AAC narrative intervention for children with autism.

In research, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions have primarily focused on teaching children to make requests; however, AAC intervention should not stop there. There is a dearth of AAC intervention research targeting other communicative functions, despite there being a significant need to enhance children's communication competence in a variety of social and educational contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine the initial efficacy and feasibility of an AAC narrative intervention on the picture-supported retelling skills of three children with autism, aged 6-9 years old.

A Multivariate Analysis of a Modified Frailty Index on Perioperative Morbidity and Mortality Following Non-Emergent Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Objective: Frailty has become an increasingly recognized perioperative risk stratification tool. While frailty has been strongly correlated with worsening surgical outcomes, the individual determinants of frailty have rarely been investigated in the setting of aortic disease. The aim of this study was to examine the determinants of an 11-factor modified frailty index (mFI-11) on mortality and postoperative complications in patients undergoing endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR).

Safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in adults with generalised myasthenia gravis (Vivacity-MG3): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Given burdensome side-effects and long latency for efficacy with conventional agents, there is a continued need for generalised myasthenia gravis treatments that are safe and provide consistently sustained, long-term disease control. Nipocalimab, a neonatal Fc receptor blocker, was associated with dose-dependent reductions in total IgG and anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies and clinically meaningful improvements in the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scale in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis in a phase 2 study. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of nipocalimab in a phase 3 study.

Sleep Quality, Nutritional Habits, and Physical Activity in Pediatric Cancer Survivors: A Dyadic Analysis Approach.

Background/objectives: Sleep disturbances are prevalent among pediatric cancer survivors (PCSs) and their caregivers, often leading to poorer dietary choices and reduced physical activity. Additionally, the sleep quality and health behaviors of parents and children can affect each other. This study examined bi-directional associations between PCSs and their parents' sleep quality and health-related behaviors.

Less Is More: Evaluating the Benefits of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery.

This review aims to explore the evolution, techniques, and outcomes of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) within the field of neurosurgery. We sought to address the increasing burden of spine degeneration in a rapidly aging population and the need for optimizing surgical management. This review explores various techniques in MISS, drawing upon evidence from retrospective studies, case series, systematic reviews, and technological advancements in neurosurgical spine treatment.

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Protects Neurons Against Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration During Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an inflammatory disease causing neurodegeneration. One of the consequences of inflammation is an elevated blood level of fibrinogen (Fg). Earlier we found that extravasated Fg induced an increased expression of neuronal nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65.

Immune-Based and Novel Therapies in Variant Histology Renal Cell Carcinomas.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a heterogeneous disease that represents the most common type of kidney cancer. The classification of RCC is primarily based on distinct morphological and molecular characteristics, with two broad categories: clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and non-clear cell RCC (nccRCC). Clear cell RCC is the predominant subtype, representing about 70-80% of all RCC cases, while non-clear cell subtypes collectively make up the remaining 20-30%.

Comparison of Outcomes of Haploidentical Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide in Older Versus Younger Patients.

Background: Previous studies have shown that allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) from an HLA haploidentical (haplo) donor followed by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) results in lower relapse rates and improved DFS when compared to haplo bone marrow transplant (BMT) with PTCy. However, PBSCT leads to higher rates of GVHD. It is unknown whether the benefits of haplo PBSCT may be nullified in older patients (>60 years) by a higher susceptibility to GVHD and transplant related toxicity.

A Review of Telomere Attrition in Cancer and Aging: Current Molecular Insights and Future Therapeutic Approaches.

Background/objectives: As cells divide, telomeres shorten through a phenomenon known as telomere attrition, which leads to unavoidable senescence of cells. Unprotected DNA exponentially increases the odds of mutations, which can evolve into premature aging disorders and tumorigenesis. There has been growing academic and clinical interest in exploring this duality and developing optimal therapeutic strategies to combat telomere attrition in aging and cellular immortality in cancer.

Professional organizations representing black pharmacists in hospitals and the health-systems.

Pharmacy associations representing Black pharmacists practicing in hospitals and the health-systems are not well documented. Their stories, challenges, and accomplishments remain relatively untold. Through historical review, the roles of Black pharmacists and their organizations in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, supporting the professional growth and development of Black pharmacists in hospitals, and advocating for healthcare policies that address the needs of Black communities will be reviewed.

Delta-Radiomics Using Machine Learning Classifiers With Auxiliary Data Sets to Predict Disease Progression During Magnetic Resonance-Guided Radiotherapy in Adrenal Metastases.

Purpose: Adaptive radiotherapy accounts for interfractional anatomic changes. We hypothesize that changes in the gross tumor volumes identified during daily scans could be analyzed using delta-radiomics to predict disease progression events. We evaluated whether an auxiliary data set could improve prediction performance.

Long-Term Family Needs After a Traumatic Brain Injury: A VA TBI Model Systems Study.

Objective: To describe the self-reported needs of family caregivers of service members and veterans (SMVs) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) at 10 to 15 years post-injury and to identify unique predictors of unmet family needs.

Setting: Five Department of Veterans Affairs Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers.

Participants: A total of 209 family caregivers of SMVs with TBI from the VA TBI Model Systems national database who completed a 10- or 15-year follow-up assessment.

Development and Pilot Implementation of a Theory-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation Protocol for Adults With Chronic Cognitive Complaints After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the development of and pilot feasibility outcomes for a strategy-based, brief, intensive cognitive rehabilitation intervention delivered to U.S. service members and veterans with mild traumatic brain injury in a recently completed 3-year pragmatic clinical trial: Symptom-Targeted Approach to Rehabilitation for Concussion (STAR-C).

Signal peptidase SpsB coordinates staphylococcal cell cycle, surface protein septal trafficking, and LTA synthesis.

Unlabelled: Cell wall-anchored surface proteins of Gram-positive bacteria, harboring a highly conserved YSIRK/G-S signal peptide (SP), are deposited at cell division septum and anchored to septal peptidoglycan. The mechanisms supporting YSIRK protein septal trafficking remain elusive. Previously, we identified that LtaS-mediated lipoteichoic acid (LTA) synthesis restricts septal trafficking of YSIRK+ proteins in .

Cell Wall Protein 2 as a Vaccine Candidate Protects Mice Against Infection.

Background/objectives: is a Gram-positive, spore-forming enteric pathogen that causes intestinal disorders, including inflammation and diarrhea, primarily through toxin production. Standard treatment options for infection (CDI) involve a limited selection of antibiotics that are not fully effective, leading to high recurrence rates. Vaccination presents a promising strategy for preventing both CDI and its recurrence.

Anthoteibinenes F-Q: New Sesquiterpenes from the Irish Deep-Sea Coral .

New technology has opened opportunities for research and exploration of deep-water ecosystems, highlighting deep-sea coral reefs as a rich source of novel bioactive natural products. During our ongoing investigation of the chemodiversity of the Irish deep sea and the soft coral we report 12 unreported cadinene-like functionalized sesquiterpenes, anthoteibinenes F-Q. The metabolites were isolated using both bioassay- and H NMR-guided approaches.

Public Health Travel Restrictions Implemented for Persons at Risk of Transmitting SARS-CoV-2 Infection-United States, January 1, 2020-April 6, 2022.

Context: Federal public health travel restrictions (FPHTR) in the United States are implemented for persons who meet specific criteria to prevent spread of communicable diseases of public health concern. FPHTR can mitigate the risk of disease transmission during air travel and mitigating disease translocation between geographic areas.

Objective: To characterize and determine the extent of FPHTR implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crosstalk between Gut Microbiota and Cancer Immunotherapy: Present Investigations and Future Perspective.

Gut microbiota is crucial for protecting the homeostasis of immune locally and systemically, and its dysbiosis is essentially correlated to tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and refractoriness to cancer treatments, including the novel immunotherapy. Increasing evidence unravel the intricate role of gut microbiota in reshaping tumor microenvironment and affecting the efficacy and toxicities of immunotherapy, which shed more light on the future applications of gut microbiota in efficacious biomarker and combination treatment of immunotherapy. To better grasp the underlying crosstalk between gut microbiota and immunotherapy, more experimental and clinical trials are indispensable for the customized gut microbiota-based treatments in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy.

Advancements in AI Medical Education: Assessing ChatGPT's Performance on USMLE-Style Questions Across Topics and Difficulty Levels.

Background  AI language models have been shown to achieve a passing score on certain imageless diagnostic tests of the USMLE. However, they have failed certain specialty-specific examinations. This suggests there may be a difference in AI ability by medical topic or question difficulty.

October 2024 ACIP Meeting Update: Influenza, COVID-19, RSV and Other Vaccines.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group of medical and public health experts that provides advice to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, normally meets 3 times per year to develop US vaccine recommendations. The ACIP met October 23-24, 2024, to discuss influenza vaccines, chikungunya vaccines, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines, RSV immunizations, meningococcal vaccines, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, pneumococcal vaccines, and adult and child/adolescent immunization schedule revisions. This update summarizes the proceedings of these meetings, with an emphasis on topics that are most relevant to the pediatric population.

Survival Among Patients Treated with Total Mesorectal Excision or Selective Watch-and-Wait After Total Neoadjuvant Therapy: A Pooled Analysis of the CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA Randomized Phase II Trials.

Background: Prospective data comparing watch-and-wait (WW) to mandatory total mesorectal excision (TME) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remains limited, as randomized control trials assessing these two treatment approaches are considered impractical. This pooled analysis of the CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA trials analyzes survival outcomes among LARC patients managed with either a selective WW or mandatory TME strategy following total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT).

Patients And Methods: The CAO/ARO/AIO-12 and OPRA trials were multicenter, phase II trials that randomized patients with stage II/III rectal cancer to receive either induction or consolidation chemotherapy as part of TNT.

Short- and Intermediate-Term Morbidity Following Total Pelvic Exenteration in Colorectal Cancer.

Introduction: Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) for clinical T4b colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with significant morbidity. Short (0-30 days)- and intermediate (31-90 days)-term temporal analysis of complication onset is not well described, yet needed, to better counsel patients considering TPE.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with primary or recurrent clinical T4b pelvic CRC undergoing open TPE between 2014 and 2023 was conducted.

Risk of carcinomas among children and adolescents with birth defects.

Background: Birth defects are associated with childhood cancer, but little is known regarding pediatric carcinomas, a group of especially rare tumors.

Methods: We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for any carcinoma, as well as thyroid, hepatocellular, and renal carcinoma specifically, up to 18 years of age among children with major, non-syndromic anomalies or chromosomal/genetic syndromes, relative to unaffected children.

Results: Our registry-linkage study included nine states and 21,933,476 children between 1990 and 2018: 641,827 with non-syndromic anomalies, and 49,619 with syndromes.