in two independent birth cohorts, the Isle of wight birth cohort (IOWBC) in UK ( = 796; White) and the maternal and infant cohort study (MICS) in Taiwan ( = 60; Asian). Biological pathways and methylation quantitative trait loci (methQTL) for associated Cytosine-phosphate-Guanine sites were studied.

Substitution and Complementarity in the Consumption of Alcohol, Cannabis, and Opium.

Understanding the behavior of populations of drug consumers has been and remains a topic of keen interest. Using a unique dataset on 25 districts from Bengal, India, from 1911 to 1925, we analyze whether populations of consumers treat alcohol, cannabis, and opium as economic substitutes or complements in a legal regime. Additionally, we examine responsiveness to prices and income.

Prevalence of and risk factors for osteoporosis and fragility fracture in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.

Aim: To systematically review the prevalence and incidence of osteoporosis, osteopenia, low bone mass, and fragility fracture in adults with cerebral palsy (CP), and identify the risk factors for osteoporosis and fracture.

Method: A systematic literature search was performed in the MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane Reviews, EMBASE, and EBM database reviews from inception until May 2024. Search terms covered a combination of keywords for CP, fracture, osteoporosis, incidence and prevalence, and risk factors.

Adherence to multi-target stool DNA testing for colorectal cancer screening in the United States.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the USA and is highly preventable, with early screening vital for improving outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate adherence rates of multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) testing, following updated guidelines recommending screening starting at age 45.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used aggregated data from Exact Sciences Laboratories LLC, examining new users (first-time testers) aged 45-85 with commercial, Medicare, or Medicaid insurance who received mt-sDNA test kits (point-of-care) between January 1, 2023, and June 1, 2023.

NeoScore: a new tool to assess technical and non-technical skills during neonatal resuscitation.

Background: Training with high-technology manikins improves cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skill retention, but a checklist to assess both technical and non-technical skills is lacking. This study aimed to develop a standardized checklist to evaluate healthcare's performance during simulated Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) scenarios.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-two international neonatal resuscitation experts participated in a two-step modified Delphi process, rating each checklist item on a scale of 1-5 and providing feedback.

Patterns of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremic dissemination from the lung.

Bacteremia, a leading cause of death, generally arises after bacteria establish infection in a particular tissue and transit to secondary sites. Studying dissemination from primary sites by solely measuring bacterial burdens does not capture the movement of individual clones. By barcoding Klebsiella pneumoniae, a leading cause of bacteremia, we track pathogen dissemination following pneumonia.

Soil Nitrogen Supply Exerts Largest Influence on Leaf Nitrogen in Environments with the Greatest Leaf Nitrogen Demand.

Accurately representing the relationships between nitrogen supply and photosynthesis is crucial for reliably predicting carbon-nitrogen cycle coupling in Earth System Models (ESMs). Most ESMs assume positive correlations amongst soil nitrogen supply, leaf nitrogen content, and photosynthetic capacity. However, leaf photosynthetic nitrogen demand may influence the leaf nitrogen response to soil nitrogen supply; thus, responses to nitrogen supply are expected to be the largest in environments where demand is the greatest.

How Pediatric Readiness can Impact Pediatric Trauma From Every Day to Mass Events.

Disaster events such as weather events and mass casualty events are increasing in frequency and severity. Caring for children during a surge requires a regional approach given limited pediatric inpatient capacity and expertise. During the 2024 American Academy of Pediatrics National Convention and Exhibition, the Section on Surgery and Council on Children and Disasters (COCD) partnered to present a joint symposium emphasizing importance of pediatric readiness and disaster preparedness and role of pediatric trauma surgeons in disaster preparedness and response in all communities.

Proliferative and Necrotizing Otitis Externa of Cats and Kittens.

Proliferative and necrotizing otitis externa (PNOE) is characterized by thick, adherent dark red, brown, or black crusts. It most commonly affects the concave pinnae and vertical ear canals bilaterally. Lesions may also be seen on the face, and it may rarely present in a generalized form.

Guidance on the assessment of the functionality of biomaterials for periodontal tissue regeneration: Methodologies and testing procedures.

Innovative biomaterials and tissue engineering strategies show great promise in regenerating periodontal tissues. This guidance provides an overview and detailed recommendations for evaluating the biological functionality of these new biomaterials in vitro, focusing on mineralization, immunomodulatory effects, cellular differentiation, and angiogenesis. Additionally, it discusses the use of in vivo experimental models that mimic periodontitis and scrutinizes methods such as osteogenic differentiation, immunomodulation, and anti-inflammatory responses to assess the effectiveness of these biomaterials in promoting periodontal tissue reconstruction.

Clinical Applications of Microbiome in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Advancements in microbiome research reveal its impact on cancer treatment outcomes, particularly in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved survival in metastatic RCC, composition of the gut microbiome has the potential to influence their efficacy. Antibiotic-induced microbiome disruptions correlate with diminished outcomes, while strains such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridium butyricum, and others enhance immune responses and progression-free survival.

Postoperative Outcomes Following Lung Resection Performed at Private Equity-Acquired Hospitals.

Objective: Private equity acquisition of hospitals performing complex operations is increasingly prevalent in the United States healthcare landscape. While comparative health outcomes for common medical conditions have been investigated, the quality of thoracic surgical care in private equity-acquired hospitals is unknown.

Methods: Medicare Beneficiaries, aged 65-99 years, undergoing elective lung resection between 2016 to 2020 were included.

Disparities in 180-day Infection Rates Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Aortic Valve Replacement.

Objective: To compare sex and racial differences in 180-day infection rates after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods: A Statewide Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database was linked to Medicare claims data to identify 8,887 beneficiaries undergoing CABG and AVR (surgical or transcatheter) between 2017 and 2021. The primary outcome was the incidence of 180-day infection.

Time-Driven Activity Based Costing Analysis of Panretinal Photocoagulation.

Time-driven activity-based costing analysis of panretinal photocoagulation shows 47.8% of cases have a negative margin relative to maximum Medicare reimbursement, with large financial disincentives for bilateral cases, which may disincentivize high-value care for vulnerable patients.

The histamine pathway is a target to treat hepatic experimental erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Background & Aims: Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is caused by mutations in ferrochelatase which inserts iron into protoporphyrin-IX (PP-IX) to generate heme. EPP is characterized by PP-IX accumulation, skin photosensitivity, cholestasis, and end-stage liver disease. Despite available drugs that address photosensitivity, treatment of EPP-related liver disease remains an unmet need.

Outcomes after medical treatment for primary aldosteronism: an international consensus and analysis of treatment response in an international cohort.

Background: Primary aldosteronism can be treated medically but there is no standardised method to evaluate treatment outcomes. We aimed to develop criteria for assessing the outcomes of targeted medical treatment of primary aldosteronism, analyse outcomes across an international cohort, and identify factors associated with a complete treatment response.

Methods: An international panel of 31 primary aldosteronism experts used the Delphi method to reach consensus on the definition of complete, partial, or absent biochemical and clinical outcomes of medical treatment of primary aldosteronism.

Discovery of a DNA methylation profile in individuals with Sifrim-Hitz-Weiss syndrome.

Pathogenic heterozygous variants in CHD4 cause Sifrim-Hitz-Weiss syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with brain anomalies, heart defects, macrocephaly, hypogonadism, and additional features with variable expressivity. Most individuals have non-recurrent missense variants, complicating variant interpretation. A few were reported with truncating variants, and their role in disease is unclear.

Two minutes is sufficient to characterize the viscoelastic properties of the human lower birth canal during the first stage of labor.

Background: The lower birth canal is the final constriction through which a fetal head must pass for delivery. Unfortunately, injuries to the lower birth canal tissues occur in up to 19 % of first-time vaginal deliveries due to the 300 % stretch required.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data from 56 healthy nullipara recorded by a lower birth canal dilator during the first stage of labor.