Screening high-risk Veterans for cirrhosis: taking a stepwise population health approach.

Background: Because cirrhosis is often unrecognized, we aimed to develop a stepwise screening algorithm for cirrhosis in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and assess this approach's feasibility and acceptability.

Methods: VHA hepatology clinicians ("champions") were invited to participate in a pilot program from June 2020 to October 2022. The VHA Corporate Data Warehouse was queried to identify Veterans with possible undiagnosed cirrhosis using Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) ≥ 3.

Addressing racial and ethnic disparities in premature exits from permanent supportive housing among residents with substance use disorders.

Background: Permanent supportive housing (PSH) is an evidence-based practice for reducing homelessness that subsidizes permanent, independent housing and provides case management-including linkages to health services. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are common contributing factors towards premature, unwanted ("negative") PSH exits; little is known about racial/ethnic differences in negative PSH exits among residents with SUDs. Within the nation's largest PSH program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), we examined relationships among SUDs and negative PSH exits (for up to five years post-PSH move-in) across racial/ethnic subgroups.

CT features with histopathological correlation in inflammatory versus benign & malignant neoplastic appendiceal mucoceles: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background & Objectives: Differentiation of histologic subtypes of appendiceal mucoceles may prove to be difficult on computed tomography (CT). The main objective of this study was to identify the CT features of mucocele of the appendix and correlate the imaging findings with histopathology in inflammatory, benign, and malignant neoplastic lesions, and whether these entities can be accurately differentiated on CT imaging.

Materials And Methods: CT scans of 31 patients with diagnosis of appendiceal mucocele were retrospectively reviewed and compared with histopathology.

Correcting scale distortion in RNA sequencing data.

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is the conventional genome-scale approach used to capture the expression levels of all detectable genes in a biological sample. This is now regularly used for population-based studies designed to identify genetic determinants of various diseases. Naturally, the accuracy of these tests should be verified and improved if possible.

Cardiovascular disease, bone fracture, and all-cause mortality risks among postmenopausal women by arthritis and veteran status: A multistate Markov transition analysis.

Arthritis, a chronic inflammatory condition linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and bone fracture, is more frequent among military veterans and postmenopausal women. This study examined correlates of arthritis and relationships of arthritis with risks of developing CVD, bone fractures, and mortality among postmenopausal veteran and non-veteran women. We analyzed longitudinal data on 135,790 (3,436 veteran and 132,354 non-veteran) postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative who were followed-up for an average of 16 years between enrollment (1993-1998) and February 17, 2024.

Trends in Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia Diagnosis and Upgrade: A 20-Year Experience and Impact of MRI Use on Upgrade Rates.

Background: Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) is a benign proliferative breast lesion. Surgical excision of ADH is often recommended to rule out underlying malignant disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the trends in ADH upgrade rates over time and identify the impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) use on upgrade rates.

The impact of customized surface topography and porosity created by additive manufacturing technology on gingival fibroblasts.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze gingival fibroblast proliferation on additively manufactured polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) groups with different surface characteristics namely no treatment group (NTG) and customized 250 µm diameter porosity (AM-250G) group.

Materials And Methods: 3D-printed NTG was compared for its influence on growth of cells to a additively manufactured surface with porosity (AM-250G). For each group (NTG, AM-250G) 20 samples of material were tested.

Associations between common genetic variants and income provide insights about the socio-economic health gradient.

We conducted a genome-wide association study on income among individuals of European descent (N = 668,288) to investigate the relationship between socio-economic status and health disparities. We identified 162 genomic loci associated with a common genetic factor underlying various income measures, all with small effect sizes (the Income Factor). Our polygenic index captures 1-5% of income variance, with only one fourth due to direct genetic effects.

Biomolecular condensates in immune cell fate.

Fate decisions during immune cell development require temporally precise changes in gene expression. Evidence suggests that the dynamic modulation of these changes is associated with the formation of diverse, membrane-less nucleoprotein assemblies that are termed biomolecular condensates. These condensates are thought to orchestrate fate-determining transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes by locally and transiently concentrating DNA or RNA molecules alongside their regulatory proteins.

A morphometric signature to identify ductal carcinoma in situ with a low risk of progression.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) may progress to ipsilateral invasive breast cancer (iIBC), but often never will. Because DCIS is treated as early breast cancer, many women with harmless DCIS face overtreatment. To identify features associated with progression, we developed an artificial intelligence-based DCIS morphometric analysis pipeline (AIDmap) on hematoxylin-eosin-stained (H&E) tissue sections.

Naltriben promotes tumor growth by activating the TRPM7-mediated development of the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.

Macrophage plasticity is critical for maintaining immune function and developing solid tumors; however, the macrophage polarization mechanism remains incompletely understood. Our findings reveal that Mg entry through distinct plasma membrane channels is critical to macrophage plasticity. Naïve macrophages displayed a previously unidentified Mg dependent current, and TRPM7-like activity, which modulates its survival.

Adapting a style based generative adversarial network to create images depicting cleft lip deformity.

Training a machine learning system to evaluate any type of facial deformity is impeded by the scarcity of large datasets of high-quality, ethics board-approved patient images. We have built a deep learning-based cleft lip generator called CleftGAN designed to produce an almost unlimited number of high-fidelity facsimiles of cleft lip facial images with wide variation. A transfer learning protocol testing different versions of StyleGAN as the base model was undertaken.

Anisotropic hydrogel microelectrodes for intraspinal neural recordings in vivo.

Creating durable, motion-compliant neural interfaces is crucial for accessing dynamic tissues under in vivo conditions and linking neural activity with behaviors. Utilizing the self-alignment of nano-fillers in a polymeric matrix under repetitive tension, here, we introduce conductive carbon nanotubes with high aspect ratios into semi-crystalline polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels, and create electrically anisotropic percolation pathways through cyclic stretching. The resulting anisotropic hydrogel fibers (diameter of 187 ± 13 µm) exhibit fatigue resistance (up to 20,000 cycles at 20% strain) with a stretchability of 64.

Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries Enabled by Magnetically Aligned Electrodes.

With the increasing popularity of electric transportation over the past several years, fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are highly demanded for shortening electric vehicles' charging time. Extensive efforts have been made on material development and electrode engineering; however, few of them are scalable and cost-effective enough to be potentially incorporated into the current battery production. Here, we propose a facile magnetic templating method for preparing LiFePO (LFP) cathodes with vertically aligned graphene sheets to realize fast-charging properties at a practical loading of 20 mg cm.

Robotic Nipple Sparing Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction with Profunda Artery Perforator Flaps.

The single port robotic nipple sparing mastectomy (SPrNSM) was recently introduced. This approach is safe and has led to favorable outcomes in relation to cosmetic result, patient satisfaction, and breast sensation. The typical reconstruction with all robotic nipple sparing mastectomies is implant based; however, this is not always what a patient desires.

Safety and Immunogenicity of Omicron Protein Vaccines in mRNA-Vaccinated Adolescents: A Phase 3, Randomised Trial.

Objectives: Safety and immunogenicity assessment of updated monovalent and bivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in adolescents.

Methods: This phase 3, double-blinded study randomised 12-<18-year-old participants, who received ≥2 prior doses of an approved/authorised mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, 1:1 to receive NVX-CoV2601 (XBB.1.

Abnormal cardiovascular control during exercise: Role of insulin resistance in the brain.

During exercise circulatory adjustments to meet oxygen demands are mediated by multiple autonomic mechanisms, the skeletal muscle exercise pressor reflex (EPR), the baroreflex (BR), and by feedforward signals from central command neurons in higher brain centers. Insulin resistance in peripheral tissues includes sensitization of skeletal muscle afferents by hyperinsulinemia which is in part responsible for the abnormally heightened EPR function observed in diabetic animal models and patients. However, the role of insulin signaling within the central nervous system (CNS) is receiving increased attention as a potential therapeutic intervention in diseases with underlying insulin resistance.

Do people prefer AI-generated patient educational materials over traditional ones?

Objective: This study aimed to assess people's preference between traditional and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated colon cancer staging Patient Education Materials (PEMs).

Methods: We assessed preference among patients and companions being seen for a non-cancer diagnosis at the UT Health Austin Colon and Rectal Surgery Clinic. Participants were blinded to the study concept of AI and generation method of PEMs (Traditional: National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society; AI-generated: ChatGPT and Google Bard).

Epidemiologic Investigation of Protozoa and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Starr County, Texas.

The burden of pathogenic enteric protozoa and soil-transmitted helminths among impoverished populations living on the Texas-Mexico border is unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study on an ongoing longitudinal cohort of 616 adults residing in Starr County, Texas. A total of 359 adults were screened for four protozoa and five soil-transmitted helminths by using real-time polymerase chain reaction.