Maternal and Infant Outcomes in a Subset of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in South Carolina.

Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD), which disproportionately affects minorities, increases complications during pregnancy. Severe maternal mortality is increased in women with SCD, including morbidity related to the disease and other nondisease-related complications. It also can have devastating complications for fetuses, with increases in premature birth and low birth weight.

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Hitch-Hike the Gut-Brain Axis to Exacerbate Parkinson's Pathology.

The neurological implications of micro- and nanoplastic exposure have recently come under scrutiny due to the environmental prevalence of these synthetic materials. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major neurological disorder clinically characterized by intracellular Lewy-body inclusions and dopaminergic neuronal death. These pathological hallmarks of PD, according to Braak's hypothesis, are mediated by the afferent propagation of α synuclein (αS) via the enteric nervous system, or the so-called gut-brain axis.

Differences in Combustible Cigarette Smoking-Related Biomarkers by Hormonal Contraceptive Use: An Exploratory Study.

Introduction: Hormonal contraceptives (HCs), which contain synthetic forms of estrogen (i.e., ethinyl estradiol) and/or progesterone (i.

Increased expression of the small lysosomal gene SVIP in the Drosophila gut suppresses pathophysiological features associated with a high-fat diet.

Lysosomes are digestive organelles that are crucial for nutrient sensing and metabolism. Lysosome impairment is linked to a broad spectrum of metabolic disorders, underscoring their importance to human health. Thus, lysosomes are an attractive target for metabolic disease therapies.

The Intersection of a Life Partner and Professional Wellness for the Plastic Surgeon.

Our literature review describes the complicated intersection of the physician/surgeon's professional practice and their spouse/domestic partner, acknowledging that the existing literature specific to plastic surgeons is limited. Nevertheless, the broader research of physicians and other surgical fields identifies many risk factors for work-home conflicts, which can negatively impact the surgeon and the spouse. Furthermore, certain studied groups have other unique challenges and considerations, such as women surgeons, residents, and dual-physician couples.

Pedals possible: a pilot study of adaptive cycling as a school-based rehabilitation intervention for students with disabilities.

Introduction: Pediatric therapists in school-based practice can incorporate exercise promotion through adaptive cycling for children with disabilities who experience high levels of sedentary behavior and low levels of moderate to vigorous activity.

Methods: The impacts of an adaptive cycling pilot program for children with disabilities were investigated through a community-based participatory study. During an eight-week intervention, students had a goal of riding adaptive cycles three times a week for twenty minutes.

Quick Oil Red O, Paint3D and Biopython as an economical tool to measure total lipid levels in .

Quick Oil Red O staining is a well established method to assay total lipid levels in , but the software to clean up and analyse the images is either laborious, expensive or both. We have developed a process that uses an existing protocol to stain the animals, followed by Magic Select in Paint3D to remove background and then a custom script in Biopython to quantify average pixel intensity animal. The software is free, accessible and relatively easy to use for undergraduate researchers.

Ranking Surgeon Performance After ACL Reconstruction Using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Subscales.

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are considered the gold standard for evaluating value-based care in orthopaedics. However, there is little evidence to guide implementation of PROs for surgeon performance evaluation.

Purpose: To develop a risk-adjusted surgeon performance measure using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

The impact of a patient advisory board on a clinical comparative effectiveness trial: a comparison of patient and researcher perspectives.

To examine contributions of a patient advisory board (PAB) to the design and conduct of The Pulmonary Embolism Prevention after Hip and Knee Replacement (PEPPER) Trial (NCT02810704) and compare perceptions of PAB members and researchers on the Trial. This evaluation of the PAB was conducted by Clinical Coordinating Center (CCC) members who first discussed PAB contributions, leading to the design of a semi-structured WebEx interview individually querying PAB members on their experience. Two study team members analyzed transcriptions of the interviews for common themes, which were discussed and affirmed at an in-person meeting with PAB members.

Photon-counting CT imaging of a patient with coiled and untreated intracranial saccular aneurysms.

We describe a novel application of photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) in neurovascular imaging by harnessing the improved spatial resolution, attenuation of electronic noise, and reduction of metal artifacts. The presented case offers the unique challenge of high-quality imaging for the assessment of treated and untreated intracranial saccular aneurysms, in the setting of metal artifacts from embolization coils. Our goal was to explore optimized reconstruction parameters for ultra-high-resolution imaging (UHR) using a dedicated, sharp neurovascular kernel (Hv72) and the highest strength of quantum iterative reconstruction (QIR-4) for detailed characterization of the vasculature.

Perceived healthiness of sugary drinks and related social norms among adults in five countries: evidence from the International Food Policy Study.

Background: A better understanding of correlates of sugary drink consumption is essential to inform public health interventions. This study examined differences in perceived healthiness of sugary drinks and related social norms between countries, over time, and sociodemographic groups and associations with sugary drink intake.

Methods: This study used annual cross-sectional data from the International Food Policy Study from 2018 to 2021 in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Mexico.

Depression and Other Mood Disorders Across the Lifespan: Roles of the Obstetrician-Gynecologist.

Mood disorders such as depressive or bipolar disorders are more common among women. This review provides the fundamentals of diagnosing and treating mood disorders throughout a woman's lifespan. The etiology of mood disorders is not well-understood, but genetic, social, environmental, and neurobiologic factors play roles.

Barriers and facilitators to global access to life-saving skills training: an international cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: Emergency care begins in the community, who are often the first on the scene. Where emergency care systems are nascent or absent, bystanders represent the only prehospital emergency care that victims might receive. It is important to equip bystanders through life-saving skills training (LST).

Using augmented reality to deliver cue exposure treatment for smoking cessation: App usability findings and protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Augmented Reality (AR) is a rapidly developing technology with potential utility for treating addictive behaviors, including tobacco smoking. AR inserts digital images into a natural real-time scene as viewed on a smartphone or other video devices. With respect to smoking cessation, AR can place virtual smoking cues (i.

Distribution and correlates of long-acting injectable antipsychotic use among community mental health center patients.

Although long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are an important pharmaceutical option in the management of schizophrenia and related disorders, little is known about patient characteristics related to LAI use in real-world outpatient settings. We analyzed electronic medical records from 41,401 patients who received psychiatric services from one of 16 regional mental health centers operated by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health in 2022. We compared the use of first- and second-generation LAIs and oral antipsychotics by sociodemographic (age, gender, race/ethnicity, zip code, payment source) and clinical characteristics (psychiatric diagnoses, service use).

Impact of Online Interactive Decision Tools on Women's Decision-Making Regarding Breast Cancer Screening: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The online nature of decision aids (DAs) and related e-tools supporting women's decision-making regarding breast cancer screening (BCS) through mammography may facilitate broader access, making them a valuable addition to BCS programs.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the scientific evidence on the impacts of these e-tools and to provide a comprehensive assessment of the factors associated with their increased utility and efficacy.

Methods: We followed the 2020 PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and conducted a search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases from August 2010 to April 2023.

Within- and Between-Person Differences in Activity Factor Structure: Results from an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Objective: Studies using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of activity participation rely on items tapping domains informed by factor analyses based on single time points. Analyses from a single time point focus on differences between participants and provide little insight into how activities cluster together within a person across moments or days. The present study compared the factor structure in activity participation between- and within-persons using an expanded set of momentary activity items in middle and older adulthood.

Simultaneous Unbinned Differential Cross-Section Measurement of Twenty-Four Z+jets Kinematic Observables with the ATLAS Detector.

Z boson events at the Large Hadron Collider can be selected with high purity and are sensitive to a diverse range of QCD phenomena. As a result, these events are often used to probe the nature of the strong force, improve Monte Carlo event generators, and search for deviations from standard model predictions. All previous measurements of Z boson production characterize the event properties using a small number of observables and present the results as differential cross sections in predetermined bins.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pediatric Counseling on Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Weight: A Secondary Analysis of the BP-CATCH Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Pediatric obesity and hypertension are highly correlated. To mitigate both conditions, provision of counseling on nutrition, lifestyle, and weight to children with high blood pressure (BP) measurements is recommended.

Objective: To examine racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of nutrition, lifestyle, and weight counseling among patients with high BP at pediatric primary care visits stratified by patients' weight status.

Daily Cognition in the Family Context: The Complex Associations between Memory Lapses, Family Relationships, and Affect in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

Background And Objectives: The analysis of daily memory lapses is an underutilized approach to understanding daily experiences of cognitive functioning. The present study adopts this approach, with the goals of exploring how the quality of family relationships predicts the frequency of daily memory lapses and moderates the link between daily memory lapses and daily affect.

Research Design And Methods: We used longitudinal data from the third wave of Midlife in the United States and the National Study of Daily Experiences to assess our research goals.

Pre-Assault Diagnoses Associated with Post-Assault Emergency Department Visits After Recent Sexual Assault.

Characteristics associated with individuals who frequent the emergency department at higher rates have been well established; however, factors associated with greater emergency department visits following a recent sexual assault are largely unknown. The current study evaluated the associations between pre-assault factors such as substance use and physical injuries, assault characteristics such as genital injury, non-genital injury, alcohol or drug use involvement, intimate partner involvement, and emergency department visits one-year after a sexual assault medical forensic exam (SAMFE). The current study included a medical record review of 123 individuals who received a SAMFE at a hospital in the United States.