Rural Communities in the Deep South: Examining the Relationship Between Social Function and General Health Perceptions in Older Black Americans.

Background: Increased mortality in rural southern areas has persisted and worsened among older Black adults due to high prevalence of chronic conditions combined with limited healthcare access resulting from social and structural factors.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the relationship between general health perceptions, social functioning, mental health, and demographic characteristics among Black adults living in the rural south.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined health perceptions in older Black Americans residing in four rural towns within Alabama (Clayton, Fort Deposit, Hobson City, and York).

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Family caregivers to persons living with dementia are at risk of financial strain from the high out-of-pocket costs of care and reduced employment opportunities. Financial strain disproportionately affects U.S.

Dementia Care Practice.

Patients with dementia (PWD) often face challenges with daily activities due to communication challenges, which may lead to negative outcomes for those with dementia and their family caregivers alike. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices have demonstrated to be feasible in supporting communication among PWD (May et al., 2019) through text, graphics, and/or sound.

Heterotypic Seeding Generates Mixed Amyloid Polymorphs.

Aggregation of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide into fibrils represents one of the major biochemical pathways underlying the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Extensive studies have been carried out to understand the role of fibrillar seeds on the overall kinetics of amyloid aggregation. However, the precise effect of seeds that are structurally or sequentially different from Aβ on the structure of the resulting amyloid aggregates is yet to be fully understood.

Outcomes following deep hypothermic circulatory arrest versus antegrade cerebral perfusion during aortic arch reconstruction.

Objective: The optimal method for cerebral protection during aortic arch reconstruction in neonates and infants is unknown. We compare the outcomes of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion strategies in neonatal and infant cardiac surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients aged less than 1 year who underwent aortic arch reconstruction from 2012 to 2023.

One-quarter of freshwater fauna threatened with extinction.

Freshwater ecosystems are highly biodiverse and important for livelihoods and economic development, but are under substantial stress. To date, comprehensive global assessments of extinction risk have not included any speciose groups primarily living in freshwaters. Consequently, data from predominantly terrestrial tetrapods are used to guide environmental policy and conservation prioritization, whereas recent proposals for target setting in freshwaters use abiotic factors.

Benefits and burdens of daily sacrifices and commitment in same- and different-gender couples: Explorations of proximity and direction of effects.

Research and theory document links between sacrifices and commitment in couples, yet the direction of effects remains unclear. Whereas interdependence theorists suggest that sacrifices help couples to build commitment, other scholars have suggested that being committed leads partners to sacrifice for each other. Nearly all research in this area has focused on men and women in different-gender relationships with each other.

Patient perspectives on educational needs in scleroderma-interstitial lung disease.

Background: Systemic sclerosis is a chronic and rare connective tissue disease with multiorgan effects, including interstitial lung disease (ILD). Navigating systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease presents a challenge for patients due to the gaps in patient education, which can impact patient health and quality of life. This study utilized the nominal group technique to identify priority knowledge gaps among patients with systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease and inform future educational interventions and research.

Mitochondrial protective potential of fucoxanthin in brain disorders.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a common feature of brain disorders. Mitochondria play a central role in oxidative phosphorylation; thus changes in energy metabolism in the brain have been reported in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. In addition, mitochondria regulate cellular responses associated with neuronal damage such as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), and apoptosis.

The Spoilers of Virtual War: Experience and Performance Mediate the Relationship Between Violent Video Games and Hostility.

A substantial portion of the literature investigating whether playing video games with violent content causes aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors has relied on experimental exposure to video game violence. To date, there is significant evidence suggesting these concepts are positively related, while other experiments demonstrate a null effect. A potential explanation for these contradicting findings is a failure to account for confounding such as video game performance and video game experience.

Internet Use and Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults in the U.S.: Unraveling the Differences by Gender.

The daily Internet use among older adults has increased. This study examines how Internet usage affects depressive symptoms among older adults, focusing on gender differences. Using data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study ( = 6380), weighted multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted.

Association Between Chronic Pain and Fatigue Severity with Weather and Air Pollution Among Females with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Weather and air quality conditions have been anecdotally reported to be related to symptom fluctuations in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), but this has never been empirically investigated. This exploratory study aims to examine the effects of weather and air quality on daily fluctuations of chronic pain and fatigue in women with ME/CFS. In an intensive longitudinal design, 58 participants with ME/CFS provided daily pain and fatigue ratings for an average of 61 days.

The uses of right heart catheterization in cardio-pulmonary disease: State-of-the-art.

The right heart catheterization (RHC) remains an important diagnostic tool for a spectrum of cardiovascular disease processes including pulmonary hypertension (PH), shock, valvular heart disease, and unexplained dyspnea. While it gained widespread utilization after its introduction, the role of the RHC has evolved to provide valuable information for the management of advanced therapies in heart failure (HF) and cardiogenic shock (CS) to name a few. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the indications, utilization, complications, interpretation, and calculations associated with RHC.

Leg Dominance Effects During Single- and Dual-Task Modified Balance Error Scoring System Assessment in Collegiate and High School Athletes.

Background: The modified Balance Error Scoring System (mBESS) incorporates nondominant leg stance for a ceiling effect, but that may not be the worse balancing leg. Updated recommendations call for single- and dual-task tandem gait, but limited research has explored these effects on the mBESS.

Purposes: To compare mBESS performance between dominant and nondominant legs during single and dual tasks and to determine 1-week test-retest reliability.

Thermodynamic Stability in Transition Metal-Hydrogen Dications: Potential Energy Curves, Spectroscopic Parameters, and Bonding for VH.

Seventeen electronic states of the dication VH were characterized by the SA-CASSCF/icMRCI methodology using very extended basis sets; 11 were described for the first time. Potential energy curves were constructed and the associated spectroscopic parameters evaluated. Triplet and quintet states correlating with the V + H channel are thermodynamic stable.

Post-acute sequela of COVID-19 infection in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Many common symptoms in post-acute sequelae following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) overlap with those of multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined symptoms and performance of the PASC score, developed in the general population, in MS based on infection history.

Methods: We surveyed North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) registry participants regarding infections and categorized participants based on infection history.

Is frequent emergency department use a complement or substitute for other healthcare services? Evidence from South Carolina Medicaid enrollees.

Objective: To compare healthcare services utilization across the healthcare system between frequent and non-frequent emergency department (ED) users among Medicaid enrollees in South Carolina.

Study Setting And Design: We conducted a retrospective, longitudinal study of individuals with at least one ED visit in 2017 in South Carolina and identified their healthcare services visits over 730 days (2 years) after their first ED visit. We classified individuals based on intensity of ED use: superfrequent (≥9 ED visits/year), frequent (4-8 ED visits/year), and non-frequent ED users (≤3 visits/year).

NLS-binding deficient Kapβ2 reduces neurotoxicity via selective interaction with C9orf72-ALS/FTD dipeptide repeats.

Arginine-rich dipeptide repeat proteins (R-DPRs) are highly toxic proteins found in patients with C9orf72-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (C9-ALS/FTD). R-DPRs can cause toxicity by disrupting the natural phase behavior of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Mitigating this abnormal phase behavior is, therefore, crucial to reduce R-DPR-induced toxicity.

Growing empathy through art therapy, life story, and relationships: experiential learning in adult day services.

Introduction: Empathy is a fundamental element of high-quality healthcare, though it has been shown to be in decline among medical students and residents. Appeals have therefore been made for the development of evidence-based empathy-enhancing experiential learning and training models. Bringing Art to Life (BATL) is a service-learning program designed within experiential learning pedagogy for psychology and pre-healthcare students.

Effect of game-based asthma management interventions on pediatric asthma control, knowledge, attitudes, hospitalizations, and emergency visits: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Many studies have used game-based interventions to educate children about asthma. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of these games in improving asthma control and related outcomes in children.

Methods: Seven databases were searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO'.

Staying or Leaving the Pediatric Oncology Clinic: Nurses' Challenges in Care and Voices of Struggle - A Qualitative Study.

Objective: Pediatric oncology nursing is a challenging and emotionally exhausting profession. Understanding the challenges and struggles faced by pediatric oncology nurses can help to create targeted interventions that will improve their well-being and enhance the quality of care for children with cancer and their families. This study aimed to explore the challenges and struggles nurses face in their daily care practices.