Phenomenology of Identity: Narrative Medicine Curricula in the Care of Eating Disorders.

A growing body of literature explores the intersection of eating disorders and identity formation-an entanglement that makes eating disorders particularly challenging to treat. Narrative medicine is a discipline of the health humanities that is interested in bearing witness to patients' stories with a closeness and rigor that enhances clinical care. The pedagogy of the field is the narrative medicine workshop, which mobilizes close-reading of works of art and reflective writing to improve our understanding of Self and Other.

Retrospective Cohort Study of Elderly Users of Single- or Multiple-Inhaler Triple Therapy for the Treatment of Asthma in the USA.

Introduction: Escalation to single- or multiple-inhaler triple therapy (SITT; MITT) is a recommended option for patients with asthma who remain uncontrolled by medium-dose inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β-agonist; however, characterization of elderly users of triple therapy is limited. This real-world cohort study describes demographics and clinical characteristics of elderly patients with asthma with and without comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are new users of triple therapy, and asthma treatment patterns preceding triple therapy initiation.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used administrative claims data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart database.

Redox Status-Selective Imaging of Iron in Vegetative and Pathogenic Fungal Cells Using Fluorescent Dyes Synthesized Via Simple Chemical Reactions.

Iron plays a prominent role in various biological processes and is an essential element in almost all organisms, including plant-pathogenic fungi. As a transition element, iron occurs in two redox states, Fe and Fe, the transition between which generates distinct reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as HO, OH anions, and toxic OH· radicals. Thus, the redox status of Fe determines ROS formation in pathogen attack and plant defense and governs the outcome of pathogenic interactions.

Effects of methylphenidate on sensitivity to reinforcement delay, magnitude, and probability: Implications for impulsive and risky choice.

Under rapid-acquisition, concurrent-chains choice procedures, psychomotor stimulants typically decrease the sensitivity of responding to changes in separate dimensions of reinforcement. Across two experiments, pigeons chose between outcomes that differed in terms of reinforcement delay and magnitude (the dimensions involved in delay discounting or "impulsive" choice; Experiment 1) or reinforcement probability and magnitude (the dimensions involved in probability discounting or "risky" choice; Experiment 2). Outcomes associated with each terminal link were varied independently and pseudorandomly across sessions such that in dominated sessions one terminal link was favorable in terms of both dimensions (sooner, larger in Experiment 1 and more likely, larger in Experiment 2) and in trade-off sessions each terminal link was favorable in terms of a different dimension.

The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company Effect on Urogynecologic Drugs.

Importance: The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (ie, Cost Plus Drugs) is a service that makes generic drugs affordable. Cortese et al recently published the top 9 most commonly used oral medications in treatment of urologic conditions and showed that Cost Plus Drugs would have provided an estimated $1.29 billion reduction in 2020 costs if they replaced the Medicare prices.

Beyond Food Assistance: A Scoping Review Examining Associations of Nonfood Social Safety Net Programs in the United States With Food Insecurity and Nutrition Outcomes.

Objective: To conduct a scoping review to summarize the state of the evidence on associations between participation in nonfood social safety net programs (eg, income assistance, housing assistance) in the United States and food- and nutrition insecurity-related outcomes.

Background: Food and nutrition insecurity are persistent public health challenges in the United States that increase chronic disease risk and exacerbate health disparities. Several food assistance programs enhance food and nutrition security.

Association of rapid eye movement sleep latency with multimodal biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Sleep disturbances are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), but the relationship between sleep architecture, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and AD/ADRD biomarkers remains unclear.

Methods: We enrolled 128 adults (64 with Alzheimer's disease, 41 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 23 with normal cognition [NC]), mean age 70.8 ± 9.

Modeling Pathways by which the Caregiver TLC Psychoeducational Program Impacts Psychological Health of Caregivers.

Background And Objectives: The study seeks to elucidate the pathways by which the Caregiver TLC psycho-educational program impacts the psychological health of caregivers by examining the degree to which changes in self-efficacy, personal gains, and emotional support mediate the changes on perceived depression, anxiety and burden.

Research Design And Methods: Using pre-post data from the Caregiver TLC randomized controlled trial (n = 81) for each outcome and mediator pair, a series of multiple regression models were executed to test the degree to which the program's total effects on changes in depression, burden and anxiety from baseline to post-intervention are due to changes in each mediator variable from pre- and post-intervention assessments. Caregivers were primarily female (85%), White (62 %), Black (38%), with a median age of 62 and household income of $75,000+.

AAV vector transduction restriction and attenuated toxicity in hESCs via a rationally designed inverted terminal repeat.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) induce p53-dependent apoptosis in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). To interrogate this phenomenon, a synthetic ITR (SynITR), harboring substitutions in putative p53 binding sites was generated and evaluated for vector production and gene delivery. Replication of SynITR flanked transgenic genome was similar compared to wild type (wt) ITR, with a modest increase in vector titers.

Inclusive design and usability testing: Involving an end-user in developing augmentative and alternative communication user interfaces using an open-source platform.

Introduction: Traditionally, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) user interface development has been a time-intensive process requiring expertise in software development, often excluding people who use AAC. This paper demonstrates the involvement of an end user in the design and testing of prototype AAC user interfaces (UIs) developed using a platform called the Open Source Design and Programmer Interface (OS-DPI).

Methods: Micro-analysis of in-person conversation involving an adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities who uses AAC revealed several problems related to accessing his aided AAC device.

Lipoic acid improves wound healing through its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in a diabetic mouse model.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that has become more prevalent worldwide because of lifestyle changes. It leads to serious complications, including increased atherosclerosis, protein glycosylation, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular denervation. These complications impair neovascularization and wound healing, resulting in delayed recovery from injuries and an elevated risk of infections.

Total shoulder arthroplasty in a patient with osteopetrosis: A case report.

Osteopetrosis is a rare genetic disorder that leads to increased bone density and fragility due to dysfunctional osteoclasts, which can result in narrowed bone marrow spaces, hardened cartilage, and brittle bones. This condition frequently coexists with osteoarthritis among affected individuals. When osteoarthritis results in significant pain and impairs function, surgical interventions such as total joint arthroplasty may be recommended, although these procedures come with a unique set of surgical and recovery-related hurdles.

Dual opposing quadrature-PT symmetry.

Our recent research on type-I quadrature parity-time (PT) symmetry, utilizing an open twin-beam system, not only enables observing genuine quantum photonic PT symmetry amid phase-sensitive amplification (PSA) and loss in the presence of Langevin noise but also reveals an additional classical-to-quantum (C2Q) transition in noise fluctuations. In contrast to the previous setup, our exploration of an alternative system assuming no loss involves a type-II PSA-only scheme. This scheme facilitates dual opposing quadrature-PT symmetry, offering a comprehensive and complementary comprehension of C2Q transitions and PT-enhanced quantum sensing with optimal performance in the symmetry unbroken region.

Fully Synthetic Data for Complex Surveys.

When seeking to release public use files for confidential data, statistical agencies can generate fully synthetic data. We propose an approach for making fully synthetic data from surveys collected with complex sampling designs. Our approach adheres to the general strategy proposed by Rubin (1993).

Desensitization With Imlifidase for HLA-Incompatible Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: A Delphi International Expert Consensus.

Highly sensitized (HS) patients in need of kidney transplantation (KTx) typically spend a longer time waiting for compatible kidneys, are unlikely to receive an organ offer, and are at increased risk of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Desensitization using imlifidase, which is more rapid and removes total body immunoglobulin G (IgG) to a greater extent than other methods, enables transplantation to occur between HLA-incompatible (HLAi) donor-recipient pairs and allows patients to have greater access to KTx. However, when the project was launched there was limited data and clinical experience with desensitization in general and with imlifidase specifically.

Type IV collagen derived non-collagenous domain α6 (IV) NC1 and its derivative fragments inhibit endothelial cell proliferation and attenuates chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis.

Targeting tumor angiogenesis with safe endogenous protein inhibitors is a promising therapeutic approach despite the plethora of the first line of emerging chemotherapeutic drugs. The extracellular matrix network in the blood vessel basement membrane and growth factors released from endothelial and tumor cells promote the neovascularization which supports the tumor growth. Contrastingly, small cleaved cryptic fragments of the C-terminal non collagenous domains of the same basement membrane display antiangiogenic effect.

Proton pump inhibitors and all-cause mortality risk among cancer patients.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used, including among cancer patients, to manage gastroesophageal reflux and other gastric acid-related disorders. Recent evidence suggests associations between long-term PPI use and higher risks for various adverse health outcomes, including greater mortality.

Aim: To investigate the association between PPI use and all-cause mortality among cancer patients by a comprehensive analysis after adjustment for various confounders and a robust methodological approach to minimize bias.

Development of right ventricular electromechanical dyssynchrony following surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot in infants.

Background: In adolescents and adults with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), right ventricle (RV) electromechanical dyssynchrony (EMD) due to right bundle branch block (RBBB) is associated with reduced exercise capacity and RV dysfunction. While the development of RBBB following surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) is a frequent sequela, it is not known whether EMD is present in every patient immediately following rTOF. The specific timing of the onset of RBBB following rTOF therefore provides an opportunity to assess whether acute RBBB is associated with the simultaneous acquisition of EMD.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have shown benefits in improving cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) and may mitigate symptom progression in myocardial infarction (MI). However, their effectiveness in patients with type 2 diabetes and MI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unclear.

Methods: To identify eligible studies, a comprehensive search of electronic databases, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Embase, was conducted from inception until May 2024.

First, Do No Harm (to the One You Train).

Unlabelled: or "first, do no harm" is perhaps the most well-known aphorism in the culture of medical education. While its application to patients is well known, the injunction can also be read with medical trainees in mind. Teaching physicians have an obligation to recognize their role as moral teachers and coaches, who must consider "first, do no harm" not only when considering their patients but also when weighing the moral formation of their trainees, especially in a season in which medical educators are attempting to clarify the "harms" of medical training.

The PIKASO trial (Preventing Injured Knees from Osteoarthritis: Severity Outcomes): Rationale and design features for a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Given the high burden and increasing prevalence of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), identifying clinically beneficial strategies to prevent or delay its onset could improve the quality of life of those at high risk of developing the disease.

Methods: Preventing Injured Knees from OsteoArthritis: Severity Outcomes (PIKASO) is a multicenter blinded, parallel, two-arm randomized controlled trial of 512 individuals aged 18-45 years undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy of a 12-month intervention of oral metformin vs.

Biomimic models for glycemic index: Scope of sensor integration and artificial intelligence.

The accurate quantification of glycemic index (GI) remains crucial for diabetes management, yet current methodologies are constrained by resource intensiveness and methodological limitations. digestion models face challenges in replicating the dynamic conditions of the human gastrointestinal tract, such as enzyme variability and multi-time point analysis, leading to suboptimal predictive accuracy. This review proposes an integrated technological framework combining non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing with artificial intelligence to revolutionize GI assessment.

From isolation to detection, advancing insights into endothelial matrix-bound vesicles.

Matrix-bound vesicles (MBVs), an integral part of the extracellular matrix (ECM), are emerging as pivotal factors in ECM-driven molecular signaling. This study is the first to report the isolation of MBVs from porcine arterial endothelial cell basement membranes (A-MBVs) and thyroid cartilage (C-MBVs), the latter serving as a negative control due to its minimal vascular characteristics. Using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Nano-Tracking Analysis (NTA), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), we orthogonally characterized the isolated MBVs.

Understanding the bidirectional association between obesity and risk of psychological distress and depression in young adults in the US: available evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions.

While the physical health effects of obesity are well-characterized, an emerging branch of research has shown that obesity additionally plays a critical role in one's mental health. Young adults, in a pivotal transition phase in their lives, may be particularly prone to the concurrent effects of obesity and adverse mental health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively examine existing data regarding the connection between obesity and two widely validated measures of mental health: psychological distress and depression.

Meta-omics reveals role of photosynthesis in microbially induced carbonate precipitation at a CO-rich geyser.

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a natural process with potential biotechnological applications to address both carbon sequestration and sustainable construction needs. However, our understanding of the microbial processes involved in MICP is limited to a few well-researched pathways such as ureolytic hydrolysis. To expand our knowledge of MICP, we conducted an omics-based study on sedimentary communities from travertine around the CO-driven Crystal Geyser near Green River, Utah.