Severity and Long-Term Mortality of COVID-19, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Importance: SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) contribute to many hospitalizations and deaths each year. Understanding relative disease severity can help to inform vaccination guidance.

Objective: To compare disease severity of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV among US veterans.

Essential Thrombocythemia: A Review.

Importance: Essential thrombocythemia, a clonal myeloproliferative neoplasm with excessive platelet production, is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis and bleeding. The annual incidence rate of essential thrombocythemia in the US is 1.5/100 000 persons.

Immuno-oncology in the daily practice.

Purpose Of Review: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have become an integral part of oncology treatment. ICI currently has approval for more than thirty tumor types with proven efficacy. However, ICI can expose patients to inflammatory side effects, such as immuno-related adverse events (irAE).

Building a Bridge Between the Mechanism of EBV Reactivation and the Treatment of EBV-Associated Cancers.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is closely associated with the development of various tumors such as lymphomas and epithelial cancers. EBV has a discrete life cycle with latency and lytic phases. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the understanding of the mechanism underlying the transition of EBV from latency to lytic replication.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study Including Patients with More than 10 Years of Follow-up.

The longest reported follow-up for thermal ablation of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is 5 years. We evaluated the long-term efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with low-risk PTMC with clinical follow-up of more than 10 years. In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients with low-risk PTMC who had more than 10 years of follow-up after ultrasound (US)-guided RFA (performed between May 2008 and December 2013).

The Association Between the CALLY Index and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with COPD: Results from the Cohort Study of NHANES 2007-2010.

Purpose: The C-reactive protein (CRP)-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index is a newly developed biomarker that combines measurements of CRP, serum albumin, and lymphocyte count. This index provides a thorough assessment of a patient's inflammation level, nutritional condition, and immunological function. The objective of this study is to examine the correlation between the CALLY index and all-cause mortality in COPD patients.

Development and validation of a glycolysis-associated gene signature for predicting the prognosis, immune landscape, and drug sensitivity in bladder cancer.

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and its prognostication and treatment remains challenging. The fast growth of various cancer cells requires reprogramming of its energy metabolism using aerobic glycolysis as a major energy source. However, the prognostic and therapeutic value of glycolysis-related genes in BCa remains to be determined.

Exploring the Epidemiological Characteristics and Survival Analysis Among Prostate Cancer Patients Under 50: A Seer-Based Population Study.

Background And Aims: Even though aging is a known risk factor for prostate cancer incidence and mortality, there has been an increase in incidence among young men since the late 1980s with notably lower survival rates than those among older men. However, there is insufficient knowledge about recent trends in the incidence and survival of this disease.

Methods: We analyzed prostatic cancer incidence trends in men under 50 from 1975 to 2020 using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 8 registries data.

Engaging Patients with Headache in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA): ACTIvated Veterans Engagement Group (ACTIVE) to Improve Delivery of Patient-Centered Headache Services.

In 2018, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) established the original 19 Headache Centers of Excellence (HCoE) program, and an evaluation center. This study utilized a Veteran engagement group method to elicit input from Veteran patients living with chronic headache on daily needs, social determinants of health, and preferences and suggestions for headache programs, services, and research priorities. Four engagement groups were conducted between July 13 and August 22 of 2022 with Veterans who experience headache and received care at a VHA HCoE.

Assessing the Value of Further Investment in R&D Using Mixed Methods: A Case Study of Biosensor-Integrated Arteriovenous Grafts.

This study illustrates the utility of a mixed-methods approach in assessing the value of an example novel technology-biosensor-integrated self-reporting arteriovenous grafts (smart AVGs). Currently in preclinical development, the device will detect arteriovenous graft stenosis (surveillance-only use case) and treat stenosis (interventional use case). The approach to value assessment adopted in this study was multifaceted, with one stage informing the next and comprised a stakeholder engagement with clinical experts to explore the device's clinical value, a cost-utility analysis (CUA) from a US Medicare perspective to estimate pricing headroom, and an investment model estimating risk-adjusted net present value analysis (rNPVs) to determine commercial viability.

Overweight and glucose/lipid metabolism abnormality associated with SSRIs: a pharmacovigilance study based on the FDA adverse event reporting system.

Background: In the past few decades, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) became widely used antidepressants worldwide. Therefore, the adverse reactions of patients after SSRI administration became a public and clinical concern. In this study, we conducted a pharmacovigilance study using the Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database of the US Food and Drug Administration.

Association between lipid accumulation product and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study based on U.S. adults.

Background: Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP), which is derived from measurements of waist circumference and triglyceride (TG) levels, serves as a comprehensive indicator of lipid accumulation. Emerging research indicates that lipid accumulation dysfunction might significantly contribute to the pathogenesis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Nevertheless, the investigation into the association between LAP and COPD risk is still insufficient, particularly in population-based research.

A clinical algorithm to identify people with the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase p.Val68Met variant at risk for diabetes undertreatment.

Purpose: To develop an algorithm using routine clinical laboratory measurements to identify people at risk for systematic underestimation of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) due to p.Val68Met glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Methods: We analyzed 122,307 participants of self-identified Black race across four large cohorts with blood glucose, HbA1c, and red cell distribution width measurements from a single blood draw.

Computable Phenotypes for Respiratory Viral Infections in the Research Program.

Electronic health records (EHRs) contain rich temporal data about infectious diseases, but an optimal approach to identify infections remains undefined. Using the Research Program, we developed computable phenotypes for respiratory viruses by integrating billing codes, prescriptions, and laboratory results within 90-day episodes. Phenotypes computed from 265,222 participants yielded cohorts ranging from 238 (adenovirus) to 28,729 (SARS-CoV-2) cases.

Perception of Pedodontists Regarding Dental Care in Children with Special Needs in India: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Pedodontists have a vital role in maintaining the overall health of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) by providing basic, preventive, comprehensive, and restorative dental care to such children. In doing so, Pedodontists face many challenges due to several environmental and nonenvironmental barriers.

Aim: The aim is to gain insight into the perceptions of Pedodontists in India on providing oral health care to CSHCN and the challenges they encounter in doing so.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder in a Pediatric Obese Patient.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) can present with limited food variety, intake, or aversions. The symptoms can manifest at any age and typically appear in the first few years of life. The prevalence of ARFID varies widely among clinical and non-clinical populations, and its diagnosis requires trained health professionals to ensure early detection and prevention of poor outcomes.

Overlapping of DRESS and Stevens-Johnson syndrome due to first-line antituberculosis drugs: a case report.

The overlap of Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) caused by antituberculosis drugs represents an extremely rare event. This situation can manifest between 2 and 8 weeks after the first exposure to the medication. The overlap of these conditions can lead to atypical clinical manifestations, thus complicating the early diagnosis and the implementation of early treatment.

Pharmacist-led DE-eSCALation of opioids post-surgical dischargE (DESCALE) - A multi-centre, non-randomised, feasibility study protocol.

Background: Opioids are frequently prescribed for short-term acute pain following surgery. Used appropriately, opioids deliver extremely favourable pain relief. Used longer than 90-days, however, can result in health complications, including unintentional overdose and addiction.

Development of a qPCR assay to identify and differentiate insect-associated strains of the complex.

The complex contains important opportunistic pathogens of humans and vertebrate animals, as well as insects and other invertebrates. To date, the methods used for the identification of species within the genus , including PCR assays, have poor discriminatory power and may require further molecular typing or genomic sequence analysis to determine clinical relevance. We developed a duplex TaqMan probe-based quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the gene, which is involved in chitin degradation and transport, and the gene, which is involved in urease production.

The Predictive Value of a Nomogram Based on Ultrasound Radiomics, Clinical Factors, and Enhanced Ultrasound Features for Central Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

This study aims to establish and validate an ultrasound radiomics nomogram for preoperative prediction of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) before operation. A retrospective analysis conducted on ultrasonic images and clinical features derived from 288 PTMC patients, who were divided into training cohorts ( = 201) and validating cohorts ( = 87) in a ratio of 7:3 base on the principle of random allocation. Radiomics features were extracted from the PTMC patients after ultrasonic examination, followed by dimension reduction and characteristic selection to construct the radiomics score (Radscore) using LASSO regression analysis.

Second-generation anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies for Alzheimer's disease: current landscape and future perspectives.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Monoclonal antibodies (MABs) serve as a promising therapeutic approach for AD by selectively targeting key pathogenic factors, such as amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, tau protein, and neuroinflammation. Specifically, based on their efficacy in removing Aβ plaques from the brains of patients with AD, the U.

Phase I trial of hydroxychloroquine to enhance palbociclib and letrozole efficacy in ER+/HER2- breast cancer.

Endocrine therapy with CDK4/6 inhibitors is standard for estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (ER+/HER2- MBC), yet clinical resistance develops. Previously, we demonstrated that low doses of palbociclib activate autophagy, reversing initial G1 cell cycle arrest, while high concentrations induce off-target senescence. The autophagy inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) induced on-target senescence at lower palbociclib doses.

Development of a Clinically Applicable Deep Learning System Based on Sparse Training Data to Accurately Detect Acute Intracranial Hemorrhage from Non-enhanced Head Computed Tomography.

Non-enhanced head computed tomography is widely used for patients presenting with head trauma or stroke, given acute intracranial hemorrhage significantly influences clinical decision-making. This study aimed to develop a deep learning algorithm, referred to as DeepCT, to detect acute intracranial hemorrhage on non-enhanced head computed tomography images and evaluate its clinical applicability. We retrospectively collected 1,815 computed tomography image sets from a single center for model training.

Development of a comprehensive food glycomic database and its application: Associations between dietary carbohydrates and insulin resistance.

Carbohydrates are an integral part of a healthy diet. The molecular compositions of carbohydrates encompass a very broad range of unique structures with many being ill-defined. This vast structural complexity is distilled into vague categories such as total carbohydrates, sugars, starches, and soluble/insoluble fibers.

Finding a needle in a haystack: functional screening for novel targets in cancer immunology and immunotherapies.

Genome-wide functional genetic screening has been widely used in the biomedicine field, which makes it possible to find a needle in a haystack at the genetic level. In cancer research, gene mutations are closely related to tumor development, metastasis, and recurrence, and the use of state-of-the-art powerful screening technologies, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR), to search for the most critical genes or coding products provides us with a new possibility to further refine the cancer mapping and provide new possibilities for the treatment of cancer patients. The use of CRISPR screening for the most critical genes or coding products has further refined the cancer atlas and provided new possibilities for the treatment of cancer patients.