Circulating short-chain and branched short-chain fatty acids and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes: findings from the 4C study.

Previous studies suggested that fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched short-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are associated with glucose regulation. However, the potential relationship between circulating SCFAs and BCFAs with incident diabetes risk in both men and women remains unidentified in prospective cohort studies. In this study, we examined a panel of nine serum SCFAs and BCFAs in 3414 subjects with incident diabetes, and matched normoglycemic controls from the China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort study.

Retrieval Augmented Medical Diagnosis System.

Subjective variability in human interpretation of diagnostic imaging presents significant clinical limitations, potentially resulting in diagnostic errors and increased healthcare costs. While artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms offer promising solutions to reduce interpreter subjectivity, they frequently demonstrate poor generalizability across different healthcare settings. To address these issues, we introduce Retrieval Augmented Medical Diagnosis System (RAMDS), which integrates an AI classification model with a similar image model.

Sunscreen Coverage as Preventive Care Under the Affordable Care Act: A Low-Cost Way to Reduce the Prevalence of the Most Common Cancer.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in the United States, costing more than $8.1 billion annually in treatment-related expenses, yet with ultraviolet exposure considered the most significant risk factor for skin cancer development, cutaneous malignancy is also highly preventable. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is committed to covering demonstrably effective preventive health care measures without patient cost sharing.

Pulsed laser in liquid grafting of gold nanoparticle-carbon support composites.

We developed a novel pulsed laser-assisted process for the fabrication of advanced composites of nonequilibrium gold nanoparticles on carbon fiber paper supports. Our one-step process integrates the generation of nanoparticles with their surface attachment and solves longstanding nanoparticle adhesion and electrical contact issues. Irradiation of hydrophilic carbon fiber paper submerged in aqueous HAuCl solution by nanosecond laser pulses produced composites with uniform distribution of gold nanoparticles on carbon fibers, taking advantage of the high internal surface area of carbon fiber paper.

Burn inhalation injury and intubation with dexamethasone-eluting endotracheal tubes modulate local microbiome and alter airway inflammation.

Background: Inhalation injuries, caused by exposure to extreme heat and chemical irritants, lead to complications with speaking, swallowing, and breathing. This study investigates the effects of thermal injury and endotracheal tube (ETT) placement on the airway microbiome and inflammatory response. A secondary aim is to assess the impact of localized dexamethasone delivery via a drug-eluting ETT to reduce laryngeal scarring.

Distributed and networked analysis of volumetric image data for remote collaboration of microscopy image analysis.

Purpose: The advancement of high-content optical microscopy has enabled the acquisition of very large three-dimensional (3D) image datasets. The analysis of these image volumes requires more computational resources than a biologist may have access to in typical desktop or laptop computers. This is especially true if machine learning tools are being used for image analysis.

Black:white inequities in infant mortality across the 69 most populous US cities, 2018-2021.

The United States has poor birth outcomes, including high rates of infant mortality and substantial racial inequities, compared to other developed nations. However, both overall mortality rates and racial inequities in rates vary across locations, emphasizing the structural forces that shape population health. We used mortality and natality data from the National Vital Statistics System to assess racial inequities in infant mortality rates within the most populous US cities for 2018-2021.

Belonging: a meta-theme analysis of women's community-making in group antenatal and postnatal care.

Health care systems are social institutions simulating microcosms of wider societies where unequal distribution of power and resources translate into inequities in health outcomes, experiences and access to services. Growing research on participatory women's groups positively highlights the influence of group-based care on health and wellbeing for women, their infants, families and wider communities across different countries. With similarities in ethos and philosophies, group care combines relational, group-based facilitation and clinical care, uniquely offering an opportunity to examine the intersections of health and social care.

Evaporative coolers and wildfire smoke exposure: a climate justice issue in hot, dry regions.

Low-income families in dry regions, including in the Southwestern United States, frequently cool their homes with evaporative ("swamp") coolers (ECs). While inexpensive and energy efficient compared to central air conditioners, ECs pull unfiltered outdoor air into the home, creating a health hazard to occupants when wildfire smoke and heat events coincide. A community-engaged research project to reduce wildfire smoke in homes was conducted in California's San Joaquin Valley in homes of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers.

Social vulnerability and asthma-related emergency medical services in Illinois.

Introduction: This ecologic study explores the relationship between the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and probable asthma-related emergency medical service (EMS) rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at the county level in Illinois.

Methods: The number of asthma-related EMS visits was obtained in all 102 counties for adults aged 18 years or more, and for 82 of these counties for children aged less than 18 from 2018 to 2021. They were converted into rates and examined in relation to SVI rankings.

Daily physical activity, coffee and energy drink consumption, and sleep patterns among Chinese elite professional esports athletes: a case study of Zhejiang Regans Gaming.

Purpose: Esports is increasingly recognized as both a legitimate sport and profession. However, evidence on the health behaviors of esports athletes remains limited. Due to the nature of their activity, these athletes face occupational health risks associated with prolonged sedentary behavior, sleep deprivation, and excessive energy drink consumption.

Examining the dualistic model of passion in addiction recovery.

Introduction: Addiction recovery can be conceptualized as multidimensional changes to health and wellness including changes in substance use, physical and mental health, and social relationships. These outcomes are often measured through recovery capital which recognizes the various resources, both internal and external, that one may use to enhance their recovery. Internal and external resources can also be accumulated by engaging in an activity an individual is passionate about, explained by the dualistic model of passion (DMP) as enhancing mental and spiritual well-being, health, and personal growth, thereby fostering positive emotions, community involvement, deeper relationships, and heightened performance across various life domains.

Premature mortality patterns among American Indians in North Dakota, 2010-2019 (pre-pandemic).

Background: According to the National Center for Health Data, in 2017 American Indians in North Dakota experience the highest age-adjusted mortality rate in the United States. Data shows that the age-adjusted death rate for all North Dakotans has steadily declined since 1979. However, mortality remains high among American Indians in North Dakota.

A global survey about undiagnosed rare diseases: perspectives, challenges, and solutions.

Background: Undiagnosed rare diseases (URDs) are a complex and multifaceted challenge, especially in low-and medium-income countries. They affect individuals with unique clinical features and lack a clear diagnostic label. Although the Undiagnosed Diseases Network International (UDNI) definition of URDs is not universally accepted, it is widely recognized.

The need for effective interprofessional collaboration between nutrition and dentistry.

There are bidirectional relationships between diet and nutrition, systemic health and oral health. Diet and nutrition are fundamental to the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Systemic health can impact oral health.

Functional redundancy of transcription factors SlNOR and SlNOR-like1 is required for pollen development in tomato.

In tomato, SlNOR and SlNOR-like1 members of the NAC family of transcription factors (TFs), are known to play critical roles in regulating fruit ripening and are highly expressed in floral organs. However, their role in flower development remains unclear. In this study, we generated and functionally characterized a double knockout mutant, .

Mapping curvature domains in human V4 using CBV-sensitive layer-fMRI at 3T.

Introduction: A full understanding of how we see our world remains a fundamental research question in vision neuroscience. While topographic profiling has allowed us to identify different visual areas, the exact functional characteristics and organization of areas up in the visual hierarchy (beyond V1 & V2) is still debated. It is hypothesized that visual area V4 represents a vital intermediate stage of processing spatial and curvature information preceding object recognition.

How a patient-led advocacy organization supports the road to diagnosis and treatment of creatine transporter deficiency.

The current era of drug development has evolved significantly. Patient advocacy organizations are moving beyond simply supporting community members and are taking the reins to improve the speed of diagnoses, initiate therapeutic discoveries, and lay the groundwork to ensure successful clinical trials. The Association for Creatine Deficiencies (ACD) is an international parent-led patient advocacy organization focused on the three ultra-rare neurodevelopmental monogenic disorders resulting in Cerebral Creatine Deficiency Syndromes (CCDS).

Mapping the landscape of vitamin D in cancer studies: a systematic global investigation.

Purpose: This comprehensive study examines the multifaceted relationship between vitamin D and cancer, synthesizing key scientific advancements and global research trends to guide future investigations and address critical gaps in the field.

Methods: Publications on vitamin D and cancer were retrieved from Scopus up to November 2024. English-language original and review articles were analyzed using Excel, VOSviewer, and Scimago Graphica, focusing on publication trends, citation impacts, and research themes.

Artificial intelligence integration in surgery through hand and instrument tracking: a systematic literature review.

Objective: This systematic literature review of the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in surgical practice through hand and instrument tracking provides an overview of recent advancements and analyzes current literature on the intersection of surgery with AI. Distinct AI algorithms and specific applications in surgical practice are also examined.

Methods: An advanced search using medical subject heading terms was conducted in Medline (via PubMed), SCOPUS, and Embase databases for articles published in English.

Chemical Vapor Deposition of Monolayer Graphene on Centimeter-Sized Cu(111) for Nanoelectronics Applications.

We report a fast and straightforward preparation of centimeter-sized Cu(111) from polycrystalline Cu foil by the strain-free abnormal grain growth method and the subsequent growth of monolayer graphene by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The fabrication of Cu(111) and graphene was streamlined into a straightforward process using a CVD system consisting of a tube furnace and a quartz boat. It was found that the annealing temperature and time are critical in the growth of Cu(111).

Differential expression of plasma extracellular vesicles microRNAs and exploration of their association with bone metabolism in childhood trauma participants treated in a psychosomatic clinic.

Introduction: Early life stress (ELS) impacts neurotransmitters and cell communication, potentially disrupting neurological and physiological processes. Recently, ELS has been implicated in impaired bone metabolism, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their cargo, microRNAs (miRNAs), might affecting this process. This research aimed to elucidate the association between childhood trauma, a specific form of ELS, and bone metabolism through studying miRNA in EVs within three steps: firstly, examining alterations of EV miRNAs between ELS and controls, secondly analyzing associations between altered EV miRNAs and bone markers, and thirdly exploring the target gene prediction and enrichment pathways of altered EV miRNAs.

A unified hypothesis-free feature extraction framework for diverse epigenomic data.

Motivation: Epigenetic assays using next-generation sequencing have furthered our understanding of the functional genomic regions and the mechanisms of gene regulation. However, a single assay produces billions of data points, with limited information about the biological process due to numerous sources of technical and biological noise. To draw biological conclusions, numerous specialized algorithms have been proposed to summarize the data into higher-order patterns, such as peak calling and the discovery of differentially methylated regions.

Health-Harming Legal Needs Identified by People with HIV: Data from a Medical-Legal Partnership Study to Improve HIV Care Continuum Outcomes.

Introduction: People with HIV (PWH) often face health-harming legal needs that impede access to and retention in HIV care. The Organizational Partnerships for Healthy Living (OPAHL) intervention addresses these gaps by integrating legal services with health care.

Methods: This mixed-methods study was conducted at two health centers in Philadelphia, PA, from October 20, 2022 through 2024.

Non-invasive treatment of infection with a human-origin probiotic cocktail through gut microbiome-gut metabolome modulations.

() is a leading cause of hospital-associated diarrhea, primarily due to gut dysbiosis following antibiotic use. Probiotics have been found to provide several benefits to hosts via modulation of the gut microbiota and their metabolites. However, till now, no conventional probiotics have been clearly proven to be an effective prophylactic option for CDI prevention.