Tobacco Use and Tobacco Dependence Management.

Tobacco use is a major public health problem and the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States and worldwide. Tobacco dependence determines tobacco use and is largely due to nicotine addiction. Such dependence is a disease resulting in a strong desire or compulsion to take tobacco, with difficulty in cessation of tobacco, along with persistent use despite overtly harmful consequences.

Differential Detection of O-GlcNAcylated proteins in the heart using antibodies.

Thousands of mammalian intracellular proteins are dynamically modified by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). Global changes in O-GlcNAcylation have been associated with the development of cardiomyopathy, heart failure, hypertension, and neurodegenerative disease. Levels of O-GlcNAc in cells and tissues can be detected using numerous approaches; however, immunoblotting using GlcNAc-specific antibodies and lectins is commonplace.

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical signs and symptoms of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the different estimates in a different stage of the pandemic outbreak.

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused enormous adverse socioeconomic impacts worldwide. Evidence suggests that the diagnostic accuracy of clinical features of COVID-19 may vary among different populations.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and the WHO Global Health Library for studies evaluating the accuracy of clinical features to predict and prognosticate COVID-19.

The association of a scholarly concentrations program with medical students' matched residencies.

Purpose: Many medical school curricula include Scholarly Concentrations (SC) programs. While studies have examined how these programs affect students' future research involvement, the association of SC programs with students' specialty choices is uncertain. This study examines the SC program factors associated with congruence between the specialty focus of students' SC projects and the clinical specialty they matched into for residency.

The Infectious Uveitis Treatment Algorithm Network (TITAN) Report 2-global current practice patterns for the management of Cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis.

Aims: To present current practice patterns in the diagnosis and management of Cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis (CMV AU) by uveitis experts worldwide.

Methods: A two-round modified Delphi survey with masking of the study team was performed. Based on experience and expertise, 100 international uveitis specialists from 21 countries were invited to participate in the survey.

Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in all policies: reframing the narrative.

Recent research highlights the importance of breastfeeding to health across the lifecourse, yet inadequate investment to facilitate breastfeeding according to World Health Organization recommendations threatens to undermine breastfeeding's protective effects. Western media narratives often fail to convey the significance of breastfeeding, and such narratives can hinder efforts to direct sufficient resources to scaling up effective systems and generating policy change. Delayed action disproportionately harms poor and marginalized communities.

Hypertension treatment capacity in India by increased workforce, greater task-sharing, and extended prescription period: a modelling study.

Background: The worldwide control rate for hypertension is dismal. An inadequate number of physicians to treat patients with hypertension is one key obstacle. Innovative health system approaches such as delegation of basic tasks to non-physician health workers (task-sharing) might alleviate this problem.

Impact of a recognition package as an incentive to strengthen the motivation, performance, and retention of village health teams in Uganda: a study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Uganda's community health worker (CHW), or village health team (VHT), program faces significant challenges with poor retention and insufficient financial and program investment. Adequate compensation comprising financial and non-financial components is critical to retaining any workforce, including CHWs. This study evaluates the impact of a recognition-based non-financial incentives package on the motivation, performance, and retention of VHTs, as well as on the utilization of health services by the community.

2019-2020 H1N1 clade A5a.1 viruses have better in vitro fitness compared with the co-circulating A5a.2 clade.

Surveillance for emerging human influenza virus clades is important for identifying changes in viral fitness and assessing antigenic similarity to vaccine strains. While fitness and antigenic structure are both important aspects of virus success, they are distinct characteristics and do not always change in a complementary manner. The 2019-2020 Northern Hemisphere influenza season saw the emergence of two H1N1 clades: A5a.

Association of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol use with estimated glomerular filtration rate in women living with HIV and women without HIV.

Objective: Marijuana, tobacco and alcohol use are prevalent among people with HIV and may adversely affect kidney function in this population. We determined the association of use of these substances with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among women with HIV (WWH) and women without HIV.

Design: We undertook a repeated measures study of 1043 WWH and 469 women without HIV within the United States Women's Interagency HIV Study, a multicenter, prospective cohort of HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women.

Prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms among autistic individuals, with and without co-occurring intellectual disability.

Gastrointestinal symptoms (GI) are very common among individuals on the autism spectrum. Prior research reports mixed findings regarding whether individuals with autism and co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) have elevated risk of gastrointestinal symptoms relative to individuals with autism alone. GI symptoms can be challenging to assess in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or ID given challenges with language, communication, and interoception.

Research priorities in venous thromboembolism after trauma: Secondary analysis of the National Trauma Research Action Plan.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality during recovery from injury and can result in significant health care costs. Despite advances in the past several decades in our approach to VTE prophylaxis after injury, opportunities exist to improve the delivery and implementation of optimal VTE prophylaxis. Here, we aim to identify consensus research questions related to VTE across all National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP) Delphi expert panels to further guide the research agenda aimed at preventing VTE after injury.

Sensitivity and specificity of three diabetes diagnostic criteria in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and otherwise healthy people: Analysis of NHANES III.

Aims: Establishing whether fasting plasma glucose (FPG), postprandial glucose (PPG), and HbA1c have the same diagnostic accuracy in NAFLD versus otherwise healthy people could inform T2DM screening recommendations for those with NAFLD.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) 1989-1994. T2DM was defined as PPG ≥ 200 mg/dL, FPG ≥ 126 mg/dL, or HbA1c ≥ 6.

Intravitreal Therapy for Uveitic Macular Edema-Ranibizumab versus Methotrexate versus the Dexamethasone Implant: The MERIT Trial Results.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of 3 different intravitreal treatments for persistent or recurrent uveitic macular edema (ME): dexamethasone implant, methotrexate, and ranibizumab.

Design: Single-masked, randomized controlled clinical trial.

Participants: Patients with minimally active or inactive uveitis and persistent or recurrent uveitic ME in one or both eyes.

Implementing youth participatory action research at a continuation high school.

Objective: To describe the process of implementing a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project at a continuation high school (CHS) and share the results of a youth-designed research project that explores barriers to high school completion.

Data Sources And Study Setting: YPAR was implemented across three cohorts at a CHS in the central coast of California from 2019 to 2022. Student survey respondents were enrolled CHS students between March and April 2021.

Associations between social network characteristics and sexual minority disclosure concern among Black men who have sex with men living with and without HIV.

In addition to the pervasive anti-Black racism faced by Black people in the United States, Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) face sexual minority stigma and, among BMSM living with HIV, HIV-related stigma. These multilevel social forces shape social networks, which are important sources of resources, support, and behavior regulation. This study quantitatively examined the relationship between social network characteristics and sexual minority stigma (e.

TACROLIMUS FOR IMMUNOSUPPRESSION IN PATIENTS WITH NONINFECTIOUS INTERMEDIATE, POSTERIOR, OR PANUVEITIDES.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of tacrolimus in patients with noninfectious intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis needing a two-immunosuppressive-agent regimen.

Methods: Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Two tertiary-care uveitis practices at academic medical centers.

A Competency Framework for Health Research Ethics Educational Programs: Results from a Stakeholder-Driven Mixed-Method Process.

Educational programs are integral to building health research ethics (HRE) capacity, but no outcomes framework exists to guide them. We empirically developed a competency framework for health research ethics education-the Framework for Research Ethics Studies Competencies and Outcomes (FRESCO)-using mixed methods, including group concept mapping and a survey of international experts. FRESCO includes seven competency domains: (1) Foundational Knowledge; (2) Laws, Regulations, Guidelines, and Policies for Research Oversight; (3) Ethical-Issue Identification, Analysis, and Resolution; (4) Engagement, Communication, and Advocacy; (5) Lifelong Learning, Education, Research, and Scholarship; (6) Coordination, Stewardship, and Responsiveness in HRE Systems; and (7) Impartiality, Honesty, and Responsibility.

Integration of a geospatially targeted community-based testing approach with respondent-driven sampling to identify people who inject drugs living with HIV and HCV in Patti and Gorakhpur, India.

Background: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a network recruitment approach, is effective at reaching people who inject drugs (PWID), but other strategies may be needed to reach PWID at risk or living with HIV and/or Hepatitis C (HCV). We examined the impact of integrating geospatially targeted community-based HIV/HCV testing with an RDS survey.

Methods: PWID were recruited between 2019 and 2021 in Patti and Gorakhpur, India, in a two-phased approach for identifying PWID living with HIV/HCV.