Qualitative Study of Food Insecurity in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: Food insecurity (FI) is defined as limited or uncertain access to sufficient food for a healthy and active lifestyle. Our objective was to explore how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the FI status of pediatric patients and their families through interviewing caregivers who screen positive for FI.

Methods: Caregivers of all hospitalized patients at a tertiary children's hospital who screen positive for FI with a two-question screening tool were approached about enrolling in the study.

Biochemical, Biomarker, and Behavioral Characterization of the Grn Mouse Model of Frontotemporal Dementia.

Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the progranulin gene (GRN) are a major cause of frontotemporal dementia due to progranulin haploinsufficiency; complete deficiency of progranulin causes neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Several progranulin-deficient mouse models have been generated, including both knockout mice and knockin mice harboring a common patient mutation (R493X). However, the Grn mouse model has not been characterized completely.

T-Cell Expression of CXCL13 is Associated with Immunotherapy Response in a Sex-Dependent Manner in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Emerging evidence in preclinical models demonstrates that antitumor immunity is not equivalent between males and females. However, more investigation in patients and across a wider range of cancer types is needed to fully understand sex as a variable in tumor immune responses. We investigated differences in T-cell responses between male and female patients with lung cancer by performing sex-based analysis of single cell transcriptomic datasets.

MASLD-Related HCC-Update on Pathogenesis and Current Treatment Options.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common complication of chronic liver diseases and remains a relevant cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The global prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) as a risk factor for hepatocarcinogenesis is on the rise. Early detection of HCC has been crucial in improving the survival outcomes of patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), even in the absence of cirrhosis.

Improving Maternal Health and Birth Outcomes Through FreshRx: A Food-Is-Medicine Intervention.

Purpose: Food insecurity has far-reaching consequences for health and well-being, especially during pregnancy and postpartum periods. This study examines a food-is-medicine approach that aimed to reduce food insecurity, maternal stress, depression, anxiety, preterm labor, and low birthweight.

Design: Pre-post interventional study of FreshRx: Nourishing Healthy Starts, a pregnancy focused food-is-medicine program led by a local hunger relief organization and obstetrics department.

Palliative Care and Mental Health among Pancreatic Cancer Patients in the United States: An Examination of Service Utilization and Health Outcomes.

Introduction: Palliative care (PC) utilization remains low among pancreatic cancer patients. This study explores the association of PC with mental health service and pharmacotherapy utilization among pancreatic cancer patients.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on a sample of patients in the United States with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer using Electronic Health Record data from Optum's Integrated Claims-Clinical data set.

Most Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Professional Athletes Occur Without Contact to the Injured Knee: A Systematic Review of Video Analysis Studies.

Purpose: To systematically review studies using video analyses to evaluate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mechanisms in athletes during sport to better understand risk factors and the potential for injury prevention.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines statement using SCOPUS, PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials from database inception through June 2023. Inclusion criteria included studies reporting on ACL injury mechanisms occurring in athletes based on video analysis.

Glucose ingestion does not lower testosterone concentrations in men on testosterone therapy.

Oral calorie intake causes an acute and transient decline in serum testosterone concentrations. It is not known whether this decline occurs in men on testosterone therapy. In this study, we evaluated the change in testosterone concentrations following oral glucose ingestion in hypogonadal men before and after treatment with testosterone therapy.

Major open questions in the hepatitis B and D field - Proceedings of the inaugural International emerging hepatitis B and hepatitis D researchers workshop.

The early and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) of scientific communities represent the forefront of research and the future direction in which a field takes. The opinions of this key demographic are not commonly aggregated to audit fields and precisely demonstrate where challenges lie for the future. To address this, we initiated the inaugural International Emerging Researchers Workshop for the global Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D scientific community (75 individuals).

"An urgent need for transition of care programs for adolescents and young adults with neurogastroenterology and motility disorders".

Transition of Care for Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Neurogastroenterology & Motility (NGM) Disorders.

Storylines of family medicine IV: perspectives on practice-lenses of appreciation.

is a 12-part series of thematically linked mini-essays with accompanying illustrations that explore the many dimensions of family medicine, as interpreted by individual family physicians and medical educators in the USA and elsewhere around the world. In 'IV: perspectives on practice-lenses of appreciation', authors address the following themes: 'Relational connections in the doctor-patient partnership', 'Feminism and family medicine', 'Positive family medicine', 'Mindful practice', 'The new, old ethics of family medicine', 'Public health, prevention and populations', 'Information mastery in family medicine' and 'Clinical courage.' May readers nurture their curiosity through these essays.

Two Cases of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis With Contrasting Clinical Phenotypes: Genetic Insights.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neuromuscular disease that affects individuals of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. There is currently no cure for ALS, and the number of efficient disease-modifying drugs for ALS is limited to a few, despite the large number of clinical trials conducted in recent years. The latter could be attributed to the significant heterogeneity of ALS clinical phenotypes even in their familial forms.

Practice Patterns and Barriers to Vascular Genetic Testing Among Vascular Surgeons.

Introduction: Engaging patients living with or at risk of aortic dissection via the Aortic Dissection Collaborative, physician education in vascular genetics was identified as a research priority. We surveyed vascular surgeons to characterize practice patterns, motivations, and barriers regarding aortopathy genetic testing.

Methods: An anonymous 27-question survey was distributed on social media platforms between November and December 2022.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Individuals With a Substance Use Disorder: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: There is limited evidence on colorectal cancer screening among individuals with a substance use disorder. This study aims to investigate the association between personal history of a substance use disorder and colorectal cancer colonoscopy screening completion rates.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 176,300 patients, of whom 171,973 had no substance use disorder and 4,327 had a substance use disorder diagnosis from electronic health record data (January 1, 2008-December 31, 2022) in a Midwestern healthcare system.

Evaluation of Post-thrombolytic Events to Determine Appropriate ICU Monitoring Duration for Patients with Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Standard treatment for eligible patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activators alteplase or tenecteplase. Current guidelines recommend monitoring patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) for 24 h after thrombolytic therapy. However, recent studies have questioned the need for prolonged ICU monitoring.

Wrapping of single-stranded DNA by Replication Protein A and modulation through phosphorylation.

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) intermediates, which emerge during DNA metabolic processes are shielded by Replication Protein A (RPA). RPA binds to ssDNA and acts as a gatekeeper, directing the ssDNA towards downstream DNA metabolic pathways with exceptional specificity. Understanding the mechanistic basis for such RPA-dependent specificity requires a comprehensive understanding of the structural conformation of ssDNA when bound to RPA.

Blocking senescence and tolerogenic function of dendritic cells induced by γδ Treg cells enhances tumor-specific immunity for cancer immunotherapy.

Background: Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a key component in maintaining the suppressive tumor microenvironment and immune suppression in different types of cancers. A precise understanding of the molecular mechanisms used by Treg cells for immune suppression is critical for the development of effective strategies for cancer immunotherapy.

Methods: Senescence development and tolerogenic functions of dendritic cells (DCs) induced by breast cancer tumor-derived γδ Treg cells were fully characterized using real-time PCR, flow cytometry, western blot, and functional assays.

Obesity-related T cell dysfunction impairs immunosurveillance and increases cancer risk.

Obesity is a well-established risk factor for human cancer, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Immune dysfunction is commonly associated with obesity but whether compromised immune surveillance contributes to cancer susceptibility in individuals with obesity is unclear. Here we use a mouse model of diet-induced obesity to investigate tumor-infiltrating CD8  T cell responses in lean, obese, and previously obese hosts that lost weight through either dietary restriction or treatment with semaglutide.

Changes in Posterior Cornea and Posterior-To-Anterior Curvature Radii Ratio 1 Year After LASIK, PRK, and SMILE Treatment of Myopia.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare changes in the posterior curvature and the posterior-anterior radii ratio of the cornea, 1 year postoperatively in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).

Methods: This retrospective study was performed at a single surgical center. 199 eyes were included in the study from 119 patients with manifest refraction spherical equivalents from -7.