Rationale and design of a randomized clinical trial of integrated eHealth for PrEP and medications for opioid use disorders for women in the criminal legal system. The Athena study.

Background: Women involved in the criminal legal system have elevated rates of opioid use disorder, which is treatable, and HIV, which is preventable with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). There are significant social and structural barriers to integrated delivery of PrEP and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), limiting women's ability to access these life-saving interventions. In a two parallel-arm randomized controlled trial, we are assessing an innovative eHealth delivery model that integrates PrEP with MOUD and is tailored to meet the specific needs of women involved in the criminal legal system.

Trends in views of democracy and society and support for political violence in the USA, 2022-2024: findings from a nationally representative survey.

Background: In 2022, a nationally representative longitudinal survey in the USA found concerningly high prevalences of support for and personal willingness to engage in political violence, but those prevalences decreased in 2023. This study examines changes in those prevalences from 2023 to 2024, an election year in the USA.

Methods: Participants were members of Ipsos KnowledgePanel.

An exploration of desired abstinent and non-abstinent recovery outcomes among people who use methamphetamine.

Background: In the United States, complete abstinence persists as the standard for demonstrating recovery success from substance use disorders (SUDs), apart from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Although the FDA has recently indicated openness for non-abstinence outcomes as treatment targets, the traditional benchmark of complete abstinence for new medications to treat SUDs remains a hurdle and overshadows other non-abstinent outcomes desired by people with SUDs (e.g.

Onchocerciasis is not a major cause of blindness in two endemic villages in Sierra Leone.

Objective: Sierra Leone, a country where onchocerciasis is endemic in 14 of the 16 districts, was the focus of our investigation. Despite 17 rounds of annual ivermectin treatment since 2005, a report circulated by a local politician indicated an increase in cases of suspected onchocerciasis-related vision impairment in two villages (Mangobo and Petifu) in Tonkolili district. In response, the National Neglected Tropical Disease Program conducted a comprehensive investigation.

Redefining diagnostic parameters: the role of overvaluation of shape and weight in binge-eating disorder: a systematic review.

Introduction: Overvaluation of shape and weight is a critical component in understanding and diagnosing eating disorders. While the transdiagnostic model states that overvaluation of shape and weight is the core pathology of all eating disorders, this concept is not a criterion for binge-eating disorder. The lack of recognition of overvaluation of shape and weight may lead to overlooking, and consequently failure to address this construct during treatment.

Descriptive analysis of interpreter service mode costs & usage in Northwestern Wisconsin pre and peri COVID-19.

Background: Interpreter service mode (in person, audio, or video) can impact patient experiences and engagement in the healthcare system, but clinics must balance quality with costs and volume to deliver services. Videoconferencing and telephone services provide lower cost options, effective where on site interpreters are scarce, or patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) and/or interpreters are unable to visit healthcare centers. The COVID 19 pandemic generated these conditions in Northwest Wisconsin (NWWI).

Targeting unique ligand binding domain structural features downregulates DKK1 in Y537S ESR1 mutant breast cancer cells.

Resistance to endocrine therapies remains a major clinical hurdle in breast cancer. Mutations to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) arise after continued therapeutic pressure. Next generation selective estrogen receptor modulators and degraders/downregulators (SERMs and SERDs) show clinical efficacy, but responses are often non-durable.

Mitigating bias in AI mortality predictions for minority populations: a transfer learning approach.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of artificial intelligence (AI) in predicting mortality and guiding healthcare decisions. However, AI models may perpetuate or exacerbate existing health disparities due to demographic biases, particularly affecting racial and ethnic minorities. The objective of this study is to investigate the demographic biases in AI models predicting COVID-19 mortality and to assess the effectiveness of transfer learning in improving model fairness across diverse demographic groups.

Alterations in whole muscle quality and physiological cross-sectional area measured with quantitative MRI following ACL injury.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that there are morphological and physiological changes to the vastus lateralis after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. However, it is unclear whether these alterations are limited to just the vastus lateralis or are more representative of widespread changes across the thigh musculature and/or if these changes precede reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to determine T1ρ relaxation time, a measure of extracellular matrix organization in muscle, and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) for muscles of the quadriceps and hamstrings of the ACL-deficient and contralateral limbs soon after ACL injury.

Assessing psychosocial risk factors in children with Sickle Cell Disease.

Background: Individuals with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) are a minoritized and marginalized community that have disparate health outcomes as a result of systemic racism and disease-related stigma. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychosocial risk factors for families caring for children with SCD at a pediatric SCD center through use of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT), a validated caregiver-report screener.

Methods: The PAT was administered annually during routine clinical visits and scored by the SCD Social Worker to provide tailored resources to families.

Mobile health clinics in a rural setting: a cost analysis and time motion study of La Clínica in Oregon, United States.

Background: Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) are an alternate form of healthcare delivery that may ameliorate current rural-urban health disparities in chronic diseases and have downstream impacts on the health system by reducing costs. Evaluations of providers' time allocation on MHCs are scarce, hindering knowledge transfer related to MHC implementation strategies.

Methods: Retrospective economic cost was assessed using business ledgers and expert assessments in 2023 US Dollar (USD) from 2022 to 2023.

Enhancing prehospital decision-making: exploring user needs and design considerations for clinical decision support systems.

Background: In prehospital emergency care, providers face significant challenges in making informed decisions due to factors such as limited cognitive support, high-stress environments, and lack of experience with certain patient conditions. Effective Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) have great potential to alleviate these challenges. However, such systems have not yet been widely adopted in real-world practice and have been found to cause workflow disruptions and usability issues.

Agronomic characteristics, mineral nutrient content, antioxidant capacity, biochemical composition, and fatty acid profile of Iranian pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cultivars.

Background: Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) nuts are among the most popular nuts. The pistachio cultivars are tolerant to both drought and salinity, which is why they are extensively grown in the arid, saline, and hot regions of the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and the United States.

Hybrid Bilayer Interfaces within Reversed-Phase Chromatographic Silica Formed by Self-Assembly of Long-Chain Primary Alcohols.

Modification of silica interfaces by covalent attachment of functional ligands is a primary means of controlling the interfacial chemistry of porous silicas used in separations, environmental cleanup, and biosensing. Recently, modification of hydrophobic, -alkyl-silane-functionalized interfaces has been achieved through self-assembly of zwitterionic phospholipids or mixed-charged surfactants to form "hybrid bilayers", producing interfaces that mimic lipid-bilayer partitioning and provide shape-selective partitioning of aromatic hydrocarbons. Charged headgroups, however, introduce electrostatic interactions that strongly influence the retention of ionizable solutes and require careful control over pH and ionic strength in the solution phase.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Division of Household Labor Among Women Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers.

Background: COVID-19 increased the burden of childcare on parents, leaving women vulnerable to increased disparities in the division of domestic labor. Women healthcare workers may be at heightened risk of worsening gender parity in the workplace as a result.

Objective: To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender parity in the division of household responsibilities among women healthcare workers.

5-HT agonism as a neurotherapeutic for sarcopenia: preclinical proof of concept.

Sarcopenia, the pathological age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, contributes to physical decline, frailty, and diminished healthspan. The impact of sarcopenia is expected to rise as the aging population grows, and treatments remain limited. Therefore, novel approaches for enhancing physical function and strength in older adults are desperately needed.

Generating allogeneic CAR-NKT cells for off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy with genetically engineered HSP cells and feeder-free differentiation culture.

The clinical potential of current chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T (CAR-T) cell therapy is hampered by its autologous nature that poses considerable challenges in manufacturing, costs and patient selection. This spurs demand for off-the-shelf therapies. Here we introduce an ex vivo feeder-free culture method to differentiate gene-engineered hematopoietic stem and progenitor (HSP) cells into allogeneic invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells and their CAR-armed derivatives (CAR-NKT cells).

Survey and perspective on verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification of digital twins for precision medicine.

Digital twins in precision medicine provide tailored health recommendations by simulating patient-specific trajectories and interventions. We examine the critical role of Verification, Validation, and Uncertainty Quantification (VVUQ) for digital twins in ensuring safety and efficacy, with examples in cardiology and oncology. We highlight challenges and opportunities for developing personalized trial methodologies, validation metrics, and standardizing VVUQ processes.

Body Mass Index mediates the relationship between estimated glucose disposal rate and gallstones.

This study examined the relationship between gallstones and estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) in people in the United States and the possible mediating function of body mass index (BMI). Data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted between 2017 and March 2020. Logistic regression, subgroup analysis, smoothed curve fitting, and causal mediation studies were among the statistical techniques used to examine the participant data.

Evolution of the umbilical cord blood proteome across gestational development.

Neonatal health is dependent on early risk stratification, diagnosis, and timely management of potentially devastating conditions, particularly in the setting of prematurity. Many of these conditions are poorly predicted in real-time by clinical data and current diagnostics. Umbilical cord blood may represent a novel source of molecular signatures that provides a window into the state of the fetus at birth.

Adherence to multi-target stool DNA testing for colorectal cancer screening in the United States.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the USA and is highly preventable, with early screening vital for improving outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate adherence rates of multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) testing, following updated guidelines recommending screening starting at age 45.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used aggregated data from Exact Sciences Laboratories LLC, examining new users (first-time testers) aged 45-85 with commercial, Medicare, or Medicaid insurance who received mt-sDNA test kits (point-of-care) between January 1, 2023, and June 1, 2023.

Selective deficiency of mitochondrial respiratory complex I subunits Ndufs4/6 causes tumor immunogenicity.

Cancer cells frequently rewire their metabolism to support proliferation and evade immune surveillance, but little is known about metabolic targets that could increase immune surveillance. Here we show a specific means of mitochondrial respiratory complex I (CI) inhibition that improves tumor immunogenicity and sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Targeted genetic deletion of either Ndufs4 or Ndufs6, but not other CI subunits, induces an immune-dependent growth attenuation in melanoma and breast cancer models.

State laws on intimate partner violence witnessed by children in the United States.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common, and almost half of all IPV takes place in relationships with children in the home. We inventoried laws in the 50 states and the District of Columbia in the United States of America (USA) focused on addressing IPV committed in the presence of children, as these laws could help prevent or remediate this critical health and social issue. Using WestLaw, a web-based legal research service, we identified over 1,200 statutes and 500 regulations.

A real-world Pharmacovigilance study of brodalumab based on the FDA adverse event reporting system.

Brodalumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-17 receptor A, is primarily used to manage moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Although it has demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety in clinical trials, the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria may not fully reflect its safety profile in real-world settings. As its use becomes more widespread in clinical practice, understanding its safety in real-world applications is crucial.

Multi-faceted examination of a deepwater seamount reveals ecological patterns among coral and sponge communities in the equatorial Pacific.

Spatial changes in benthic community structure have been observed across natural gradients in deep-sea ecosystems, but these patterns remain under-sampled on seamounts. Here, we identify the spatial composition and distribution of coral and sponge taxa on four sides of a single central Pacific equatorial "model" seamount within the US EEZ surrounding the Howland and Baker unit of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. This seamount rises from 5,000 + m to mesophotic depths of 196 m, and is influenced by the Equatorial Undercurrent.