The oswestry disability index in elective single level lumbar fusion: Is 3 months follow up enough?

Background: Prospective, longitudinal collection of patients reported outcomes (PRO) has become an essential metric in orthopedics. Despite the utility of PROs, data collection presents a significant challenge to the healthcare system. There is a need to better understand if serial data collection over a 1 to 2 year postoperative period is truly warranted.

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with greater odds of complications following posterior lumbar fusion and further amplified for patients exposed to monoclonal antibody biologics.

Background: Posterior lumbar fusion (PLF) is a common spine surgery that may be considered in patients with underlying comorbidities, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Prior literature examining the association of this disease and PLF outcomes was done in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), which only assessed in-hospital data and did not reveal an elevated risk of medical or surgical complications. However, characterization of PLF outcomes beyond hospital discharge is important and remains unknown for patients with IBD.

Hurricanes, industrial animal operations, and acute gastrointestinal illness in North Carolina, USA.

North Carolina (NC) ranks third among US states in both hog production and hurricanes. NC's hogs are housed in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the eastern, hurricane-prone part of the state. Hurricanes can inundate hog waste lagoons, transporting fecal bacteria that may cause acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI).

Foundational artificial intelligence models and modern medical practice.

Our opinion piece pays homage to the evolution of medical practices, tracing back to the era of Hippocrates, through significant historical milestones, and drawing parallels with the principles underpinning foundational artificial intelligence (AI) models. It emphasizes the shared ethos of both domains: a commitment to comprehensive care that values diverse data integration and individualized patient treatment. The excitement surrounding foundation models in medical imaging is understandable.

The role of MEK inhibition in pediatric low-grade gliomas.

Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) are the most common brain tumors in children. Many patients with unresectable tumors experience recurrence or long-term sequelae from standard chemotherapeutics. This mini-review explores the emerging role of MEK inhibitors in the management of pLGGs, highlighting their potential to transform current treatment paradigms.

Configuring thermal ablation volumes for treatment of distinct tumor shapes: a repeatability study using a robotic approach.

Objectives: In the current clinical practice of thermal ablation treatment for liver tumors, achieving consistent and effective clinical outcomes across tumors of varying shapes, sizes and locations remains challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the repeatability of a novel robotic approach for configurable ablation of distinct tumor shapes and compare it to the standard ablation technique for creating ellipsoidal ablation volumes.

Materials And Methods: The repeatability was evaluated in terms of width variability in created ablation volumes.

Nanoparticle trends and hotspots in lung cancer diagnosis from 2006-2023: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: Lung cancer possesses the highest incidence and mortality rates among malignancies globally. Despite substantial advancements in oncology, it is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in a poor prognosis. Over recent decades, the swift progress of nanotechnology has precipitated the extensive utilization of nanomaterials as carriers in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Management of choroidal/ciliary body metastasis in the era of targeted cancer therapy.

Introduction: Choroidal metastases from systemic malignancies are the most common intraocular malignancies in adults. External beam radiation (EBR) has historically been first-line therapy for metastatic tumors to the choroid. However, good responses have been described with newer targeted biologics.

Case report: High-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma with fusion and insights into targetability.

fusion is one of the classes of emerging therapeutic targets of precision oncology and is observed in many solid tumor types. Our understanding of oncogenic mechanisms and therapy effects of molecular targets tends to reflect those occurring in overrepresented tumor types, posing a challenge in therapy planning of the same targets occurring in unusual tumor types. We present a case of a primary high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma with a novel fusion, an exceedingly rare combination of tumor type and fusion class, with an unusually short-lived response to futibatinib.

Diffusion weighted imaging for improving the diagnostic performance of screening breast MRI: impact of apparent diffusion coefficient quantitation methods and cutoffs.

Introduction: Diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) has emerged as a promising adjunct to reduce unnecessary biopsies prompted by breast MRI through use of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different lesion ADC measurement approaches and ADC cutoffs on the diagnostic performance of breast DWI in a high-risk MRI screening cohort to identify the optimal approach for clinical incorporation.

Methods: Consecutive screening breast MRI examinations (August 2014-Dec 2018) that prompted a biopsy for a suspicious breast lesion (BI-RADS 4 or 5) were retrospectively evaluated.

Iohexol-based assessment of intestinal permeability in broilers challenged with , or both.

Impaired intestinal integrity in broilers reduces performance and health, highlighting the importance of accurately measuring intestinal permeability (IP) to maintain gut health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of iohexol as an IP marker in broilers challenged with , , or both during both peak challenge (day [d] 21) and recovery (d 28) periods. One-day-old male Ross 708 birds (n = 56) were distributed into 4 treatment groups: NC (no-challenge control); EM (challenged with 5,000 .

The therapeutic potential of targeting Oncostatin M and the interleukin-6 family in retinal diseases: A comprehensive review.

Retinal diseases, which can lead to significant vision loss, are complex conditions involving various cellular and molecular mechanisms. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) family, particularly Oncostatin M (OSM), has garnered attention for their roles in retinal inflammation, angiogenesis, and neuroprotection. This comprehensive review explores the dual nature of OSM and other IL-6 family members in retinal pathophysiology, highlighting their contribution to both degenerative and regenerative processes.

Surface Complexation and Packed Bed Mass Transport Models Enable Adsorbent Design for Arsenate and Vanadate Removal.

Co-occurrence of metal oxo-anions (e.g., arsenate) in drinking water pose human health risks.

Understanding the Complexity of Hypertension with Sarcopenia by Scientometric Analysis.

Objective: The scientometric analysis was aim to focus on recent studies and clarify new research directions on hypertension with sarcopenia. We hope to provide comprehensive insights or actionable recommendations for clinicians or policymakers.

Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) from 2004 to 2023 for analysis was used.

Increased gastrointestinal bleeding-related mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Despite its significant health burden, there is a lack of national-level temporal patterns in gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) mortality.

Objectives: To comprehensively decipher the annual and monthly trend of GIB-related mortality in the United States.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Efficacy of the 28S rDNA barcode in differentiating Caribbean octocorals.

The ecological landscape of Caribbean reefs is rapidly changing as octocorals fill the void left by declining scleractinian populations. Effective molecular barcodes are necessary to accurately identify these octocorals and monitor this shifting ecosystem. We tested the efficacy of the as a barcode compared to the most commonly used barcode on a collection of octocorals from across the Caribbean.

Research team diversity impacts scientific output in allergy and immunology programs.

Background: This study examined the relationship between the disciplinary diversity of research teams and research output (RO) in allergy and immunology programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, Medical Research Council (MRC) in the United Kingdom, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Methods: Using a dataset containing 1243, 3645, and 1468 articles funded by the NIH, MRC, and JSPS, respectively, we analyzed the correlation between disciplinary diversity and RO in allergy and immunology programs that received grants from 2017 to 2021. Diversity was measured using All Science Journal Classification codes counts, Shannon-Wiener index, and newly developed Omnidisciplinary index (o-index).

Modeling lake conductivity in the contiguous United States using spatial indexing for big spatial data.

Conductivity is an important indicator of the health of aquatic ecosystems. We model large amounts of lake conductivity data collected as part of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Lakes Assessment using spatial indexing, a flexible and efficient approach to fitting spatial statistical models to big data sets. Spatial indexing is capable of accommodating various spatial covariance structures as well as features like random effects, geometric anisotropy, partition factors, and non-Euclidean topologies.

Multi-tensor fixel-based metrics in tractometry: application to multiple sclerosis.

Traditional Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) metrics are affected by crossing fibers and lesions. Most of the previous tractometry works use the single diffusion tensor, which leads to limited sensitivity and challenging interpretation of the results in crossing fiber regions. In this work, we propose a tractometry pipeline that combines white matter tractography with multi-tensor fixel-based metrics.

Multi-view fusion of diffusion MRI microstructural models: a preterm birth study.

Objective: High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) models have emerged as a valuable tool for investigating microstructure with a higher degree of detail than standard diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI). In this study, we explored the potential of multiple advanced microstructural diffusion models for investigating preterm birth in order to identify non-invasive markers of altered white matter development.

Approach: Rather than focusing on a single MRI modality, we studied on a compound of HARDI techniques in 46 preterm babies studied on a 3T scanner at term-equivalent age and in 23 control neonates born at term.

An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Improving Cancer Care in the State of Mississippi as an Example of Cancer Care Improvements in the Global South.

Cancer disparities, a critical public health issue, particularly in states such as Mississippi, where socioeconomic factors significantly influence health outcomes, require our collective attention. This paper delves into the multifaceted nature of cancer disparities through a macro-level analysis of cancer data, specifically focusing on Mississippi as a microcosm of broader national and global trends. Two key indices, the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) and the Social Deprivation Index (SDeI), provide valuable insights.

The evolution and genetic basis of a functionally critical skull bone, the parasphenoid, among Lake Malawi cichlids.

Adaptive radiation, whereby a clade pairs rapid speciation with rapid phenotypic evolution, can result in an uneven distribution of biodiversity across the Metazoan tree. The cichlid fishes of East Africa have undergone multiple adaptive radiations within the major rift lakes. Cichlid radiations are marked by divergence across distinct habitat gradients producing many morphological and behavioural adaptations.

TraitTrainR: accelerating large-scale simulation under models of continuous trait evolution.

Motivation: The scale and scope of comparative trait data are expanding at unprecedented rates, and recent advances in evolutionary modeling and simulation sometimes struggle to match this pace. Well-organized and flexible applications for conducting large-scale simulations of evolution hold promise in this context for understanding models and more so our ability to confidently estimate them with real trait data sampled from nature.

Results: We introduce , an R package designed to facilitate efficient, large-scale simulations under complex models of continuous trait evolution.

How Effective Are Secondary Interventions at Improving Health Outcomes In Children Exposed to Lead in Early Childhood?

Preventing childhood lead exposure has been at the forefront of environmental and public health policy in the United States for decades. When prevention fails and children are exposed to lead, secondary interventions are often used to mitigate the adverse effects. We review the literature on the effectiveness of secondary interventions used to treat children with elevated blood lead levels (BLL).