Destructive and Protective Effects and Therapeutic Targets of IL-36 Family Cytokines in Dry Eye Disease.

Purpose: To explore the destructive and protective effects and therapeutic targets of IL-36 cytokines in dry eye disease using a murine dry eye model.

Methods: A dry eye model was established in C57BL/6 mice exposed to desiccating stress (DS) with untreated mice as controls. A topical challenge model was performed in normal mice with exogenous rmIL-36α, rhIL-38 and 2% ectoine, or PBS vehicle.

Enhancing crop yields to ensure food security by optimizing photosynthesis.

The crop yields achieved through traditional plant breeding techniques appear to be nearing a plateau. Therefore, it is essential to accelerate advancements in photosynthesis, the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, to further enhance crop yields. Research focused on improving photosynthesis holds significant promise for increasing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing challenges related to global food security.

Peripherally administered TNF inhibitor is not protective against α-synuclein-induced dopaminergic neuronal death in rats.

The underlying cause of neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unknown, but evidence implicates neuroinflammation in PD pathobiology. The pro-inflammatory cytokine soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) seems to play an important role and thus has been proposed as a therapeutic target for modulation of the neuroinflammatory processes in PD. In this regard, dominant-negative TNF (DN-TNF) agents are promising antagonists that selectively inhibit soluble TNF signaling, while preserving the beneficial effects of transmembrane TNF.

Pediatric behavioral health medical-legal partnerships: a novel approach to child and adolescent psychiatric care.

The state of pediatric mental health in the United States remains an ongoing challenge. Contributing to this challenge is the biopsychosocial nature of mental health - an interconnected system of biological, psychological, social, and legal factors. Consequently, addressing pediatric mental health requires interdisciplinary collaboration.

Compensation Study of Vascular Surgeons in the United States.

Objective: The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) partnered with Phairify, Inc, an organization with experience in physician compensation data compilation for several other medical specialties, to survey its membership and assess factors influencing vascular surgeon compensation.

Methods: The SVS Compensation Study Task Force developed a vascular surgery-specific survey between January 2023 and May 2023 including experience level, academic rank, bonuses, incentives, gender, race, ethnicity, geography, on-call pay, and other factors influencing overall reimbursement. After a soft launch on May 1, 2023, with an initial phase of SVS leadership engagement in completion, the survey was formally introduced to the SVS membership on June 14, 2023.

Delayed or forgone medical care associated with increased resource utilization and health care expenditures among patients with peripheral artery disease in the United States.

Background: PAD affects >12 million Americans and poses significant financial burdens on patients, but the relationship between delayed/forgone (D/F) care and resource use in this population is unknown. We sought to assess the relationship between D/F care, resource use, and health care expenditures among patients with PAD.

Methods: Adults with PAD in the US were identified in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for years 2007-2017.

Social vulnerability and child food insecurity in developed countries: A systematic review.

Food insecurity (FI) is a serious public health concern in economically developed countries, mainly due to unequal resource distribution. Identifying social vulnerability factors (i.e.

Quality of Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology Care According to Insurance Status.

Background: Despite efforts to expand insurance coverage, substantial inequalities persist, particularly in cancer treatment. We aimed to evaluate whether quality disparities exist across major insurance plans for patients undergoing curative-intent resection for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of adult patients in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) diagnosed with GI malignant neoplasms between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2020.

Optimal sexual frequency may exist and help mitigate depression odds in young and middle-aged U.S. citizens: A cross-sectional study.

Background: While sexual activity is known to benefit physical health, its connection to psychological well-being is less studied. We hypothesized that lower self-reported sexual frequency would be independently associated with higher odds of depression, as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

Methods: We included 15,794 U.

Disclosure costs: The impact of bipolar diagnosis and social desirability on stigma.

Background: The previous literature concerned with understanding stigma affecting patients with bipolar disorder relies predominantly on qualitative and survey approaches, and rarely contends with the potential role of social desirability on disclosure. The current project employs a 2 × 2 experimental approach to establish the presence of stigmatizing attitudes in a context with real social consequences (i.e.

Costs of typhoid vaccination for international travelers from the United States.

In the United States, typhoid vaccination is recommended for international travelers to areas with a recognized risk of typhoid exposure. Using MarketScan® Commercial Database from 2016 through 2022, we estimated typhoid vaccination costs by route (injectable vs. oral) and provider setting (clinic vs.

Advances and challenges in green extraction of chitin for food and agriculture applications: A review.

Chitin, the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, offers numerous practical applications due to its versatile functional properties. However, its utilization is constrained by significant challenges in extraction, as well as low solubility and high crystallinity. While traditional chemical and biological fermentation methods can achieve high-purity chitin, these processes are often environmentally harmful or time/energy-consuming.

Demographic inequities and cumulative environmental burdens within communities near superfund sites on Long Island, New York.

Nassau and Suffolk Counties of Long Island, New York are densely populated and contain 34 federally-designated and 449 state-designated Superfund sites, potentially exposing communities to toxic releases. We conducted a distributive justice analysis assessing proximity to Superfund sites, community socio-demographics, and other environmental burdens. Socio-demographic and environmental variables for 665 census tracts were obtained from the United States Census and Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals intrahepatic signature related to pathobiology of duck hepatitis A virus type 3 (DHAV-3) infection.

DHAV-3 is one of the main causative agents of duck viral hepatitis (DVH), an acute and highly lethal infectious disease in duck industry. However, the understanding of the pathogenesis of this virus in ducklings is limited. To dissect the molecular characteristics associated with pathobiology of ducklings to DHAV-3, we applied single-cell RNA-sequencing approach to profile the transcriptome of 1.

Opioid use disorder prevalence in 57 New York counties from 2017 to 2019: A Bayesian evidence synthesis.

Introduction: Prevalence estimates of opioid use disorder (OUD) at local levels are critical for public health planning and surveillance, yet largely unavailable across the US especially at the local county level.

Methods: We used a Bayesian evidence synthesis approach to estimate the prevalence of OUD for 57 counties across New York State for 2017-2019 and compare rates of OUD across counties as well as assess the extent of undiagnosed OUD. We developed a generative model to assess conditional probabilistic relations between different subgroups of the OUD population defined by diagnosis, treatment, and overdose fatality.

Using supervised machine learning and ICD10 to identify non-accidental trauma in pediatric trauma patients in the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission dataset.

Background: Identifying non-accidental trauma (NAT) in pediatric trauma patients is challenging. We developed a machine learning model that uses demographic characteristics and ICD10 codes to detect the first diagnosis of NAT.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (2015-2020) for patients aged 0-19 years.

Return of negative interpretation bias after positive interpretation training as a dynamic predictor of treatment outcome in fear of public speaking.

Despite various efforts in the field, no consistent predictors of treatment outcome in anxiety disorders have been identified. Based on the Dynamic System Theory, this study proposes a novel, dynamic predictor of treatment outcome in those with public speaking anxiety. It was assessed whether speed of return to one's interpretation bias equilibrium after an experimentally-induced perturbation (i.

Gaps in psychiatric care before and after the COVID-19 pandemic among patients with depression using electronic health records.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruption to health services. It is unclear if there were inequalities in the continuity of mental health care in the years around the COVID-19 pandemic. We used electronic health records (EHR) to detect mental health care gaps of more than six months in psychiatric appointments across demographic and socioeconomic characteristics among patients with depression.

Disseminated histoplasmosis in a 4-month-old infant presenting with prolonged fever and pancytopenia: A case report.

Background: Histoplasmosis is the most prevalent endemic mycosis in the United States, typically affecting immunocompromised individuals. Diagnosis of histoplasmosis in immunocompetent patients is rare, particularly among young infants, with only a few cases reported.

Case Presentation: We present a 4-month-old female with a history of prematurity who initially presented with 11 days of fever.

Baseline predictors of cross-sectional and longitudinal performance on the symbol digit modalities test in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Cognitive impairment occurs frequently in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) at some point in the course of the disease. However, not all PwMS develop cognitive difficulties suggesting a role for important moderating factors. We examined baseline predictors of cross-sectional and longitudinal change in cognitive performance in PwMS.

3D printed titanium banana interbody cages versus titanium-coated PEEK bullet cages for TLIF.

Introduction: Lumbar degenerative spinal disease is a common, major cause of pain and disability. Titanium and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) are popular materials for interbody implants although evidence is mixed on which material is superior in terms of fusion and subsidence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of 3D printed titanium (3DPT) cages in patients undergoing TLIFs, as well as complication profiles based on widely used outcome metrics and reoperation events.

Ten-year analysis of non-research industry payments to anesthesiologists in the United States between 2014 and 2023.

Study Objective: This study aimed to examine extent, fraction, and trends of general payments to anesthesiologists and non-physician anesthesia providers (NPAPs) in the United States.

Design: This is a cross-sectional analysis of general payments by pharmaceutical and medical device industry to all anesthesiologists (2014-2023) and NPAPs (2021-2023) for non-research purposes using the Open Payments Database, a federal transparency database under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act between 2014 and 2023.

Setting: The United States.

Autoantibodies against phosphatidylserine and DNA during canine Dirofilaria immitis infection.

Heartworm infection caused by Dirofilaria immitis induces a devastating disease that greatly affects the global canine population. The mechanism leading to heartworm pathology has been attributed to be mostly by mechanical damage of the worm to the dog´s vascular system and immune-mediated, but the latter processes are not completely understood. Autoantibodies targeting host molecules such as lipids and nucleic acids have been described with pathological roles during malaria and COVID-19 and mediating anemia and thrombocytopenia.

Understanding muscle energy expenditure variations following selective dorsal rhizotomy while maintaining consistent energy consumption.

Increased energy demands during walking is a recurrent issue for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Given the high incidence of spasticity in these children, several authors have analyzed the impact of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) on energy consumption during walking, typically showing minimal changes post-SDR. To further investigate muscle behavior after SDR, our recent study identified alterations in individual muscle force production without changes in muscle activation during walking.