Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: It is increasingly apparent that tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) begins in the brainstems of middle-aged patients, decades before the onset of symptoms. Most studies are, however, based on brain-bank cohorts and focus on patients dying of natural causes. The true incidence of tau pathology in the brainstem thus remains unclear.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is the primary source of serotonergic projections to supratentorial structures. We and others have shown that it is selectively vulnerable to tau pathology in both human and mouse models of early AD. Although well characterized in mice, the neurochemical anatomy of the human DRN, and in particular the role of Vesicular glutamate transporter-3 (VGLUT3)-expressing neocortical projection neurons in tau pathology, remains unclear.

Cost-effectiveness of AI for pediatric diabetic eye exams from a health system perspective.

Autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) for pediatric diabetic retinal disease (DRD) screening has demonstrated safety, effectiveness, and the potential to enhance health equity and clinician productivity. We examined the cost-effectiveness of an autonomous AI strategy versus a traditional eye care provider (ECP) strategy during the initial year of implementation from a health system perspective. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was the main outcome measure.

Overcoming mental health challenges in higher education: a narrative review.

Background: Mental health among higher education students is a critical public health concern, with numerous studies documenting its impact on student well-being and academic performance. However, comprehensive research on the factors contributing to mental health deterioration, including barriers to seeking psychological help, remains insufficient. Gathering evidence on this topic is crucial to advancing policies, advocacy, and improving mental health services in higher education.

Assessing the Risk of Kidney Stone Development in Patients With Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treated With Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors.

Background: The prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is rising with the global obesity epidemic. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs), such as acetazolamide, have been shown to be effective in IIH but can also lead to kidney stone formation. This study evaluates the risk of kidney stone development in patients with IIH treated with CAIs.

Private-Sector Readmissions for Inpatient Surgery in Veterans Health Administration Hospitals.

Importance: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reports multiple indicators of hospital surgical performance, including hospital risk-standardized 30-day readmission rates (RSRRs). Currently, most routinely reported measures do not include readmissions that occur outside VHA hospitals. The impact of readmissions outside the VHA on hospital RSRR is not known.

Reduced ATR Signaling Contributes to Endothelial Dysfunction After Preeclampsia.

Background: Women who had preeclampsia (a history of preeclampsia) have a >4-fold risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with women who had an uncomplicated pregnancy (history of healthy pregnancy). Despite the remission of clinical symptoms after pregnancy, vascular endothelial dysfunction persists postpartum, mediated in part by exaggerated Ang II (angiotensin II)-mediated constriction. However, the role of vasodilatory ATRs (Ang II type 2 receptors) in this dysfunction is unknown.

Genetic interaction analysis of transcription factors and in the regulation of respiration and fluconazole susceptibility.

is the second most common cause of invasive candidiasis and is widely known to have reduced susceptibility to fluconazole relative to many other spp. Upc2A is a transcription factor that regulates ergosterol biosynthesis gene expression under conditions of sterol stress such as azole drug treatment or hypoxia. Through an microevolution experiment, we found that loss-of-function mutants of the ATF/CREB transcription factor suppresses the fluconazole hyper-susceptibility of the ∆ mutant.

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus temporally after COVID-19 vaccination: a systematic review of uncontrolled case reports and case series.

Purpose: Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) following COVID-19 vaccination has been reported previously but the clinical characteristics, onset, treatment, and outcomes of these cases have not been previously systematically reviewed.

Methods: A systematic review, guided by PRISMA guidelines, surveyed PubMed and Embase databases from April 2021 to June 2023 for case reports and series detailing HZO following COVID-19 vaccination. Studies excluded were abstracts, reviews, and clinical trials.

Effects of statins on kidney function in older adults.

Background: The effect of statin therapy on kidney function among older adults is unclear.

Objectives: To examine the association between statin use and changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), positive or negative, in an older adult cohort with versus without chronic kidney disease (CKD) at baseline.

Methods: This analysis included 18,056 participants aged ≥65 years with versus without CKD at baseline in a randomized trial of low-dose aspirin, who had no prior cardiovascular events, major physical disability, or dementia initially.

Differential effects of Phosphodiesterase 4A5 on cAMP-dependent forms of long-term potentiation.

cAMP signalling is critical for memory consolidation and certain forms of long-term potentiation (LTP). Phosphodiesterases (PDEs), enzymes that degrade the second messengers cAMP and cGMP, are highly conserved during evolution and represent a unique set of drug targets, given the involvement of these enzymes in several pathophysiological states including brain disorders. The PDE4 family of cAMP-selective PDEs exert regulatory roles in memory and synaptic plasticity, but the specific roles of distinct PDE4 isoforms in these processes are poorly understood.

Determinants of Self-Medication in Immigrants: A Systematic Review.

Immigrants intended to more rely on self-medication because of the difficulty of accessing formal healthcare in host countries. Negative consequences could occur when self-medication was inappropriate. This study aimed to systematically explore the prevalence, sources and determinants of immigrants' self-medication and the extent of their inappropriate self-medication episodes.

A consensus platform for antibody characterization.

Antibody-based research applications are critical for biological discovery. Yet there are no industry standards for comparing the performance of antibodies in various applications. We describe a knockout cell line-based antibody characterization platform, developed and approved jointly by industry and academic researchers, that enables the systematic comparison of antibody performance in western blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence.

Building a Time-Series Model to Predict Hospitalization Risks in Home Health Care: Insights Into Development, Accuracy, and Fairness.

Objectives: Home health care (HHC) serves more than 5 million older adults annually in the United States, aiming to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits. Despite efforts, up to 25% of patients in HHC experience these adverse events. The underutilization of clinical notes, aggregated data approaches, and potential demographic biases have limited previous HHC risk prediction models.

Classification of chronic kidney disease in older Australian adults by the CKD-EPI 2009 and 2021 equations: secondary analysis of ASPREE study data.

Objectives: To assess the clinical impact on generally healthy older Australians of changing from the 2009 CKD-EPI (CKD-EPI) to the 2021 CKD-EPI (CKD-EPI) equation for calculating the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Study Design: Secondary analysis of data from the prospective ASPirin in Reducing events in the Elderly (ASPREE) cohort study.

Setting, Participants: Australians aged 70 years or older living in the community and without life-limiting medical conditions, recruited 1 March 2010 - 31 December 2014 for the ASPREE trial.

Aesthetic Clinical Case for Immediate Implant Therapy for Maxillary Central Incisor.

This case report features a female patient with the chief complaint of needing to replace an anterior crown. After a comprehensive oral assessment and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) radiographic examination, it was determined that the crown on Tooth #9 was subgingivally fractured. The procedure involved atraumatic extraction of Tooth #9, followed by immediate implant placement.

Dental Dam Isolation for Crown Removal, Atraumatic Tooth Extraction, Immediate Implant Placement, and Restoration Cementation: A Case Study.

Objectives: This case report describes the clinical protocols for the removal of crowns, tooth extraction, immediate implant placement, and cementation of new crowns, all performed under total or partial isolation with a dental dam.

Clinical Considerations: The patient's chief complaint was dissatisfaction with her smile. Radiographic and clinical evaluations led to the recommendation to replace the porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns on the maxillary central and lateral incisors with all-ceramic crowns.

Device Use Among Spanish-English Bilingual and English Monolingual Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Purpose: This report compares device use in a cohort of Spanish-English bilingual and English monolingual children who are deaf and hard of hearing, including children fitted with traditional hearing aids, cochlear implants (CIs), and/or bone-conduction hearing devices.

Method: Participants were 84 Spanish-English bilingual children and 85 English monolingual children from clinical sites across the United States. The data represent a subset obtained in a larger clinical trial.