Oral microbial extracellular DNA initiates periodontitis through gingival degradation by fibroblast-derived cathepsin K in mice.

Periodontitis is a highly prevalent disease leading to uncontrolled osteoclastic jawbone resorption and ultimately edentulism; however, the disease onset mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Here we propose a mechanism for initial pathology based on results obtained using a recently developed Osteoadsorptive Fluogenic Sentinel (OFS) probe that emits a fluorescent signal triggered by cathepsin K (Ctsk) activity. In a ligature-induced mouse model of periodontitis, a strong OFS signal is observed before the establishment of chronic inflammation and bone resorption.

Maternal diabetes and childhood cancer risks in offspring: two population-based studies.

Background: The effect of maternal diabetes on childhood cancer has not been widely studied.

Methods: We examined this in two population-based studies in Denmark (N = 6420 cancer cases, 160,484 controls) and Taiwan (N = 2160 cancer cases, 2,076,877 non-cases) using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression adjusted for birth year, child's sex, maternal age and birth order.

Results: Gestational diabetes in Denmark [odds ratio (OR) = 0.

A qualitative study of COVID-19 vaccine decision making among urban Native Americans.

Background: Significant disparities in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality exist for Native American (NA) people, the majority of whom live in urban areas. COVID-19 vaccination is a key strategy for mitigating these disparities; however, vaccination disparities affect NA communities. The current study investigated COVID-19 vaccine decision-making before widespread vaccine rollout occurred, among urban NA communities.

Serious adverse events of special interest following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in randomized trials in adults.

Introduction: In 2020, prior to COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the Brighton Collaboration created a priority list, endorsed by the World Health Organization, of potential adverse events relevant to COVID-19 vaccines. We adapted the Brighton Collaboration list to evaluate serious adverse events of special interest observed in mRNA COVID-19 vaccine trials.

Methods: Secondary analysis of serious adverse events reported in the placebo-controlled, phase III randomized clinical trials of Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in adults (NCT04368728 and NCT04470427), focusing analysis on Brighton Collaboration adverse events of special interest.

"The System Doesn't Let Us in"-A Call for Inclusive COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach Rooted in Los Angeles Latinos' Experience of Pandemic Hardships and Inequities.

Objective: Latino adults in Los Angeles have experienced disproportionate cases, deaths, and socioeconomic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study aimed to explore community perspectives on readiness for COVID-19 vaccination and to identify culturally tailored vaccine outreach strategies.

Methods: We conducted virtual focus groups with Los Angeles County Latino/a residents via Zoom between December 2020 to January 2021, as the first COVID-19 vaccines were receiving Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

Postdocs as Key to Faculty Diversity: A Structured and Collaborative Approach for Research Universities.

Over the past 50 years the diversity of higher education faculty in the mathematical, physical, computer, and engineering sciences (MPCES) has advanced very little at 4-year universities in the United States. This is despite laws and policies such as affirmative action, interventions by universities, and enormous financial investment by federal agencies to diversify science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) career pathways into academia. Data comparing the fraction of underrepresented minority (URM) postdoctoral scholars to the fraction of faculty at these institutions offer a straightforward empirical explanation for this state of affairs.

Causes of Outcome Learning: a causal inference-inspired machine learning approach to disentangling common combinations of potential causes of a health outcome.

Nearly all diseases are caused by different combinations of exposures. Yet, most epidemiological studies focus on estimating the effect of a single exposure on a health outcome. We present the Causes of Outcome Learning approach (CoOL), which seeks to discover combinations of exposures that lead to an increased risk of a specific outcome in parts of the population.

Influence of Perceived Adolescent Vaccination Desire on Parent Decision for Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccination.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of adolescents' desire for COVID-19 vaccination on their parents' vaccination decision for their adolescent.

Methods: We surveyed an internet-based panel of 1,051 parents of 1,519 adolescents aged 11-18 years from February to March 2021 about their adolescent's desire for COVID-19 vaccination and whether they consider this desire in their vaccination decision for the adolescent. We used multivariable Poisson regression to assess associations with parent-stated likelihood of adolescent vaccination.

Comparative Effectiveness of Dialysis Modality on Laboratory Parameters of Mineral Metabolism.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorders (CKD-MBD) are prevalent in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis. Yet, there are limited and mixed evidence on the effects of different dialysis modalities involving longer treatment times or higher frequencies on CKD-MBD markers.

Methods: This cohort study used data from 132,523 incident dialysis patients treated with any of the following modalities: conventional thrice-weekly in-center hemodialysis, nocturnal in-center hemodialysis (NICHD), home hemodialysis (HHD), or peritoneal dialysis (PD) from 2007 to 2011.

School-Age Children's Wellbeing and School-Related Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background And Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic and related school closures may have disrupted school-related supports and services important to children's wellbeing. However, we lack national data about US children's wellbeing and family priorities for school-related services. We sought to determine 1) children's social-emotional wellbeing and 2) needs and priorities for school-based services in the 2021-2022 school year among a US sample of parents of school-aged children.

Performance of diagnostic coding and laboratory testing results to measure COVID-19 during pregnancy and associations with pregnancy outcomes.

Background: Large-scale evaluation of COVID-19 is likely to rely on the quality of ICD coding. However, little is known about the validity of ICD-coded COVID-19 diagnoses.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of diagnostic codes in detecting COVID-19 during pregnancy.

The PACAP/PAC1 Receptor System and Feeding.

Pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) belongs to the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)/secretin/glucagon superfamily. PACAP is present in two forms (PACAP-38 and PACAP-27) and binds to three guanine-regulatory (G) protein-coupled receptors (PAC1, VPAC1, and VPAC2). PACAP is expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, with high PACAP levels found in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in feeding and energy homeostasis.

The Clinical Consistency and Utility of ICD-11 Diagnostic Guidelines for Gaming Disorder: A Field Study Among the Chinese Population.

As a new category proposed in the (11th Revision) (ICD-11), the reliability and clinical utility of ICD diagnostic guidelines for gaming disorder (GD) in the Chinese population have not been studied. The purpose of this field study is to clarify the reliability, clinical utility, and cultural applicability of ICD diagnostic guidelines for GD in China and its comparability with Internet GD (IGD) in the (Fifth Edition) (DSM-5). Participants included 21 paired clinical raters consisting of seven psychiatrists and 200 gaming players aged from 15 to 18 years with different risk levels of Internet addiction based on the scores of Young's Internet Addiction Test.

Cohort study of familial viral hepatitis and risks of paediatric cancers.

Background: Although viral hepatitis causes paediatric hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic and extrahepatic cancers in adults, there are few epidemiologic studies on paediatric-cancer risks from parental viral hepatitis. In a nationwide study in a viral hepatitis endemic region and with confirmation in another population-based sample, we examined associations between parental hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infections and risks of cancers in offspring.

Methods: We included all children born in Taiwan in 2004-2014 (N = 2 079 037) with 2160 cancer cases ascertained from the Cancer Registry.