Placental ischemia during pregnancy induces hypertension, cerebral inflammation, and oxidative stress in dams postpartum.

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized as de novo hypertension (HTN) with end-organ damage, especially in the brain. PE is hypothesized to be caused by placental ischemia. PE affects ~5-8% of USA pregnancies and increases the risk for HTN and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD) later in life.

Impact of Physical and Psychological Strain on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Construction Industry.

This study examined the interplay between physical workload, psychological stress, and the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among construction workers in Indonesia. This cross-sectional study used a purposive sampling technique to gather quantitative data from 409 respondents working in four construction companies through structured questionnaires. Data collection tools included the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire III (COPSOQ III), the K10 scale for psychosocial distress, and the Nordic Body Map for musculoskeletal symptoms.

A qualitative process evaluation of SBIRT implementation in pediatric trauma centers using the Science to Service Laboratory implementation strategy.

Background: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based practice that can identify adolescents who use alcohol and other drugs and support proper referral to treatment. Despite an American College of Surgeons mandate to deliver SBIRT in pediatric trauma care, trauma centers throughout the United States have faced numerous patient, provider, and organizational level barriers to SBIRT implementation. The Implementing Alcohol Misuse Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment Study (IAMSBIRT) aimed to implement SBIRT across 10 pediatric trauma centers using the Science-to-Service Laboratory (SSL), an empirically supported implementation strategy.

Examining the associations between social support and postpartum depression symptoms among adolescent mothers in Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: Globally, adolescent mothers are at increased risk for postpartum depression (PPD). In Kenya, 15% of adolescent girls become mothers before the age of 18. While social support can buffer a mother's risk of PPD, there are gaps in knowledge as to whether-and which types-of social support are protective for adolescent mothers in Kenya.

Hyperhomocysteinemia-induced VCID results in visual deficits, reduced neuroinflammation and vascular alterations in the retina.

Over recent years, the retina has been increasingly investigated as a potential biomarker for dementia. A number of studies have looked at the effect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology on the retina and the associations of AD with visual deficits. However, while OCT-A has been explored as a biomarker of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), studies identifying the specific retinal changes and mechanisms associated with cSVD are lacking.

Reproductive health literacy scale: a tool to measure the effectiveness of health literacy training.

Background: Refugee women's reproductive health (RH) outcomes have been impacted by several factors, including experiencing war, lack of access to healthcare, and possible gender-based violence. After resettlement, low health literacy, financial difficulties, cultural and linguistic barriers, and unfamiliarity with the healthcare system also add to the preexisting barriers. Although several efforts have focused on health education and improving health literacy among refugee women, there has not been a validated tool to measure the effectiveness of these trainings and their possible impact.

Lewy body diseases and the gut.

Gastrointestinal (GI) involvement in Lewy body diseases (LBDs) has been observed since the initial descriptions of patients by James Parkinson. Recent experimental and human observational studies raise the possibility that pathogenic alpha-synuclein (⍺-syn) might develop in the GI tract and subsequently spread to susceptible brain regions. The cellular and mechanistic origins of ⍺-syn propagation in disease are under intense investigation.

Targeting PCSK9, through an innovative cVLP-based vaccine, enhanced the therapeutic activity of a cVLP-HER2 vaccine in a preclinical model of HER2-positive mammary carcinoma.

Background: HER2-targeted therapies have revolutionized the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer patients, leading to significant improvements in tumor response rates and survival. However, resistance and incomplete response remain considerable challenges. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibition is a novel therapeutic strategy for the management of dyslipidemia by enhancing the clearance of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol receptors, however recent evidence also shows links between PCSK9 and cancer cells.

Association of pre- and post-diagnosis dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) with overall survival in patients with ovarian cancer: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The evidence on the relationship of dietary antioxidant nutrients with the survival of ovarian cancer (OC) remains scarce.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate these associations in a prospective cohort of Chinese patients with OC.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, patients with epithelial OC completed a food frequency questionnaire at diagnosis and 12 months post-diagnosis, and were followed from 2015 to 2023.

APOEε4 alters ApoE and Fabp7 in frontal cortex white matter in prodromal Alzheimer's disease.

The ApoE ε4 allele (APOEε4) is a major genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is linked to demyelination and cognitive decline. However, its effects on the lipid transporters apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and fatty acid-binding protein 7 (Fabp7), which are crucial for the maintenance of myelin in white matter (WM) during the progression of AD remain underexplored. To evaluate the effects of APOEε4 on ApoE, Fabp7 and myelin in the WM of the frontal cortex (FC), we examined individuals carrying one ε4 allele that came to autopsy with a premortem clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild to moderate AD compared with non-carrier counterparts.

Intricate interplay of CRISPR-Cas systems, anti-CRISPR proteins, and antimicrobial resistance genes in a globally successful multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae clone.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most prevalent pathogens responsible for multiple infections in healthcare settings and the community. K. pneumoniae CG147, primarily including ST147 (the founder ST), ST273, and ST392, is one of the most globally successful MDR clone linked to various carbapenemases.

Impact of advanced lung cancer inflammation index on all-cause mortality among patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis with reconstructed time-to-event data.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is associated with systemic inflammation and hypercatabolic syndrome, impacting body metabolism. The advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) is a novel inflammatory and nutritional biomarker. We aimed to investigate the prognostic role of ALI in patients with HF.

The association of previous and current non-chronic low back pain with daily physical activity in middle- and older-aged adults.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of years lived with disability. However, the association of non-chronic LBP with levels of daily physical activity (PA) remains poorly explored. This study investigated the association between previous and current non-chronic LBP with daily PA and compliance with PA recommendations in middle and older-aged adults.

Current status and factors influencing kinesiophobia in patients with meniscus injury: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationships between kinesiophobia and injury severity, balance ability, knee pain intensity, self-efficacy, and functional status in patients with meniscus injuries and to identify key predictors of kinesiophobia.

Design: A single-center, prospective cross-sectional study.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 123 patients diagnosed with meniscus injuries at Fujian Provincial Hospital was conducted.

NTHi killing activity is reduced in COPD patients and is associated with a differential microbiome.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease characterized by airway obstruction and inflammation. Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) lung infections are common in COPD, promoting frequent exacerbations and accelerated lung function decline. The relationship with immune responses and NTHi are poorly understood.

A community-based approach to address lung cancer screening disparities in the black community using the Witness Project framework: development and pilot trial.

Background: Disparities in lung cancer outcomes persist among Black Americans, necessitating targeted interventions to address screening inequities. This paper reports the development and refinement of Witness Project Lung, a community-based initiative tailored to the specific needs of the Black community, aiming to improve awareness and engagement with lung cancer screening.

Methods: Utilizing a user-centered design and guided by the original Witness Project framework - an evidence-based lay health advisor intervention program originally developed to increase knowledge and awareness about breast cancer risk and screening in the Black community and later trans-created to the cervical and colorectal cancer screening contexts - Witness Project Lung was developed and refined through qualitative input from key stakeholders in the Black faith community.

A comprehensive allele specific expression resource for the equine transcriptome.

Background: Allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis provides a nuanced view of cis-regulatory mechanisms affecting gene expression.

Results: An equine ASE analysis was performed, using integrated Iso-seq and short-read RNA sequencing data from four healthy Thoroughbreds (2 mares and 2 stallions) across 9 tissues from the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes (FAANG) project. Allele expression was quantified by haplotypes from long-read data, with 42,900 allele expression events compared.

Effect of intraoperative noise isolation on postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common complications following general anesthesia, particularly in gynecological laparoscopic surgeries. This study aims to evaluate the effect of intraoperative noise isolation on PONV incidence.

Method: This single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial will enroll 192 adult patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgery.

Liposomal bupivacaine as one component of the postoperative management of limb amputations in cats: a retrospective study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) as part of an opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic protocol on postoperative pain control in cats undergoing limb amputation surgery compared with traditional pain management protocols more heavily reliant on injectable opioid and non-opioid analgesics.

Methods: Medical records of 29 cats that underwent forelimb or hindlimb amputation were reviewed to evaluate postoperative systemic pain medications utilized, appetite and time to discharge as presumptive gauges of postoperative pain. Statistical analysis of the data included Wilcoxon's rank-sum test and Fisher's exact test.

Enhancing individual glomerular filtration rate assessment: can we trust the equation? Development and validation of machine learning models to assess the trustworthiness of estimated GFR compared to measured GFR.

Background: Creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations are widely used in clinical practice but exhibit inherent limitations. On the other side, measuring GFR is time consuming and not available in routine clinical practice. We developed and validated machine learning models to assess the trustworthiness (i.

Single cell RNA sequencing improves the next generation of approaches to AML treatment: challenges and perspectives.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is caused by altered maturation and differentiation of myeloid blasts, as well as transcriptional/epigenetic alterations, all leading to excessive proliferation of malignant blood cells in the bone marrow. Tumor heterogeneity due to the acquisition of new somatic alterations leads to a high rate of resistance to current therapies or reduces the efficacy of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), thus increasing the risk of relapse and mortality. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) will enable the classification of AML and guide treatment approaches by profiling patients with different facets of the same disease, stratifying risk, and identifying new potential therapeutic targets at the time of diagnosis or after treatment.

Distinct Circle of Willis anatomical configurations in healthy preterm born adults: a 3D time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography study.

Background: Preterm birth (< 37 weeks' gestation) alters cerebrovascular development due to the premature transition from a foetal to postnatal circulatory system, with potential implications for future cerebrovascular health. This study aims to explore potential differences in the Circle of Willis (CoW), a key arterial ring that perfuses the brain, of healthy adults born preterm.

Methods: A total of 255 participants (108 preterm, 147 full-term) were included in the analysis.

Unanchored simulated treatment comparison on survival outcomes using parametric and Royston-Parmar models with application to lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Population-adjusted indirect comparison using parametric Simulated Treatment Comparison (STC) has had limited application to survival outcomes in unanchored settings. Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparison (MAIC) is commonly used but does not account for violation of proportional hazards or enable extrapolations of survival. We developed and applied a novel methodology for STC in unanchored settings.

Genomic biomarkers of survival in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer undergoing intensified androgen deprivation therapy.

Introduction: Androgen deprivation therapy intensification (ADTi) with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPI), docetaxel or both has been shown to improve survival outcomes in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Currently, baseline tumor genomic markers have no role in clinical decision-making in patients with mHSPC.

Methods: In this IRB-approved retrospective study, patients diagnosed with mHSPC who underwent comprehensive genomic profiling from primary tissue or metastatic sites and treated with ADTi were included.