Investigating the added value of incorporating mammographic density to an integrated breast cancer risk model with questionnaire-based risk factors and polygenic risk score.

Introduction Incorporation of mammographic density to breast cancer risk models could improve risk stratification to tailor screening and prevention strategies according to risk. Robust evaluation of the value of adding mammographic density to models with comprehensive information on questionnaire-based risk factors and polygenic risk score is needed to determine its effectiveness in improving risk stratification of such models. Methods We used the Individualized Coherent Absolute Risk Estimator (iCARE) tool for risk model building and validation to incorporate density to a previously validated literature-based model with questionnaire-based risk factors and a 313-variant polygenic risk score (PRS).

Mechanisms of Alpha-Synuclein Seeded Aggregation in Neurons Revealed by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging.

1The brains of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are characterized by the presence of Lewy body inclusions enriched with fibrillar forms of the presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein (aSyn). Despite related evidence that Lewy pathology spreads across different brain regions as the disease progresses, the underlying mechanism hence the fundamental cause of PD progression is unknown. The propagation of aSyn pathology is thought to potentially occur through the release of aSyn aggregates from diseased neurons, their uptake by neighboring healthy neurons via endocytosis, and subsequent seeding of native aSyn aggregation in the cytosol.

Whole genome sequence-based association analysis of African American individuals with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

In studies of individuals of primarily European genetic ancestry, common and low-frequency variants and rare coding variants have been found to be associated with the risk of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ). However, less is known for individuals of other genetic ancestries or the role of rare non-coding variants in BD and SZ risk. We performed whole genome sequencing of African American individuals: 1,598 with BD, 3,295 with SZ, and 2,651 unaffected controls (InPSYght study).

Glutamine metabolism is systemically different between primary and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Human primary (hpBMEC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain microvascular endothelial-like cells (hiBMEC) are interchangeably used in blood-brain barrier models to study neurological diseases and drug delivery. Both hpBMEC and hiBMEC use glutamine as a source of carbon and nitrogen to produce metabolites and build proteins essential to cell function and communication. We used metabolomic, transcriptomic, and computational methods to examine how hpBMEC and hiBMEC metabolize glutamine, which may impact their utility in modeling the blood-brain barrier.

The association between perceived neighborhood social cohesion and intimate partner violence in a refugee camp in Dollo Ado, Ethiopia.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form of gender-based violence affecting women and girls worldwide and is exacerbated in humanitarian settings. There is evidence that neighborhood social processes influence IPV. Perceived neighborhood social cohesion (P-NSC)-a measure of community trust, attachment, safety, and reciprocity-may be protective against women's experience of and men's perpetration of IPV and controlling behaviors.

Stakeholder perspectives on facilitators and barriers to implementing a zero-dollar copay program for chronic conditions study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) remains a pressing public health concern. Despite advancements in antidiabetic medications, suboptimal medication adherence persists among many individuals with T2D, often due to the high cost of medications. To combat this issue, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (Blue Cross) introduced the $0 Drug Copay (ZDC) program, providing $0 copays for select drugs.

Coronary artery disease and percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with severe chronic kidney disease.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), presenting unique challenges in diagnosis and management. Advanced CKD patients often present with atypical symptoms, and conventional diagnostic and interventional approaches carry risks, including contrast-induced nephropathy and the potential need for renal replacement therapy. These risks have led to the phenomenon of "renalism," where necessary procedures may be deferred due to concerns over renal injury.

Differential effects of statins on the anti-dyskinetic activity of sub-anesthetic ketamine.

Sub-anesthetic ketamine has been demonstrated to reduce abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) in preclinical models of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) and retrospective Parkinson's disease (PD) case reports. In this study, we examined the effects on LID of two different statins alone and in combination with ketamine in unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned male rats, the standard model for preclinical LID studies. Ketamine attenuated the development of AIMs, while the non-polar lovastatin only showed anti-dyskinetic activity early in the priming period but did not prevent the development of LID, and the polar pravastatin showed no anti-dyskinetic activity.

A Systematic Literature Review on School-Based Speech-Language Pathology Collaboration Research.

Purpose: School-based teams are called to be collaborative in order to appropriately and effectively serve students. Speech-language pathologists play crucial roles on school-based teams. This systematic review sought to synthesize existing empirical evidence on collaborative perceptions and experiences in research that included school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Insufficient LGBTQ+ education across disciplines suggested by national survey of health professionals in training.

Health professionals often feel underprepared to treat patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ+). Additionally, lack of access to professionals who are knowledgeable about LGBTQ+ inclusive care contributes to the myriad of health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ communities. This cross-sectional survey study explores the preparedness of healthcare profession trainees for caring for LGBTQ+ patients by quantifying the hours and quality of training health profession trainees receive in LGBTQ+ education across disciplines.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness against medically attended outpatient illness, United States, 2023-24 season.

Background: The 2023-24 U.S. influenza season was characterized by a predominance of A(H1N1)pdm09 virus circulation with co-circulation of A(H3N2) and B/Victoria viruses.

Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis and Sexually Transmitted Infection Trends.

Importance: Increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been associated with rises in serious morbidity. While doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP), a strategy in which individuals take doxycycline, 200 mg, after condomless sex to prevent bacterial STIs, has been shown to be efficacious in randomized clinical trials, doxyPEP's potential effect on population-level STI incidence is unknown.

Objective: To assess the association of citywide doxyPEP guideline release with reported chlamydia, gonorrhea, and early syphilis cases in men who have sex with men (MSM) and in transgender women in San Francisco, California.

National analysis of health-related social needs among adult injury survivors.

Background: Despite advances in trauma care, the effects of social determinants of health continue to be a barrier to optimal health outcomes. Health-related social needs (HRSNs), now the basis of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services national screening program, may contribute to poor health outcomes, inequities, and low-value care, but the impact of HRSNs among injured patients remains poorly understood at the national level.

Methods: Using data from the nationally representative 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, injured patients were matched with uninjured controls via coarsened exact matching on age and sex.

Impact of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs): A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) may mitigate the negative outcomes resulting from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). To date, most PCE research has used cross-sectional or retrospective designs. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched in May 2024 for longitudinal studies that examined the impact of cumulative PCEs.

[Exploring the sexual and reproductive health of migrant adolescents in Chile: insights from the 10th National Youth Survey].

Unlabelled: Migration is a phenomenon with an impact on the health of adolescents. Barriers to accessing health services expose them to risks such as sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections/HIV.

Objective: To analyze variables of sexual and reproductive health in migrant and Chilean adolescents.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Spondyloarthritis Symptoms in a US-Based Multicenter Cohort of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background/aim: Spondyloarthritis (SpA), the most common extra-intestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is reported in up to 39% of patients with IBD. Despite this high prevalence, risk factors for developing SpA in patients with IBD are not well described. In this study, we aimed to determine the factors associated with SpA symptoms and their prevalence in an IBD cohort.

Virtual Primary Care-Improving Access, Efficiency, and Patient Experience.

The United States faces a growing scarcity of primary care resources within an already overstressed and poorly accessible health care system. Many health care organizations are evaluating novel models of care and adoption of digital technologies to improve primary care access and efficiency of health care delivery. This article describes a virtual primary care (VPC) model that expands access and increases the efficiency of the traditional primary care team by utilizing on-demand and asynchronous digital tools.

Creation of a Multimodal Telemedicine Curriculum for Preclinical Medical Students.

Introduction: In 2020, the AAMC created telemedicine competencies to guide curriculum and assessment development. Most available curricula are designed for clinical medical students or graduate trainees, and few offer opportunities for individualized, timely feedback and participation in pediatric simulated encounters.

Methods: We designed a hybrid curriculum to provide preclinical medical students with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform telemedicine encounters.

TClC effectively suppresses the growth and metastasis of NSCLC via polypharmacology.

Despite significant advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to present a global health challenge, with a modest five-year survival rate of 28 %, largely due to the emergence of treatment-resistant and metastatic tumors. In response, we synthesized a novel bioactive compound, ethyl 6-chlorocoumarin-3-carboxylyl L-theanine (TClC), which significantly inhibited NSCLC growth, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion and tumor growth and metastasis without inducing toxicity. TClC disrupts autocrine loops that promote tumor progression, particularly in stem-like CD133-positive NSCLC (CD133+ LC) cells, which are pivotal in tumor metastasis.

Estimating the Risk of Cardiovascular Events in U.S. Veterans Using the SMART Risk Score.

Background: Estimation of long-term risk for cardiovascular events using the SMART (Secondary Manifestations of Arterial Disease) risk score can be potentially valuable in devising risk mitigation strategies.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to apply the SMART risk score to compute the risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in the U.S.

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy, Aerobic Fitness, and Traditional Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injuries in Military Training: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: The United States military strives to prepare soldiers physically and mentally for war while preventing injury and attrition. Previous research has focused on physical injury risk factors but has not prospectively examined psychological risk factors.

Purpose: This study's purpose was to investigate whether self-efficacy is a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury in an initial military training environment and compare it to other known risk factors.

Metallo-supramolecular complexes enantioselectively target monkeypox virus RNA G-quadruplex and bolster immune responses against MPXV.

The Mpox virus (MPXV) has emerged as a formidable orthopoxvirus, posing an immense challenge to global public health. An understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of MPXV infection, replication and immune evasion will benefit the development of novel antiviral strategies. Despite the involvement of G-quadruplexes (G4s) in modulating the infection and replication processes of multiple viruses, their roles in the MPXV life cycle remain largely unknown.

Assessment of modeled serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances concentrations from exposure estimates for pregnant women in the general population in comparison to previously measured serum concentrations.

When drinking water is uncontaminated, exposure to PFAS is thought to occur primarily via ingestion of food and indoor dust. To understand the background exposure during prenatal periods, this study examined whether published estimates of PFAS exposure rates from dietary and dust ingestion provide reasonable predictions of PFAS serum concentrations among pregnant women in the general population. This study estimated serum concentrations of four PFAS during pregnancy based on published PFAS intake rates for food and indoor dust reported in the peer-reviewed literature, a pharmacokinetic model using two different sets of parameters, and Monte Carlo simulation to account for variability/uncertainty.