Physicians Who Provide Primary Care in US Nursing Homes: Characteristics and Care Patterns.

Objectives: To examine practice trends and characteristics of primary care physicians providing care in US nursing homes.

Design: Retrospective cohort study using Medicare Fee-for-Service claims.

Setting And Participants: Physicians who provided primary care to long-stay nursing home residents.

The Stroll Safe Randomized Controlled Trial: Program Effects on Falls Self-Efficacy.

Objective: Outdoor falls can negatively impact the health and functional abilities of community-dwelling older adults. Although there are existing evidence-based programs for falls prevention, none specifically target outdoor falls. To fill this gap in research and practice, the Stroll Safe program was developed.

Urinary Incontinence Is an Independent Risk Factor for Nursing Home Placement Among Assisted Living Residents.

Objectives: Prior studies suggested that urinary incontinence (UI) may be a risk factor for nursing home (NH) placement among older community-dwelling individuals. Our objectives were to evaluate if UI is an independent risk factor in NH placement among assisted living (AL) residents and assess the impact of UI on NH placement by race/ethnicity.

Design: This retrospective cohort study is based on the 2019-2021 Medicare enrollment and claims data.

Impact of the lung allocation system score modification by blood type on US lung transplant candidates.

The lung continuous distribution system was modified on September 27, 2023, with the goal of increasing transplant access for blood-type-O candidates after an error was discovered in the simulation used to support the development of the initial allocation policy. This retrospective observational study compares national waitlist outcomes (transplant rate, waitlist mortality) under continuous distribution before (3/10/23-9/26/23; premodification) and after (9/27/23-4/14/24; postmodification) the blood-type score modification. We fit adjusted Poisson regression models of the transplant rate and mortality rate.

Systems Thinking in the Prevention, Control, and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases 2 (NTDs).

It is estimated that more than one billion people are affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Whilst there are existing treatments to reduce morbidity, a major challenge is creating robust programs that are both country led and leverage the existing health systems. Using a systems thinking approach is a critical component for integrating NTD services, as it takes into account all aspects of what might otherwise be considered fragmented systems to create a more efficient system.

Malatya apricot gum: A source of natural gum and its physicochemical, functional and antioxidant properties.

Gums are commonly used in the food industry for their functional properties. However, the growing demand for sustainable and alternative sources has drawn attention to the need for identifying and characterizing non-conventional gum sources with comparable or enhanced features. This study aimed to investigate the exudate gum from apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca) in Malatya as a potential alternative.

Understanding the sorption of paraben on plastics using molecular dynamics simulations.

In a previous publication, we determined the kinetics and equilibrium for the sorption of propylparaben to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In this work, we extend that study to investigate the sorption of methylparaben and propylparaben on tubing surfaces made of PVC and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations suggest the mechanism of sorption to be adsorption.

Estrogen-related receptor gamma is a regulator of mitochondrial, autophagy, and immediate-early gene programs in spiny projection neurons: Relevance for transcriptional changes in Huntington disease.

Mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional dysregulation, and protein aggregation are hallmarks of multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease (HD). Strategies are needed to counteract these processes to restore neuronal health and function in HD. Recent evidence indicates that the transcription factor estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ/Esrrg) is required for normal expression of mitochondrial, synaptic, and autophagy genes in neurons.

Prostaglandin E and Akt promote stemness in Apc mutant Dclk1+ cells to give rise to colitis-associated cancer.

Background And Aims: Loss of the tumor suppressor gene Apc in Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells results in aberrant Wnt signaling and colonic tumorigenesis. In the setting of injury, however, we and others have also shown that non-stem cells can also give rise to colonic tumors. The mechanism by which inflammation leads to cellular plasticity and cancer, however, remains largely unknown.

Interferon-γ signaling in eosinophilic esophagitis affects epithelial barrier function and programmed cell death.

Background & Aims: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic esophageal inflammatory disorder characterized by eosinophil-rich mucosal inflammation and tissue remodeling. Prior research has revealed the upregulation of interferon (IFN) response signature genes (ISGs) in biopsy tissue from EoE patients, but the specific cell types that contribute to this IFN response and the effect of interferons on the esophageal epithelium remain incompletely understood. Here, we use scRNA-seq to examine the expression of IFN and ISGs during EoE and explore how IFN-α and IFN-γ treatments affect epithelial function.

An Update on Animal Models of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease.

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a significant global health concern and a leading cause of liver disease-related deaths. However, the treatment options are limited due to the lack of animal models that accurately replicate ALD pathogenesis. An ideal ALD animal model should have pathological characteristics similar to those of human ALD, with a clear pathological process and ease of drug intervention.

Outcomes of Patients Treated with Double-Wide Scallop vs Fenestrations for Celiac Artery Incorporation During Repair of Complex Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Objectives: Celiac artery (CA) incorporation during FB-EVAR for complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (cAAA) is typically performed with fenestrations. Double-wide scallops (DWS) can be used when appropriate. We aimed to assess outcomes of patients treated with DWS for the CA during FB-EVAR for cAAA.

Rice intake among infants and toddlers from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study 2016.

Background: The Food and Drug Administration's Closer to Zero Action Plan aims to reduce toxic element exposure from foods infants and toddlers eat. Rice has been identified as a source of inorganic arsenic in the diets of infants and toddlers.

Objective: Evaluate consumption of rice and rice-containing foods from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) 2016.

Cluster Analysis of HCC Prognosis Using Preoperative AFP and DCP Levels: A Multi-Institutional Study.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, characterized by high recurrence rates post-curative resection. Tumor markers des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are crucial for HCC diagnosis and prognosis, yet their roles in the modern era of HCC epidemiology require reevaluation.

Methods: This multi-institutional retrospective study analyzed 1,515 patients who underwent hepatectomy for primary HCC.

Sex-Specific Effects of In Utero Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances on Placental Development.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants that may impact placental function, and potentially gestational age acceleration (GAA), a deviation from reported and predicted gestational age. GAA potentially represents differences in cell maturation in response to a challenging environment.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the effects of individual and mixtures of PFAS on GAA, cell composition, birth length, and birthweight.

Prenatal Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Antibody Titers and Infections in Childhood.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent and ubiquitous chemicals posing environmental and health risks. Impact on the human immune system is of particular concern, especially during fetal immune development. Alterations to fetal immune development can impact immunity later in life, e.

Assessing the potential role of deer in the dissemination of Mycobacterium bovis infection to cattle in Northern Ireland.

Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of animal tuberculosis, exhibits a broad host range - infecting, inducing pathology and transmitting from both bovine and wildlife hosts. Considerable effort has been extended to understanding the role wildlife may play in persistence and spread of infection. Infected cervids can spread infection to conspecifics and sympatric livestock as observed in the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus) population of Michigan, USA.

The big, the small and the weird: A phylogenomic analysis of extant Priapulida.

Priapulida is a small phylum of 22 described species that are divided into two size classes (microscopic and macroscopic), distinguished by adult and larval morphology. Most priapulidans are rare or live in inaccessible habitats, and freshly collected material for molecular studies is difficult to obtain. With this study, we for the first time aim to resolve the phylogeny of extant Priapulida using transcriptomic, genomic, and morphological data.

Historical biogeography of the Mugil cephalus species complex and its rapid global colonization.

Our understanding of speciation processes in marine environments remains very limited and the role of different reproductive barriers are still debated. While physical barriers were considered important drivers causing reproductive isolation, recent studies highlight the importance of climatic and hydrological changes creating unsuitable habitat conditions as factors promoting population isolation. Although speciation in marine fish has been investigated from different perspectives, these studies often have a limited geographical extant.

Diagnostic accuracy of self-collected tongue swabs for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex detection in individuals being assessed for TB in South Africa using the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay.

Objectives: Tongue swabs (TS) have shown potential for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) through downstream molecular testing. Analytical performance varies, depending on the processing protocol and the molecular test used. This study aimed to first investigate ease-of-use of TS collection in addition to acceptability by individuals being assessed for TB and second to determine the performance of self-collected TS on the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for MTBC and Rifampicin (RIF) resistance detection.

Recommending Surgery Increases Patient Satisfaction with Arthroplasty Surgeons.

Background: Current guidelines recommend shared decision-making in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis, but the impact of individual treatment decisions on patient satisfaction scores is unknown. We hypothesized that clinic Press Ganey satisfaction ratings would be higher for patients who later underwent arthroplasty than patients who did not have surgery.

Methods: Press Ganey satisfaction surveys were obtained from all patient visits at a single academic institution's arthroplasty clinic from 2010 to 2018.

Bicarbonate, calcium ions, hydrogen peroxide and trypsin modulate activation of Anopheles gambiae sperm motility and protein tyrosine phosphorylation.

With the increasing concern of potential loss of transgenic mosquitoes which are candidates as new tools for mosquito-borne disease control, methods for cryopreservation are actively under investigation. Methods to cryopreserve Anopheles gambiae sperm have recently been developed, but there are no artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization tools available. As a step to achieve this, we sought to identify a suitable medium for in vitro incubation of An.