Septins regulate heart contractility through modulation of cardiomyocyte store-operated calcium entry.

Highly regulated cardiomyocyte Ca fluxes drive heart contractions. Recent findings from multiple organisms demonstrate that the specific Ca transport mechanism known as store-operated Ca entry (SOCE) is essential in cardiomyocytes for proper heart function, and SOCE dysregulation results in cardiomyopathy. Mechanisms that regulate SOCE in cardiomyocytes are poorly understood.

Perceived stress among graduate students in health sciences at a military university: a mixed-method approach.

Background: There is a gap in the literature about the experiences of active-duty military students pursuing a graduate degree in health sciences at a university that emphasizes a military context. This exploratory study investigates how graduate students navigate stress in the context of a military university.

Method: The study applied a mixed-methods approach including a survey (N = 59) and in-depth interviews (N = 16) of students enrolled in a graduate program at the School of Medicine (368 students) and School of Nursing (187 students).

Cross-species conserved miRNA as biomarker of radiation injury over a wide dose range using nonhuman primate model.

Multiple accidents in nuclear power plants and the growing concerns about the misuse of radiation exposure in warfare have called for the rapid determination of absorbed radiation doses (RDs). The latest findings about circulating microRNA (miRNAs) using several animal models revealed considerable promises, although translating this knowledge to clinics remains a major challenge. To address this issue, we randomly divided 36 nonhuman primates (NHPs) into six groups and exposed these groups to six different radiation doses ranging from 6.

Burden of Musculoskeletal Injuries in U.S. Active Duty Service Members: A 12-Year Study Spanning Fiscal Years 2010-2021.

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) represent the most substantial and enduring threat to U.S. military readiness.

Musculoskeletal Injury Surveillance in the U.S. Military: Analysis of the ICD-10-CM Transition and Descriptive Report of Health Care Utilization at Four Sites Adopting MHS GENESIS.

Introduction: The U.S. Military Health System (MHS) transitioned to the ICD-10-CM coding scheme in October 2015 and began the phased rollout of a new electronic health record system, MHS GENESIS, in October 2017.

Capturing and Categorizing the Burden of Musculoskeletal Injuries in U.S. Active Duty Service Members: A Comprehensive Methodology.

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) represent the most common, costly, and impactful medical conditions affecting active duty service members (ADSMs) of the United States Armed Forces. Inconsistent, variable MSKI surveillance methods and often incompletely described criteria for cohort selection, injuries, incidence, and prevalence have limited efforts to observe longitudinal trends, identify gaps in care, or highlight specific military branches or sites that could benefit from enhanced MSKI intervention protocols. The purpose of this manuscript is to present a comprehensive, well-documented, and reproducible framework for capturing and categorizing MSKI burden, healthcare utilization, and private sector costs for ADSMs across a 12-year period spanning the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification transition.

Musculoskeletal Spine Injuries in U.S. Active Duty Service Members: Prevalence/Incidence, Healthcare Utilization, and Cost Analysis Spanning Fiscal Years 2016-2021.

Background: Low back pain and musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) of the Spine are the most common reason for U.S. active duty service members (ADSMs) to seek medical care.

Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injuries in United States Active Duty Service Members: Prevalence/Incidence, Health Care Utilization, and Cost Analysis Spanning Fiscal Years 2016-2021.

Introduction: Lower Extremity musculoskeletal injuries (LE MSKIs) represent a significant portion of overuse injuries in active duty service members (ADSMs). However, variations in study methods and research gaps related to LE MSKIs have prevented Department of Defense (DoD) leaders from assessing the burden of these conditions. The purpose of this study was to report the incidence, prevalence, and types of LE MSKIs sustained by ADSMs across four branches of service and describe associated health care utilization and private sector costs.

Musculoskeletal Injuries in Female U.S. Active Duty Service Members: Prevalence/Incidence, Health Care Utilization, and Cost Analysis Spanning Fiscal Years 2016-2021.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are highly prevalent and costly conditions among active duty service members (ADSMs), and female service members sustain these injuries at a higher rate than men. However, lack of women-specific research regarding MSKIs in the U.S.

Musculoskeletal Head and Neck Injuries in U.S. Active Duty Service Members: Prevalence/Incidence, Health Care Utilization, and Cost Analysis Spanning Fiscal Years 2016-2021.

Background: Active duty service members (ADSMs) of the U.S. Armed Forces are uniquely at risk for musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) of the Head/Neck region, including the eye and face, from training with head gear, donning Kevlar, operating aircraft, and maintaining sitting or standing postures for prolonged durations.

Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Injuries in United States Active Duty Service Members: Prevalence/Incidence, Health Care Utilization, and Cost Analysis Spanning Fiscal Years 2016-2021.

Introduction: Upper Extremity musculoskeletal injuries (UE MSKIs) represent a major threat to the overall health and readiness of U.S. active duty service members (U.

Clinical Outcomes for Adult Single-Sided Deafness Cochlear Implantees Exceeding the 5% Candidacy Criterion.

Objectives: While single-sided deafness cochlear implants (SSD-CIs) have now received regulatory approval in the United States, candidate-ear candidacy criteria (no better than 5% word-recognition score) are stricter than for traditional CI candidates (50 to 60% speech recognition, best-aided condition). SSD implantation in our center began before regulatory approval, using a criterion derived from traditional candidacy: 50% consonant-nucleus-consonant (CNC) word-identification score in the candidate ear. A retrospective analysis investigated whether SSD patients exceeding the 5% CNC criterion nevertheless benefitted from a CI as assessed by spatial-hearing tests (speech understanding in noise [SIN] and localization) and by a patient-reported outcome measure quality-of-life instrument validated for patients with CIs.

Hospital readmissions reduction program penalizes safety net hospital clinicians.

Objective: The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), started under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was created with the intention to improve healthcare quality and costs. However, research on disparities in healthcare demonstrates the HRRP's protocolized risk-adjustment calculations neglect social factors, which consequently harms disadvantaged patient populations and unfairly contributes to clinician and hospital penalties.

Methods: A PRISMA literature review was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane Library to explore the inclusion of social factors such as socioeconomic status on risk-adjustment calculations, and their relation to healthcare disparities, penalties, and outcomes.

Postoperative Opioid Reduction Using a Multimodal Pain Protocol for Outpatient Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Surgery.

Background: Orthopaedic surgery regularly employs opioids for postoperative pain management. Multimodal pain protocols have been shown to reduce opioid prescriptions in orthopaedic surgery.

Purpose: To analyze the impact of a division-level multimodal pain protocol for orthopaedic sports medicine surgery on opioid prescription reduction and pain level postoperatively.

Impact of genetic polymorphisms on associations between crude oil exposure and health effects among Coast Guard Deepwater Horizon responders.

The U.S. Coast Guard led a clean-up response to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the largest marine oil spill in history.

Enhancing Temporomandibular Disorders Education for Initial Care Clinicians Through Interprofessional Education.

Introduction: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are common musculoskeletal pain conditions that can significantly impact daily activities such as eating, talking, breathing, intimacy, and expressing emotion. TMDs are often complex and multifactorial, and many patients experience overlapping pain conditions, sleep difficulties, and mental health challenges. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) has called for improved TMD education and training for health professionals, as current training opportunities are limited.

Optimization of a Piperidine CD4-Mimetic Scaffold Sensitizing HIV-1 Infected Cells to Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity.

The ability of the HIV-1 accessory proteins Nef and Vpu to decrease CD4 protects infected cells from antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by limiting the exposure of vulnerable epitopes to envelope glycoprotein (Env). Small-molecule CD4 mimetics (CD4mcs) based on piperidine scaffolds represent a new family of agents capable of sensitizing HIV-1-infected cells to ADCC by exposing CD4-induced (CD4i) epitopes on Env that are recognized by non-neutralizing antibodies which are abundant in plasma of people living with HIV. Here, we employed the combined methods of parallel synthesis, structure-based design, and optimization to generate a new line of piperidine-based CD4mcs, which sensitize HIV-1 infected cells to ADCC activity.

"Bridging The Gap" Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2) Military Students Provide Leadership and Mentorship to Classmates.

Introduction: The lack of adequate diverse representation (racially, socioeconomically, gender, second career applicants, student parents, etc.) within secondary education in the United States has proven to be a challenging and complex, multifaceted problem, and despite ongoing efforts, one that continues to remain unsolved. These disparities are well known and documented at all levels of education.

Predicting Pain Response to a Remote Musculoskeletal Care Program for Low Back Pain Management: Development of a Prediction Tool.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) presents with diverse manifestations, necessitating personalized treatment approaches that recognize various phenotypes within the same diagnosis, which could be achieved through precision medicine. Although prediction strategies have been explored, including those employing artificial intelligence (AI), they still lack scalability and real-time capabilities. Digital care programs (DCPs) facilitate seamless data collection through the Internet of Things and cloud storage, creating an ideal environment for developing and implementing an AI predictive tool to assist clinicians in dynamically optimizing treatment.

Psychological distress in active-duty U.S. service members who utilized mental health services: Data from a 2018 DoD survey.

Background: Military personnel face unique stressors to their mental health.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of serious psychological distress among active-duty U.S.