Marital Status as a Moderator: Exploring the Relationship between Social Engagement and Depressive Symptoms in China's Older Adult Population.

Objective: This study aims to explore the complex relationship between social engagement and depressive symptoms among older adults in China, focusing particularly on the moderating role of marital status.

Methods: This study used data from the latest Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The analysis used the latent class analysis to delineate personality clusters and hierarchical linear regression, supplemented by the PROCESS macro, to investigate the effects of social engagement and marital status on depressive symptoms.

Role of Chemokines and Cytokines in Prostate Cancer Skeletal Metastasis.

Purpose Of Review: Once prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastases develop, the prognosis dramatically declines. The precise mechanisms regulating bone metastasis remain elusive. This review will explore recent findings related to cytokines and chemokines in the process of bone metastases.

Evaluating the Performance and Bias of Natural Language Processing Tools in Labeling Chest Radiograph Reports.

Background Natural language processing (NLP) is commonly used to annotate radiology datasets for training deep learning (DL) models. However, the accuracy and potential biases of these NLP methods have not been thoroughly investigated, particularly across different demographic groups. Purpose To evaluate the accuracy and demographic bias of four NLP radiology report labeling tools on two chest radiograph datasets.

Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Events Following Roux en Y Gastric Bypass versus Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Claims-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To compare the risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events following sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux en Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Summary Background Data: Bariatric surgery is associated with reduced CVD risk but the differential effect of contemporary bariatric procedures is unclear.

Methods: We used insurance claims to conduct a retrospective cohort study of CVD outcomes for patients who underwent RYGB versus SG between 2010 and 2021.

Cardiac Molecular Analysis Reveals Aging-Associated Metabolic Alterations Promoting Glycosaminoglycans Accumulation via Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway.

Age is a prominent risk factor for cardiometabolic disease, often leading to heart structural and functional changes. However, precise molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac remodeling and dysfunction exclusively resulting from physiological aging remain elusive. Previous research demonstrated age-related functional alterations in baboons, analogous to humans.

Achievement of LDL-C <55 mg/dL among US adults: Findings from the cvMOBIUS2 registry.

Background: Reflecting clinical trial data showing improved outcomes with lower LDL-C levels, guidelines across the globe are increasingly recommending a goal of LDL-C <55 mg/dL in persons with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). What proportion of patients with ASCVD are already meeting those goals in the US remains understudied.

Methods: Using electronic health record data from 8 large US health systems, we evaluated lipid-lowering therapy (LLT), LDL-C levels, and factors associated with an LDL-C <55 mg/dL in persons with ASCVD treated between 1/1/2021-12/31/2021.

A randomized phase III double-blind placebo-controlled trial of first-line chemotherapy and trastuzumab with or without bevacizumab for patients with HER2/neu-positive metastatic breast cancer: a trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (E1105).

Background: In 2008, bevacizumab received accelerated Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Based on the pre-clinical and preliminary clinical activity of the trastuzumab and bevacizumab combination, ECOG-ACRIN E1105 trial was developed to determine if the addition of bevacizumab to a chemotherapy and trastuzumab combination for first-line therapy would improve progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with HER2-positive MBC.

Findings: 96 patients were randomized to receive standard first-line chemotherapy and trastuzumab with or without bevacizumab between November 2007 and October 2009, and 93 began protocol therapy.

Radiotherapy Plan Quality Assurance in NRG Oncology Trials for Brain and Head/Neck Cancers: An AI-Enhanced Knowledge-Based Approach.

The quality of radiation therapy (RT) treatment plans directly affects the outcomes of clinical trials. KBP solutions have been utilized in RT plan quality assurance (QA). In this study, we evaluated the quality of RT plans for brain and head/neck cancers enrolled in multi-institutional clinical trials utilizing a KBP approach.

Clinical trial recruitment of people who speak languages other than English: a Children's Oncology Group report.

Background: Persons who speak languages other than English are underrepresented in clinical trials, likely in part because of inadequate multilevel resources. We conducted a survey of institutions affiliated with the Children's Oncology Group (COG) to characterize current research recruitment practices and resources regarding translation and interpretation services.

Methods: In October 2022, a 20-item survey was distributed electronically to institutions affiliated with COG to assess consent practices and resources for recruiting participants who speak languages other than English to COG trials.

Exploiting urine-derived induced pluripotent stem cells for advancing precision medicine in cell therapy, disease modeling, and drug testing.

The field of regenerative medicine has witnessed remarkable advancements with the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a variety of sources. Among these, urine-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (u-iPSCs) have garnered substantial attention due to their non-invasive and patient-friendly acquisition method. This review manuscript delves into the potential and application of u-iPSCs in advancing precision medicine, particularly in the realms of drug testing, disease modeling, and cell therapy.

Comparing Cervical Cancer Screening Strategies in an Incarcerated Population.

To describe the prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection, and cervical cancer in a high-risk, underscreened incarcerated population and to evaluate the performance of current cervical cancer screening options to detect cervical precancer (CIN 2/3) in this population. Deidentified data were obtained from all cytological, hrHPV DNA, and histopathological testing of cervical biopsies performed on people incarcerated at the North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2020. These were linked to corresponding demographic data.

Myeloablative vs nonmyeloablative consolidation for primary central nervous system lymphoma: results of Alliance 51101.

Although it is evident that standard-dose whole-brain radiotherapy as consolidation is associated with significant neurotoxicity, the optimal consolidative strategy for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is not defined. We performed a randomized phase 2 clinical trial via the US Alliance cancer cooperative group to compare myeloablative consolidation supported by autologous stem cell transplantation with nonmyeloablative consolidation after induction therapy for PCNSL. To our knowledge, this is the first randomized trial to be initiated that eliminates whole-brain radiotherapy as a consolidative approach in newly diagnosed PCNSL.

Gluing Together a Fragmented Healthcare System for Geriatrics Will Be Hard. It's Time for United Action.

"Gluing" together integrated Geriatric Clinical Service lines (GCSL) within the US healthcare system is a significant challenge. Reasons encompass health professional workforce shortages, inconsistent requirements for geriatric educational competencies among the health professional disciplines, preconceived ageist attitudes about older adults with complex illnesses, and a US healthcare system infrastructure that is not aligned with longitudinal and interdisciplinary care needs for older adults. This review focuses on three major characteristics of the US healthcare system that have impeded widespread dissemination of GCSLs: 1) the US's historical fee for service (FFS) reimbursement system; 2) increasing reliance upon disease specific specialty care services for older patients that have resulted from advances in medicine; and 3) rising consolidation of US healthcare systems over the last 30 years.

Pre-surgical factors related to latent trajectories of 5-year weight loss for a diverse bariatric surgery population.

Background: Analyzing trajectories of weight loss may address how particular groups of patients respond to metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Objectives: The Bariatric Experience Long Term (BELONG) study was designed to use a theoretical model to examine determinants of weight loss and recurrence.

Setting: Large integrated health system in Southern California with 11 surgical practices and 23 surgeons.

Comparison of health care costs following sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the impact of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on overall and diabetes-specific health care costs among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined patients with type 2 diabetes after SG and RYGB using data from Optum's deidentified Clinformatics® Data Mart database. The matched study group included 9608 patients who underwent SG or RYGB and were enrolled between 2007 and 2019.

Early inner plexiform layer thinning and retinal nerve fiber layer thickening in excitotoxic retinal injury using deep learning-assisted optical coherence tomography.

Excitotoxicity from the impairment of glutamate uptake constitutes an important mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Within the eye, excitotoxicity is thought to play a critical role in retinal ganglion cell death in glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal ischemia, and optic nerve injury, yet how excitotoxic injury impacts different retinal layers is not well understood. Here, we investigated the longitudinal effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxic retinal injury in a rat model using deep learning-assisted retinal layer thickness estimation.

Adjuvant platinum versus capecitabine for residual, invasive, triple-negative breast cancer: Patient-reported outcomes in ECOG-ACRIN EA1131.

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are a better tool for evaluating the experiences of patients who have symptomatic, treatment-associated adverse events (AEs) compared with clinician-rated AEs. The authors present PROs assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and treatment-related neurotoxicity for adjuvant capecitabine versus platinum on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ECOG-ACRIN) EA1131 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02445391).

Patient-Reported Financial Burden of Treatment for Colon or Rectal Cancer.

Importance: The longitudinal experience of patients is critical to the development of interventions to identify and reduce financial hardship.

Objective: To evaluate financial hardship over 12 months in patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing curative-intent therapy.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective, longitudinal cohort study was conducted between May 2018 and July 2020, with time points over 12 months.