Integrating Retinal Segmentation Metrics with Machine Learning for Predictions from Mouse SD-OCT Scans.

Purpose: This study aimed to initially test whether machine learning approaches could categorically predict two simple biological features, mouse age and mouse species, using the retinal segmentation metrics.

Methods: The retinal layer thickness data obtained from C57BL/6 and DBA/2J mice were processed for machine learning after segmenting mouse retinal SD-OCT scans. Twenty-two models were trained to predict the mouse groups.

Differential effects of volanesorsen on apoC-III, triglycerides and pancreatitis in familial chylomicronemia syndrome diagnosed by genetic or non-genetic criteria.

Background: Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is diagnosed by genetic or non-genetic criteria.

Objective: To assess responses to treatment of apolipoprotein (apo)C-III, triglycerides, and pancreatitis events in patients with FCS-based diagnostic methods.

Methods: APPROACH enrolled 66 patients with FCS randomized to volanesorsen or placebo for 12 months.

Impact of Subsequent Fellowship on Urology Chief Resident Case Log Volumes.

Objective: To characterize the impact of subsequent fellowship on the case log experience of trainees throughout their residency and specifically their chief resident year.

Materials And Methods: Urology resident case logs from 2010 to 2022 were obtained from 13 institutions for total residency and chief years. Five categorized index procedures were included for analysis: General Urology; Endourology; Reconstructive Urology; Urologic Oncology; and Pediatric Urology.

Management of Low-Grade Gliomas.

The term "low-grade glioma" historically refers to adult diffuse gliomas that exhibit a less aggressive course than the more common high-grade gliomas. In the current molecular era, "low-grade" refers to World Health Organization central nervous system grade 2 gliomas almost always with an isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation (astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas). The term "lower-grade gliomas" has emerged encompassing grades 2 and 3 IDH-mutant astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas, to acknowledge that histological grade is not as important a prognostic factor as molecular features, and distinguishing them from grade 4 glioblastomas, which lack an IDH mutation.

A randomized controlled, trial on effects of mobile phone text messaging in combination with motivational interviewing versus standard infant feeding counselling on breastfeeding and child health outcomes, among women living with HIV.

Background: Despite efforts to promote optimal breastfeeding practices, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding is low in South Africa. We conducted a trial to determine whether text messaging plus motivational interviewing prolonged exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life and improved child health outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a randomized parallel group-controlled trial between July 2022 and May 2024, at a secondary-level healthcare facility.

Long-Term Survival Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Background: Management guidelines for stable three-vessel coronary artery disease have become a subject of debate. We aim to provide a benchmark for the survival of patients with normal ejection fraction, stable three-vessel disease, and elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Methods: Data from consecutive patients with normal ejection fraction undergoing elective primary isolated CABG for triple-vessel disease in a diverse 11-center surgical network between 2008 and 2020 were analyzed.

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, reduced hippocampal subfield volumes, and word reading.

Reading difficulties and exposure to air pollution are both disproportionately high among youth living in economically disadvantaged contexts. Critically, variance in reading skills in youth living in higher socioeconomic status (SES) contexts largely derives from genetic factors, whereas environmental factors explain more of the variance in reading skills among youth living in lower SES contexts. Although reading research has focused closely on the psychosocial environment, little focus has been paid to the effects of the chemical environment.

Hospital Boarding Creates Critical Shortcomings in Disaster Preparedness.

Hospital patient boarding in emergency departments has reached unprecedented crisis levels over the past 4 years. Boarding and crowding has been demonstrated by prior literature to have adverse effects on patient care as well as increased associated costs. Importantly, the increase in hospital patient boarding has created critical shortcomings in disaster preparedness by limiting the capacity of emergency departments to respond to mass casualty incidents due to space and staffing constraints.

Genetic Variants Associated with the Biochemical Response to Vitamin D3 in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Context: The response to treatment with vitamin D varies between patients.

Objective: To identify genetic variants associated with the biochemical response to vitamin D3 supplementation.

Design: Randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted between 2017 and 2019.

Intranasally administrated fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides block SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice and enable long-term protective immunity.

We have assessed antiviral activity and induction of protective immunity of fusion-inhibitory lipopeptides derived from the C-terminal heptad-repeat domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein in transgenic mice expressing human ACE2 (K18-hACE2). The lipopeptides block SARS-CoV-2 infection in cell lines and lung-derived organotypic cultures. Intranasal administration in mice allows the maintenance of homeostatic transcriptomic immune profile in lungs, prevents body-weight loss, decreases viral load and shedding, and protects mice from death caused by SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire: A Novel Patient Reported Outcome for Skin Disease in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire (SSQ), a novel patient-reported outcome (PRO) to assess systemic sclerosis (SSc) related skin symptoms.

Methods: The SSQ was administered to 799 adults (mean age 52.7; 82% female) enrolled in the SSc Collaborative National Quality and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER).

The Golgi complex governs natural killer cell lytic granule positioning to promote directionality in cytotoxicity.

Cytotoxic immune cells mediate precise attacks against diseased cells to maintain organismal health. Their operational unit of killing and host defense is lytic granules (LGs), which are specialized lysosomal-related organelles. Precision in cytotoxicity is achieved by converging the many LGs to the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and polarizing these to the diseased cell for secretion.

Improvement in vision-related quality-of-life using the NEI-VFQ-9 over 1-year in the Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study (NYC-SIGHT).

Purpose: To examine the nine-item National Eye Institute Vision Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-9) scores at baseline and 12 months in participants enrolled in the Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study (NYC-SIGHT) and determine factors associated with improvements in vision-related quality-of-life (VRQOL).

Methods: Retrospective review of NEI-VFQ-9 scores at baseline and 12-month follow-up in a community-based eye health screening study conducted in Upper Manhattan, New York. Participants were age ≥ 40 years and older, living independently in public/affordable housing developments and able to provide informed consent.

Glaucoma Screening and Referral Risk Factors in a High-Risk Population: Follow-up Study of the Manhattan Vision Screening Study (NYC-SIGHT).

Prcis: Community-based eye health screenings that incorporated fundus photography and optometric exams in a high-risk NYC population effectively identified a higher than average number of participants that required an in-office glaucoma evaluation.

Purpose: To report glaucoma screening rates and risk factors associated with referral for in-office glaucoma evaluation in the Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study (NYC-SIGHT).

Methods: In this 5-year, cluster-randomized clinical trial, eligible individuals aged 40 and older were recruited from affordable housing developments and senior centers.

Windows in the ICU and Postoperative Delirium: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: The ICU built environment-including the presence of windows-has long been thought to play a role in delirium. This study investigated the association between the presence or absence of windows in patient rooms and ICU delirium.

Design: Retrospective single institution cohort study.

Image Guidance is Associated with Improved Freedom From Recurrence After Superficial Radiation Therapy for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer.

Purpose: This is the first study to quantify the 2-year freedom from recurrence for individuals with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and squamous carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) treated with image guided superficial radiation therapy (IGSRT) versus SRT without image guidance.

Methods And Materials: This retrospective cohort study evaluates the 2-year freedom recurrence rate of NMSCs treated by IGSRT (March 2016 to January 2022) and compares it to existing data on NMSCs treated by SRT via 1 sample proportion tests. Individuals >18 years old with biopsy-proven SCC, SCCIS, and/or BCC treated with IGSRT were included in the study, and 1602 patients/2880 treated lesions were followed until January 14, 2022.

Deconstructing the Monolith: An Educational Module for Understanding Disparities Within Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Populations.

Introduction: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) people represent one of the largest and most rapidly growing groups in the United States and are often aggregated as a homogeneous, rather than diverse, population in medical research and education. Currently, few educational interventions focus on the disaggregation of AANHPI patient populations and the improvement of knowledge about health disparities that affect AANHPI patients.

Methods: We developed, implemented, and facilitated a workshop for medical students to address AANHPI health disparities, adaptable for in-person and online formats.

Machine Learning Models for 3-Month Outcome Prediction Using Radiomics of Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Perihematomal Edema from Admission Head Computed Tomography (CT).

: Intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) and perihematomal edema (PHE) are respective imaging markers of primary and secondary brain injury in hemorrhagic stroke. In this study, we explored the potential added value of PHE radiomic features for prognostication in ICH patients. : Using a multicentric trial cohort of acute supratentorial ICH ( = 852) patients, we extracted radiomic features from ICH and PHE lesions on admission non-contrast head CTs.

The effects of war-related experiences on mental health symptoms of individuals living in conflict zones: a longitudinal study.

On October 7, 2023, a large-scale attack in southern Israel and the subsequent war resulted in extensive loss of life and injuries, with many individuals experiencing traumatic losses, such as family members or close friends being killed or kidnapped. This study aims to longitudinally examine its effects on mental health, specifically, clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We anticipated greater symptom severity among individuals who experienced traumatic loss, were forcibly displaced, or suffered income loss, as well as among women and members of ethnic minorities.

Creation of a Multimodal Telemedicine Curriculum for Preclinical Medical Students.

Introduction: In 2020, the AAMC created telemedicine competencies to guide curriculum and assessment development. Most available curricula are designed for clinical medical students or graduate trainees, and few offer opportunities for individualized, timely feedback and participation in pediatric simulated encounters.

Methods: We designed a hybrid curriculum to provide preclinical medical students with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform telemedicine encounters.

Obesity and the development of Parkinson's disease within the Framingham Heart study cohort.

Objective: To determine the role of obesity in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Background: Obesity has been reported to be both a risk factor for PD, as well as potentially protective. The Framingham Heart Study (FHS) is a multigenerational longitudinal cohort study that was started in 1948, which is well-known for its cardiovascular health studies.

Sexual Harassment in Academic Anesthesiology: A Survey of Prevalence, Sources, Impact, and Recommendations.

Background: A report by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) showed that academic anesthesiology has the highest prevalence of sexual harassment among specialties for both men and women. We aimed to explore the prevalence, sources, and impact of sexual harassment on anesthesiologists in academic centers in the United States and Canada. We also sought recommendations for its mitigation.

Odds of Metastatic Disease at Diagnosis of Primary Bone and Soft-Tissue Sarcomas of the Extremity and Pelvis Based on Preferred Language and Socioeconomic Factors.

Introduction: The odds of metastatic disease at diagnosis of bone (BS) and soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) of the extremities and pelvis may vary among patients due to several factors. There is limited research comparing the rates of metastatic disease at diagnosis in patients from different demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Methods: Patients with a primary BS or STS of the extremity or pelvis were identified using International Classification of Diseases codes.

Adolescent vs. Young Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis patients: how different are their two year postoperative radiographic and clinical outcomes?

Purpose: To compare the long-term outcomes among AIS (10-18 years) and young AdIS (YAdIS) (19-40 years) patients with minimum 2 year follow up.

Methods: A retrospective review of AIS and YAdIS patients who underwent primary corrective surgery at a single center was conducted. Demographic, radiographic, operative data, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), including the ODI and SRS-22r, and long-term complications were collected.