Integrating Retinal Segmentation Metrics with Machine Learning for Predictions from Mouse SD-OCT Scans.

Purpose: This study aimed to initially test whether machine learning approaches could categorically predict two simple biological features, mouse age and mouse species, using the retinal segmentation metrics.

Methods: The retinal layer thickness data obtained from C57BL/6 and DBA/2J mice were processed for machine learning after segmenting mouse retinal SD-OCT scans. Twenty-two models were trained to predict the mouse groups.

Performance of Radiomics-based machine learning and deep learning-based methods in the prediction of tumor grade in meningioma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) grade of meningiomas is determined based on the biopsy results. Therefore, accurate non-invasive preoperative grading could significantly improve treatment planning and patient outcomes. Considering recent advances in machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), this meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the performance of these models in predicting the WHO meningioma grade using imaging data.

Factors predicting manipulation under anaesthesia after total knee replacement.

Introduction: Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is a standard and effective treatment to correct stiffness and improve range of motion (ROM) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Delayed MUA has been associated with increased rates of revision surgeries and infections. Early MUA has been shown to double the mean gain in flexion compared to delayed interventions.

KorB switching from DNA-sliding clamp to repressor mediates long-range gene silencing in a multi-drug resistance plasmid.

Examples of long-range gene regulation in bacteria are rare and generally thought to involve DNA looping. Here, using a combination of biophysical approaches including X-ray crystallography and single-molecule analysis for the KorB-KorA system in Escherichia coli, we show that long-range gene silencing on the plasmid RK2, a source of multi-drug resistance across diverse Gram-negative bacteria, is achieved cooperatively by a DNA-sliding clamp, KorB, and a clamp-locking protein, KorA. We show that KorB is a CTPase clamp that can entrap and slide along DNA to reach distal target promoters up to 1.

Sex-specific association between maternal childhood adversities and offspring's weight gain in a Brazilian cohort.

Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to negative health and developmental outcomes in offspring. However, whether maternal ACEs influence infant weight gain in the first months of life, and if this effect differs by infant sex, remains unclear. This study included 352 full-term newborns from low-risk pregnancies and their mothers in low-income settings in Brazil.

Relationships between structural stigma, societal stigma, and minority stress among gender minority people.

Structural stigma towards gender minority (GM; people whose current gender does not align with sex assigned at birth) people is an important contributor to minority stress (i.e., stress experienced due to one's marginalized GM identity), although existing variables are unclear in their inclusion of social norms, or societal stigma, as a key component of the construct.

Incidence and Outcomes of Secondary Bladder Cancer Following Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: There is an established association between secondary bladder cancers (SBCs) and radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PC), which remains a significant concern. Our aim was to update the evidence on SBC incidence across different RT modalities and to compare oncological outcomes for patients diagnosed with SBC to those diagnosed with primary bladder cancer (PBC).

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies on SBC following PC.

Cepstral Changes Following Intensive Voice-Focused Treatment in Parkinson's Disease.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze cepstral changes following intensive voice-focused treatment in Spanish speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD). A secondary aim of the study was to explore the relationship between cepstral values across time and perceptual data across speech subsystems.

Study Design/methods: This study followed a one-group pretest-post test design.

Metformin intake and risk of metabolic acidosis after radical cystectomy with urinary diversion: A comparative study using data from the TriNetX research network.

Purpose: To investigate the association of diabetes mellitus and metformin use with metabolic acidosis risk after radical cystectomy (RC) and urinary diversion for bladder cancer.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study used TriNetX Research Network data. Patients undergoing RC with continent diversion or ileal conduit for bladder cancer were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) and ICD-10 Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) codes.

Differential effects of volanesorsen on apoC-III, triglycerides and pancreatitis in familial chylomicronemia syndrome diagnosed by genetic or non-genetic criteria.

Background: Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is diagnosed by genetic or non-genetic criteria.

Objective: To assess responses to treatment of apolipoprotein (apo)C-III, triglycerides, and pancreatitis events in patients with FCS-based diagnostic methods.

Methods: APPROACH enrolled 66 patients with FCS randomized to volanesorsen or placebo for 12 months.

Effects of aortic valve calcification on transcatheter aortic valve replacement for low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis.

Background: Patients with low-flow, low-gradient (LFLG) aortic stenosis (AS) have precarious hemodynamics and are a fragile population for intervention. Quantification of aortic valve calcification (AVC) severity is a critical component of the evaluation for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR); this study aims to further clarify its utility for risk stratification in LFLG AS.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 467 patients with LFLG AS undergoing TAVR at a large quaternary-care hospital from January 2019 to December 2021.

How climate change is shaping young people's health: a participatory, youth co-led study from Bangladesh, Guatemala and Nigeria.

Introduction: Climate change is shaping adolescent and young people's (AYP) transitions to adulthood with significant and often compounding effects on their physical and mental health. The climate crisis is an intergenerational inequity, with the current generation of young people exposed to more climate events over their lifetime than any previous one. Despite this injustice, research and policy to date lacks AYP's perspectives and active engagement.

Computational Nuclear Oncology Toward Precision Radiopharmaceutical Therapies: Ethical, Regulatory, and Socioeconomic Dimensions of Theranostic Digital Twins.

Computational nuclear oncology for precision radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is a new frontier for theranostic treatment personalization. A key strategy relies on the possibility to incorporate clinical, biomarker, image-based, and dosimetric information in theranostic digital twins (TDTs) of patients to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. The TDT framework enables treatment optimization by real-time monitoring of the real-world system, simulation of different treatment scenarios, and prediction of resulting treatment outcomes, as well as facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among health care professionals adopting a harmonized TDT.

Diuresis During F-Flotufolastat (rhPSMA-7.3) PET/CT Improves Recurrence Detection After Prostatectomy: A Prospective Phase II Trial.

Radiopharmaceuticals targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) have emerged as a sensitive tool for PET imaging of prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence. Yet urinary bladder activity may obscure the visualization of prostate bed recurrence. Among the Food and Drug Administration-approved PSMA radiopharmaceuticals, F-flotufolastat (rhPSMA-7.

Optimal ablation pattern on Intraprocedural echocardiography is associated with favorable clinical outcomes of alcohol septal ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Background: Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is used to treat drug-refractory hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Intraprocedural echocardiography is essential for identifying the septal area perfused by each septal branch; however, its role in determining the procedural endpoint of ASA remains unclear. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of intraprocedural echocardiographic findings on clinical outcomes and left ventricular pressure gradient (LVPG) after ASA.

Malperfusion in Patients with Acute Type A Aortic Dissection: A Nationwide Analysis.

Background: This study describes in detail the clinical burden of malperfusion associated with acute Type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) in a large, national cohort and the effect of treatment strategy on outcomes.

Methods: All patients undergoing repair of ATAAD between 2017 and 2020 in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database were studied. Malperfusion was defined using STS definitions based on imaging or surgeon's evaluation.

A new Mediterranean Lifestyle Pyramid for children and youth: a critical lifestyle tool for preventing obesity and associated cardiometabolic diseases in a sustainable context.

Cardiovascular risk factors begin in childhood and track into adulthood, increasing the possibility of impaired cardiometabolic health. Adopting healthy dietary patterns can help curb childhood obesity, a worrisome epidemic problem at present. In the era of personalized nutrition, dietary recommendations should be adapted to different stages of life, including children (older than 3 years) and adolescents.

Survival Among Patients Treated with Total Mesorectal Excision or Selective Watch-and-Wait After Total Neoadjuvant Therapy: A Pooled Analysis of the CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA Randomized Phase II Trials.

Background: Prospective data comparing watch-and-wait (WW) to mandatory total mesorectal excision (TME) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remains limited, as randomized control trials assessing these two treatment approaches are considered impractical. This pooled analysis of the CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA trials analyzes survival outcomes among LARC patients managed with either a selective WW or mandatory TME strategy following total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT).

Patients And Methods: The CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA trials were multicenter, phase II trials that randomized patients with stage II/III rectal cancer to receive either induction or consolidation chemotherapy as part of TNT.

Embracing the Future of Clinical Trials in Radiotherapy: An NRG Oncology CIRO Technology Retreat Whitepaper on Pioneering Technologies and AI-Driven Solutions.

This white paper examines the potential of pioneering technologies and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solutions in advancing clinical trials involving radiotherapy. As the field of radiotherapy evolves, the integration of cutting-edge approaches such as radiopharmaceutical dosimetry, FLASH radiotherapy, image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), and AI promises to improve treatment planning, patient care, and outcomes. Additionally, recent advancements in quantum science, linear energy transfer/relative biological effect (LET/RBE), and the combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy create new avenues for innovation in clinical trials.

Early life stress and pubertal predictors of subsequent substance use in a national diverse sample of adolescents: Sex and substance type matter.

Background: Early life stress (ELS) increases the risk of substance use disorder (SUD) in adulthood. The pathway from ELS to SUD is hypothesized to be influenced by sex. We examine the impact of ELS on adolescent first substance use, a common precursor to adult SUDs, and test for sex differences in the relationship between ELS and risk of first use of alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana.

Maternal exposure to legacy PFAS compounds PFOA and PFOS is associated with disrupted cytokine homeostasis in neonates: The Upstate KIDS study (2008-2010).

There is growing concern that exposure to per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent chemicals used widely to make consumer products water- or grease-proof, may alter immune function, leading to reduced vaccine response or greater susceptibility to infections. We investigated associations between two legacy PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) and infant cytokine levels measured in newborn dried bloodspots (NDBS) from a large population-based birth cohort in Upstate New York, to determine whether exposure to legacy PFAS is associated with variability in cytokine profiles in newborns. We performed adjusted mixed effects regressions for each cytokine against PFOS and PFOA followed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on specific cytokine subsets selected via the prior regressions.

The impact of ACOG's 39-week rule on fetal death rates in the United States: A systematic review.

Objective: The "39-week rule," implemented in August 2009, strongly discouraged early term deliveries before 39 weeks without accepted ACOG delivery indications. In this study, we evaluated fetal death rates before and after the 39-week rule in the United States (US) by review of published series.

Study Design: Systematic literature searches were performed in PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and Scopus databases (January 2009-June 2023).

Powering well-being: Energy independence and mental health in a zone of ongoing disasters.

The archipelago of Puerto Rico has faced multiple natural disasters, including hurricanes and earthquakes, disrupting the mental health and daily lives of its residents. These disasters, combined with socio-political abandonment, have led to the deterioration of the electrical grid, exacerbating health disparities. This study aimed to explore the linkages between natural and structural disasters, mental health, and energy independence in Puerto Rico.

New treatments for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Adult T cell leukemia lymphoma (ATL) is a mature T cell neoplasm caused by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). ATL is endemic in specific geographic regions of the world closely related to areas with high prevalence of HLTV-1 infection, including Southwestern Japan, the Caribbean Basin, Central Africa, South America, Northern and Central Australia. HLTV-1 is primarily transmitted through breastmilk in asymptomatic carriers with a long latency period before transformation into ATL in 3 - 5 % of carriers after acquisition of multiple leukemogenic mutations.

How do restrictions on opioid prescribing, harm reduction, and treatment coverage policies relate to opioid overdose deaths in the United States in 2013-2020? An application of a new state opioid policy scale.

Background: Identifying the most effective state laws and provisions to reduce opioid overdose deaths remains critical.

Methods: Using expert ratings of opioid laws, we developed annual state scores for three domains: opioid prescribing restrictions, harm reduction, and Medicaid treatment coverage. We modeled associations of state opioid policy domain scores with opioid-involved overdose death counts in 3133 counties, and among racial/ethnic subgroups in 1485 counties (2013-2020).