Outcomes of Growth-Friendly Surgical Treatment of Early Onset Scoliosis in Children With Prune Belly Syndrome: A Preliminary Report.

Background: Prune belly syndrome (PBS) is a rare condition characterized by absence of abdominal musculature, cryptorchidism, and obstructive uropathy. The most common orthopaedic problem is scoliosis, yet no reports on growth-friendly surgical treatment of early-onset scoliosis (EOS) exist. Our purpose was to evaluate outcomes of distraction-based implants in children with PBS.

Depressive symptoms after surgical and medical management of OSA: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of CPAP and surgical alternatives for OSA on depression and compare the results of surgery to CPAP. ​METHODS: COCHRANE Library, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases were searched for English-language articles. Meta-analysis of continuous measures (mean), proportions (%), and mean difference (Δ) with 95% confidence interval was conducted for objective and subjective outcomes before and after treatment with CPAP or surgical interventions.

Is trauma associated with plant-based diet choice?

Examinations of links between plant-based diets (e.g., vegetarian and vegan diets) and indices of physical and mental health have received increased attention in the scientific literature in recent years.

Extending the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort through 2030: Rationale and study protocol.

Early life environmental exposures, even those experienced before conception, can shape health and disease trajectories across the lifespan. Optimizing the detection of the constellation of exposure effects on a broad range of child health outcomes across development requires considerable sample size, transdisciplinary expertise, and developmentally sensitive and dimensional measurement. To address this, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort Study is an observational longitudinal pediatric cohort study.

Access to Care and the Hispanic Paradox Among Hispanic Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Purpose: Despite the disproportionate impact of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on Hispanic patients, reported outcomes are limited, particularly among subpopulations. Our study aimed to evaluate outcomes in access to care and survival among racial and ethnic Hispanic subpopulations.

Methods: The National Cancer Database was then utilized to identify patients diagnosed with HCC between 2004 and 2020.

Mapping the Impact of Anti-LGBT Legislation on Graduate Surgical Education.

Background: LGBTQ medical students and surgery residents face myriad structural barriers. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reports 492 pieces of state-level legislation targeting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) people in the past year. These bills including bans on medical care, "don't say gay" bills, exclusion from anti-discrimination protections, and more.

Plasma transfusion and hospital mortality in moderate-severe traumatic brain injury.

Background: Prior research suggests that plasma may improve outcomes in traumatic brain injury (TBI). We examined the association between plasma administration and mortality in moderate-severe TBI in a large retrospective cohort, hypothesizing plasma is associated with decreased mortality after accounting for confounding covariates.

Materials And Methods: Patients from the 2017-2020 Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) dataset ≥18 years with moderate-severe TBI were included.

Common pitfalls and diagnostic challenges in the application of LI-RADS CT/MRI algorithms: a comprehensive review.

The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) was developed to standardize the interpretation and reporting of liver observations in at-risk populations, aiding in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite its advantages, the application of LI-RADS can be challenging due to the complexity of liver pathology and imaging interpretation. This comprehensive review highlights common pitfalls encountered in LI-RADS application and offers practical strategies to enhance diagnostic accuracy and consistency among radiologists.

A Multi-enzyme Protocol Improves Total Proteome Coverage in Extracellular Matrix.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) from decellularized mammalian tissues has been used in many therapeutic applications. The tissue-specific composition of the ECM is critically associated with therapeutic performance. However, ECM translation needs to be improved because of the complex composition and limited understanding of ECM repairing mechanisms due partly to incomplete proteomic interrogation of ECM samples.

Elucidating the high affinity copper(II) complexation by the iron chelator deferasirox provides therapeutic and toxicity insight.

Deferasirox (Def), an orally administered iron-chelating drug, has drawn significant interest in repurposing for anticancer application due to the elevated Fe demand by cancer cells. But there are also concerns about its severe off target health effects. Herein Cu(II) binding is studied as a potential off target interaction.

Effect of low- and moderate-intensity endurance exercise on physical functioning among breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Compare the effects of low-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise on physical functioning in breast cancer survivors.

Methods: Women aged 50 + years and post-primary treatment for stage 0 to III breast cancer were randomly assigned to a 6-month low-intensity (LIG) or moderate-intensity (MIG) exercise group. Participants were instructed to walk (low- or moderate-intensity) for 30 min five days a week, followed by flexibility exercises, and do strengthening and balance exercises twice weekly.

Management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings: global expert consensus statements using a Delphi method.

Purpose: To generate consensus and provide expert clinical practice statements for the management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings.

Methods: An international multidisciplinary Steering Committee with expertise in sepsis management and including a Delphi methodologist was convened by the Asia Pacific Sepsis Alliance (APSA). The committee selected an international panel of clinicians and researchers with expertise in sepsis management.

Rights Amidst Commercial Gentrification: A Comparative Case Study of Latinx Business Zones in Chicago and Santa Ana.

Gentrification in commercial districts of Latinx communities is raising debates among local stakeholders about how to best pursue revitalization. Through a comparative case study, we examine these debates in the context of the Right to the City and gentefication. How do stakeholders in two Latinx commercial districts envision revitalization projects amidst ongoing gentrification? We analyze the perspectives and policies of non-profit staff, business- and commercial property owners, in Puerto Rico Town Chicago and La Cuatro in Downtown Santa Ana.

Recurring Giant Conjunctival Cyst Effectively Treated With 20% Trichloroacetic Acid.

Giant conjunctival cysts, though rare, can cause significant discomfort and functional impairment due to their size as well as their potential for rupture and recurrence. We report the case of a 51-year-old female who presented with a recurrent giant conjunctival cyst in her left eye, experiencing considerable discomfort and pain upon eye movement. The cyst, located in the left eye, had previously recurred after surgical excision, though visual acuity remained 20/20 bilaterally.

Navigating a challenging airway: An ultrasound-guided approach to urgent tracheostomy.

Objectives: Airway compromise in neck cancer patients with distorted anatomy has been a challenge for head and neck surgeons. To the best of our knowledge, the use of ultrasound has not been reported as an adjunct prior to an awake urgent tracheostomy in these types of patients. Our main objective is to provide an additional tool for identification of vital neck structures in preparation for an awake tracheostomy.

Implementation of trauma and disaster mental health awareness training in Puerto Rico.

Climate change is disproportionately impacting youth mental health around the world. Using a Community-Based Participatory approach, three universities (one in South Carolina and two in Puerto Rico) partnered after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. We offered culturally and linguistically tailored trauma and disaster-informed mental health awareness training (e.

Inhibition of microRNA-660-5p decreases breast cancer progression through direct targeting of TMEM41B.

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. Most breast cancer-related deaths result from metastasis and drug resistance. Novel therapies are imperative for targeting metastatic and drug-resistant breast cancer cells.

Larval competition between the invasive Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and the Caribbean endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Puerto Rico, USA.

Competition between mosquito species during the larval phase is a well-established mechanism structuring container mosquito communities, with invasive species often outperforming natives. We assessed the competitive outcome between 2 species that occur on the island of Puerto Rico, the historic invasive Aedes aegypti (L.) and the endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Coquillett) (Diptera: Culicidae).

Implication of the enteric glia in the IBS-like colonic inflammation associated with endometriosis.

Background: Endometriosis is a complex gynecological disorder characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue. Symptoms of endometriosis are known to impair the quality of life of patients, and among these are found dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and gastrointestinal (GI) issues. GI issues such as painful bowel movements, bloating and constipation or diarrhea, are one of the common reasons for misdiagnosis with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The alphavirus determinants of intercellular long extension formation.

The alphavirus chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a serious human pathogen that can cause large-scale epidemics characterized by fever and joint pain and often resulting in chronic arthritis. Infection by alphaviruses including CHIKV and the closely related Semliki Forest virus (SFV) can induce the formation of filopodia-like intercellular long extensions (ILEs). ILEs emanate from an infected cell, stably attach to a neighboring cell, and mediate cell-to-cell viral transmission that is resistant to neutralizing antibodies.

Gut microbiota profiling in injection drug users with and without HIV-1 infection in Puerto Rico.

Introduction: The full extent of interactions between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, injection drug use, and the human microbiome is unclear. In this study, we examined the microbiomes of HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals, both drug-injecting and non-injecting, to identify bacterial community changes in response to HIV and drug use. We utilized a well-established cohort of people who inject drugs in Puerto Rico, a region with historically high levels of injection drug use and an HIV incidence rate disproportionately associated with drug use.

Structural variant allelic heterogeneity in MECP2 duplication syndrome provides insight into clinical severity and variability of disease expression.

Background: MECP2 Duplication Syndrome, also known as X-linked intellectual developmental disorder Lubs type (MRXSL; MIM: 300260), is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by copy number gains spanning MECP2. Despite varying genomic rearrangement structures, including duplications and triplications, and a wide range of duplication sizes, no clear correlation exists between DNA rearrangement and clinical features. We had previously demonstrated that up to 38% of MRXSL families are characterized by complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) of intermediate complexity (2 ≤ copy number variant breakpoints < 5), yet the impact of these genomic structures on regulation of gene expression and phenotypic manifestations have not been investigated.

Global Distribution of Colorectal Cancer Staging at Diagnosis: An Evidence Synthesis.

Background And Aims: Stage at diagnosis is a key prognostic factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) survival. We aimed to assess the global distribution of CRC staging at diagnosis using population-based or hospital-based registry data.

Methods: We systematically searched in MEDLINE and Embase from their inception until 6 December 2023.

2024 Update of the RECOVER-Adult Long COVID Research Index.

Importance: Classification of persons with long COVID (LC) or post-COVID-19 condition must encompass the complexity and heterogeneity of the condition. Iterative refinement of the classification index for research is needed to incorporate newly available data as the field rapidly evolves.

Objective: To update the 2023 research index for adults with LC using additional participant data from the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER-Adult) study and an expanded symptom list based on input from patient communities.