Novel Sarcoidosis Epitope Augments MHCII, CD80/CD86 Expression, Promotes B-Cell Differentiation and IgG Production.

Numerous chronic human disorders are associated with immune activation by obscure antigen(s). We identified a novel sarcoidosis-epitope (ChainA) by immunoscreening of a novel T7 phage library and confirmed an abundance of ChainA IgG-antibody in sarcoidosis. We tested whether ChainA epitope elicits immune responses through B-cell activation, plasma cell differentiation and antibody production.

Assessing longitudinal prenatal knowledge and skills retention among community birth attendants enrolled in a novel school.

Objective: Guatemala has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in Central America. A total of 60% of births in Guatemala are attended by traditional Mayan birth attendants, or comadronas. Their prevalence in these communities makes them a valuable resource to bridge home births with safe prenatal care.

Secondhand vape exposure regulation of CFTR and immune function in cystic fibrosis.

Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) is a public health threat for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) and other lung diseases. Primary smoking reduces CFTR channel function, the causative defect in CF. We reported that SHSe worsens respiratory and nutritional outcomes in CF by disrupting immune responses and metabolic signaling.

A Randomized, Comparative Trial of a Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker (X842) and Lansoprazole for the Treatment of Patients with Erosive Esophagitis.

Introduction: X842 is a new type of gastric acid-suppressing agent with a rapid onset of action and a long duration of effect. We aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of different doses of X842 versus lansoprazole in the treatment of patients with erosive esophagitis (EE).

Methods: This phase 2 study included 90 patients with EE (Los Angeles grades A-D) who were randomized (1:1:1) to receive oral low-dose X842 (50 mg/day, n=31), high-dose X842 (100 mg/day, n=31), or lansoprazole (30 mg/day, n=30) for 4 weeks.

Analysis of Outcomes and Factors Influencing Community-Acquired Pressure Injury: A Retrospective Review of 413 Patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes and influencing factors of patients with community-acquired pressure injuries (CAPIs) and provide insights for clinical practice.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects And Setting: We reviewed medical records of 413 patients with a total of 522 CAPIs.

Impact of Multimodal Prompt Elements on Diagnostic Performance of GPT-4V in Challenging Brain MRI Cases.

Background Studies have explored the application of multimodal large language models (LLMs) in radiologic differential diagnosis. Yet, how different multimodal input combinations affect diagnostic performance is not well understood. Purpose To evaluate the impact of varying multimodal input elements on the accuracy of OpenAI's GPT-4 with vision (GPT-4V)-based brain MRI differential diagnosis.

Endovascular versus Best Medical Treatment for Acute Carotid Occlusion BelOw Circle of Willis (ACOBOW): The ACOBOW Study.

Background Symptomatic acute occlusions of the internal carotid artery (ICA) below the circle of Willis can cause a variety of stroke symptoms, even if the major intracranial cerebral arteries remain patent; however, outcome and safety data are limited. Purpose To compare treatment effects and procedural safety of endovascular treatment (EVT) and best medical treatment (BMT) in patients with symptomatic acute occlusions of the ICA below the circle of Willis. Materials and Methods This retrospective, multicenter cohort study from 22 comprehensive stroke centers in Europe and Asia includes patients treated between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2022.

How I Do It: Management of Pleural-attached Pulmonary Nodules in Low-Dose CT Screening for Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. In various trials, the ability of low-dose CT screening to diagnose early lung cancers leads to high cure rates. It is widely accepted that the potential benefits of low-dose CT screening for lung cancer outweigh the harms.

Automated Deep Learning-Based Detection and Segmentation of Lung Tumors at CT.

Background Detection and segmentation of lung tumors on CT scans are critical for monitoring cancer progression, evaluating treatment responses, and planning radiation therapy; however, manual delineation is labor-intensive and subject to physician variability. Purpose To develop and evaluate an ensemble deep learning model for automating identification and segmentation of lung tumors on CT scans. Materials and Methods A retrospective study was conducted between July 2019 and November 2024 using a large dataset of CT simulation scans and clinical lung tumor segmentations from radiotherapy plans.

High Cirrhosis Surgical Volume Centers have Reduced Postoperative Mortality in Patients with Cirrhosis Undergoing Major Surgery.

Patients with cirrhosis have increased surgical risk and require care team expertise. We explored the association between center cirrhosis surgical volume and post-operative mortality in a large VA dataset. In this retrospective cohort study of 14,500 major surgeries in patients with cirrhosis, we found in adjusted analysis that high-volume centers (>16 surgeries in past year) had a 36% reduced hazard of post-operative mortality through 90 days versus low-volume centers (<9 surgeries in past year; hazard ratio 0.

Effectiveness and Safety of Dupilumab for Prurigo Nodularis in China: A Multicentric and Observational Study.

Background: The efficacy and safety of dupilumab in patients with refractory prurigo nodularis (PN) is well established in clinical trials, but there is a lack of multicenter data regarding its effectiveness and safety in real-world settings.

Methods: Patients with moderate-to-severe PN who initiated dupilumab treatment between July 2023 and January 2024, with a follow-up period of at least 16 weeks at 10 hospitals in China were included. We used peak pruritus numeric rating scale (PP-NRS), investigator global assessment (IGA) for PN, and dermatology life quality index for adults or children (DLQI/CDLQI) to assess disease control status and quality of life impairment, and monitored adverse events to assess the safety.

A novel therapeutic strategy utilizing EpCAM aptamer-conjugated gemcitabine for targeting bladder cancer and cancer stem cells.

Gemcitabine (GEM) is a first line chemotherapy drug for bladder cancer (BCa). GEM's lack of specificity has led to disadvantages, resulting in low efficiency, especially when combined with the targeted treatment of BCa stem cells (CSCs), which is considered the cause of BCa recurrence and progression. To enhance the anti-cancer effect and reduce the side effects of GEM targeting of BCa cells/CSCs, an aptamer drug conjugate (ApDC) targeted delivery system was used to improve the efficiency of GEM in BCa therapy using EpCAM aptamer-GEM conjugates based on the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), which is highly expressed on the cell membrane of BCa cells/CSCs.

Team-Based Learning in Physician Assistant/Associate Education: A Mixed Scoping Review.

Introduction: Team-based learning (TBL) is a type of active learning. While TBL was first used in medical instruction at the start of the 2000s, its efficacy within the physician assistant (PA) education has yet to be demonstrated. The objective of this study was to determine existing information about TBL in PA education and to demonstrate the need for further study.

Perceived Burnout Among Underrepresented Minority Physician Assistant/Associate Educators in the United States.

Introduction: There is a keen interest regarding burnout in academic medicine with an existing need for more studies. The priority population were underrepresented physician assistant/associate (PA) educators in the United States. The purpose was to determine external/internal contributors leading to perceived burnout; investigate whether primary/secondary appraisal inform coping strategies; and determine whether there was an existing relationship between demographic factors and emotional exhaustion (EE).

Resident-led Seminar and Workshop on Airway Management for Physician Assistant Students: Evaluating Efficacy and Memory Retention.

Introduction: Physician assistants (PAs) should understand the implications and risks involved with airway management. Our study aimed to facilitate PA students' familiarity with airway management with instruction from anesthesiology residents. We assessed the students' knowledge of airway management both before and after a seminar to see if knowledge was retained.

Nav1.8, an analgesic target for nonpsychotomimetic phytocannabinoids.

Pain impacts billions of people worldwide, but treatment options are limited and have a spectrum of adverse effects. The search for safe and nonaddictive pain treatments has led to a focus on key mediators of nociceptor excitability. Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels in the peripheral nervous system-Nav1.

Dispersal of influenza virus populations within the respiratory tract shapes their evolutionary potential.

Viral infections are characterized by dispersal from an initial site to secondary locations within the host. How the resultant spatial heterogeneity shapes within-host genetic diversity and viral evolutionary pathways is poorly understood. Here, we show that virus dispersal within and between the nasal cavity and trachea maintains diversity and is therefore conducive to adaptive evolution, whereas dispersal to the lungs gives rise to population heterogeneity.

A Strategic Approach to Shift Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Culture in Physical Therapy Education.

Background And Purpose: Efforts focused on racial and ethnic diversity in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs have been prioritized to increase enrollment of Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) individuals. While increasing diversity is a positive step, this Program took strategic action to embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)-informed principles into all program areas. This holistic approach catalyzed a cultural shift that reflects a deepened commitment to the society we serve.

The Influence of Sex, Fitness, BMI, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Cerebral Blood Velocity Responsiveness to Graded Exercise Testing in Middle-Aged Adults.

Mean middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv) and the pulsatility index (PI), at rest and in response to exercise, are important markers of cerebrovascular health status in middle-aged adults, when vascular decline assumes substantial relevance. Thus, this study aimed to describe and compare the responses of MCAv and PI to incremental exercise. Two hundred and forty-eight volunteers (50-58 years, 55% women) completed a ramp test on a cycle-ergometer.

Differentiating aspects of oral and long-acting injectable antipsychotic drugs for tailoring the therapy of schizophrenia in clinical practice: a narrative review.

Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric condition requiring continuous treatment with antipsychotic medications available in different formulations, including oral antipsychotics (OAPs) and long-acting injectables (LAIs). This narrative review aims to comprehensively outline the advantages and disadvantages of OAPs and LAIs to support clinicians in choosing different formulations based on the presentation of clinical symptoms. An electronic search of the PubMed database was performed in June 2024, and additional articles were retrieved from the references or personal knowledge of the authors.

The unique structure of the highly conserved PPLP region in HIV-1 Vif is critical for the formation of APOBEC3 recognition interfaces.

The human cellular cytidine deaminases APOBEC3s (A3s) inhibit virion infectivity factor (Vif)-deficient HIV-1 replication. However, virus-encoded Vifs abolish this defense system by specifically recruiting A3s to an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to induce their degradation. The highly conserved Vif PPLP motif is critical for the Vif-mediated antagonism of A3s and is believed to be important for Vif multimerization.