The impact of state Medicaid coverage of abortion on people accessing care in three states.

CONTEXT: Medicaid is a major funder of reproductive health services, including family planning and pregnancy-related care, especially for people with limited income and people of color. Federal Medicaid funds cannot be used for abortion however 16 states allow state Medicaid funds to pay for abortion. In recent years, Illinois and Maine implemented, and West Virginia discontinued, state Medicaid coverage of abortion. METHODOLOGY: With retrospective procedure- and patient-level data obtained from clinics in these three states, we used an interrupted time series design, multivariable regression models, and descriptive statistics to assess changes in procedure volume and patients' share of total procedure price (patient price). RESULTS: In Maine and Illinois, implementing state Medicaid coverage of abortion contributed to an immediate overall increase in abortion access (as seen by a rise in monthly procedure volume at the time of the policy's implementation), a decrease in patient price (by 36% in Maine and 44% in Illinois) after policy implementation as compared to pre-implementation, and overall improved access among people of color. Conversely, when West Virginia discontinued coverage, access to care decreased, patient price increased by 130%, and the share of abortion procedures among people of color decreased. CONCLUSIONS: In the fragmented abortion access landscape of the post-Roe era, our study provides new evidence that financial assistance offered through state Medicaid policies that cover abortion may be most helpful to those facing traditional structural inequities to access, while discontinuation of Medicaid coverage of abortion further burdens those already economically marginalized.

Initiatives to improve lung and sleep health in children: Delphi consensus from the pediatrics, pulmonary, and sleep conference.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The lung and sleep health of adults is heavily influenced by early factors, both genetic and environmental; therefore, optimizing respiratory health begins in childhood. Multiple barriers impede improvements in lung and sleep health for children. First, the traditional siloing between general pediatric care in the community, pediatric pulmonary and sleep subspecialty care, and the research community limits the translation of knowledge into practice. Additionally, identifying and addressing health disparities remains a challenge. The 2021 NHLBI-sponsored workshop "Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health (DAP3H)" was a first step in defining critical gaps in our current healthcare system in identifying and optimizing lung and sleep health in children. The workshop identified key opportunities including measuring pulmonary function in young children, sleep-focused outcomes, developing biomarkers, and longitudinal research cohorts. To expand on the work of DAP3H and continue initiatives to improve childhood lung and sleep health, the Pediatrics & Pulmonary Network: Improving Health Together conference was held in 2023. STUDY DESIGN: A modified Delphi process was applied to form consensus surrounding gaps, barriers, and action items, with the goal of identifying the most urgent opportnities for improving childhood lung and sleep health. RESULTS: Cross-cutting foundational principles were identified as: (1) Authentic Stakeholder Collaboration & Engagement, (2) Reach & Implementation in Real World Settings, (3) Understanding Current Landscape & Resources and (4) Purposeful Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives. CONCLUSIONS: To improve lung and sleep health in children, these principles should be the foundation for research design, development, and implementation.

The association between gynecologic healthcare providers' sexual health and their comfort discussing their patients' sexual function.

OBJECTIVE: Stigma surrounding discussions of sexuality can prevent patients from discussing sexual health issues with their healthcare providers. Clinicians may also experience similar stigma, compounding the problem if also reticent to assess their patients' sexual health. We explored the association of healthcare providers' personal sexual experience and health with their comfort with and frequency of optimizing their patients' sexual function and satisfaction. METHODS: We conducted an anonymous online survey of gynecologic care providers and their comfort with and frequency of addressing their patients' sexual function. Covariates examined via bivariate analysis included: socio-demographics, training level, prior sexual experiences and education, history of sexual trauma, and current sexual problems and satisfaction. RESULTS: Most respondents (N = 189) identified as sexually active (82.5 %), heterosexual (90.5 %), female (85.7 %) medical trainees (63.5 %). A quarter (23.8 %) reported currently having at least 1 sexual problem and 27.0 % reported a history of sexual trauma. Notably, 91.0 % of respondents had never been asked about their own sexual health by a healthcare provider. Less than half (43.9 %) reported frequently bringing up sexual health issues with their patients, while about half (50.8 %) reported being comfortable optimizing patients' sexual function, which was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with practicing at the attending level, being comfortable talking about their own sexuality, the absence of sexual problems, reported sexual satisfaction, and prior education in a greater number of sexual healthcare topics. CONCLUSION: Variation in how gynecologic healthcare providers manage their patients' sexual function may be linked to their own sexual experiences and well-being.

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia: A Clinical Review.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, genetically heterogeneous, motile ciliopathy, characterized by neonatal respiratory distress, recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections, subfertility, and laterality defects. Diagnosis relies on a combination of tests for confirmation, including nasal nitric oxide (nNO) measurements, high-speed videomicroscopy analysis (HSVMA), immunofluorescent staining, axonemal ultrastructure analysis via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and genetic testing. Notably, there is no single gold standard confirmatory or exclusionary test. Currently, 54 causative genes involved in cilia assembly, structure, and function have been linked to PCD; this rare disease has a spectrum of clinical manifestations and emerging genotype-phenotype relationships. In this review, we provide an overview of the structure and function of motile cilia, the emerging genetics and pathophysiology of this rare disease, as well as clinical features associated with motile ciliopathies, novel diagnostic tools, and updates on genotype-phenotype relationships in PCD.

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, genetic disease characterized by dysfunctional motile cilia and abnormal mucociliary clearance, resulting in chronic sino-oto-pulmonary disease, neonatal respiratory distress, subfertility, and organ laterality defects. Over the past 2 decades, research and international collaborations have led to an improved understanding of disease prevalence, classic and variable phenotypes, novel diagnostics, genotype-phenotype correlations, long term morbidity, and innovative therapeutics. However, PCD is often underrecognized in clinical settings and the recent analyses of genetic databases suggest that only a fraction of these patients are being accurately diagnosed. Knowledge of significant advancements, from pathophysiology to the expanded range of clinical manifestations, will have important clinical impacts. These may include increasing disease recognition, improving diagnostic testing and management, and establishing an adequate pool of affected patients to enroll in upcoming clinical therapeutic trials. The objective of this state-of-the-art review is for readers to gain a greater understanding of the clinical spectrum of motile ciliopathies, cutting-edge diagnostic practices, emerging genotype-phenotype associations, and currently accepted management of people with PCD.

Factors impacting quality of life for breast cancer survivors.

ABSTRACT: According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer became the most common cancer in the world in 2020 and accounted for 685,000 deaths globally. In this article, breast cancer risk factors, considerations for genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants, signs and symptoms, and treatment are briefly discussed. Factors that impact the well-being and quality of life of women who have or have had breast cancer are also explored in depth, and practice implications for primary care providers are noted.

Child Health and the Pediatric Pulmonology Workforce: 2020-2040.

There is concern as to whether the supply of pediatric pulmonology (PULM) subspecialists will be adequate to meet future demand. As part of an American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) Foundation-sponsored supplement investigating the future of the pediatric subspecialty workforce, this article assesses the current PULM clinical workforce and estimates the clinical workforce supply in the United States through 2040. The current workforce was assessed using ABP certification and Maintenance of Certification data, and a workforce supply model evaluating population growth, clinical effort, and geographic trends was developed after incorporating ABP data. Findings demonstrate that the number of pediatric pulmonologists has gradually increased over the past decade, and the ratio of subspecialists to children is likely to increase another 20% to 40% over the next 2 decades, although absolute numbers remain small. Geographic variation in access will persist in some regions. The proportion of women in the discipline has increased, but the proportion of pediatric pulmonologists from underrepresented in medicine backgrounds still lags behind the general population. Based on current trends, the PULM clinical workforce appears equipped to meet both population growth and the modest increase in demand for clinical services speculated to occur because of changes in the subspecialty's clinical portfolio. However, several factors could inhibit growth, and geographic maldistribution may continue to impact care access. Efforts to address variation in access and demographic diversity in the field are warranted. This article concludes by discussing the training, clinical practice, policy, and future workforce research implications of the data presented.

"What Works" to Support LGBTQ+ Young People's Mental Health: An Intersectional Youth Rights Approach.

Despite overwhelming international evidence of elevated rates of poor mental health in LGBTQ+ youth compared to their cis-heterosexual peers, we know relatively little about effective mental health services for this population group. This study aims to produce the first early intervention model of "what works" to support LGBTQ+ youth with emerging mental health problems. Utilizing a mixed method case study, we collected data across 12 UK mental health service case study sites that involved: (a) interviews with young people, parents, and mental health practitioners (n = 93); (b) documentary analysis; (c) nonparticipant observation. The data analysis strategy was theoretical using the "explanation-building" analytical technique. Our analysis suggests an intersectional youth rights approach with 13 principles that must be enacted to provide good mental health services as advocated by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and World Health Organization. This approach should address the multiple forms of marginalization and stigmatization that LGBTQ+ youth may experience, enable informed independent decision-making, and uphold the right to freedom of safe self-expression. A rights-based approach to mental health services for LGBTQ+ young people is not prominent. This needs to change if we are to tackle this mental health inequality and improve the mental well-being of LGBTQ+ youth worldwide.

Loss of Pip4k2c confers liver-metastatic organotropism through insulin-dependent PI3K-AKT pathway activation.

Liver metastasis (LM) confers poor survival and therapy resistance across cancer types, but the mechanisms of liver-metastatic organotropism remain unknown. Here, through in vivo CRISPR-Cas9 screens, we found that Pip4k2c loss conferred LM but had no impact on lung metastasis or primary tumor growth. Pip4k2c-deficient cells were hypersensitized to insulin-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling and exploited the insulin-rich liver milieu for organ-specific metastasis. We observed concordant changes in PIP4K2C expression and distinct metabolic changes in 3,511 patient melanomas, including primary tumors, LMs and lung metastases. We found that systemic PI3K inhibition exacerbated LM burden in mice injected with Pip4k2c-deficient cancer cells through host-mediated increase in hepatic insulin levels; however, this circuit could be broken by concurrent administration of an SGLT2 inhibitor or feeding of a ketogenic diet. Thus, this work demonstrates a rare example of metastatic organotropism through co-optation of physiological metabolic cues and proposes therapeutic avenues to counteract these mechanisms.

Genetics of kidney disorders in Phelan-McDermid syndrome: evidence from 357 registry participants.

BACKGROUND: Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by SHANK3 pathogenic variants or chromosomal rearrangements affecting the chromosome 22q13 region. Previous research found that kidney disorders, primarily congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, are common in people with PMS, yet research into candidate genes has been hampered by small study sizes and lack of attention to these problems. METHODS: We used a cohort of 357 people from the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation International Registry to investigate the prevalence of kidney disorders in PMS using a cross-sectional design and to identify 22q13 genes contributing to these disorders. RESULTS: Kidney disorders reported included vesicoureteral reflux (n = 37), hydronephrosis (n = 36), dysplastic kidneys (n = 19), increased kidney size (n = 19), polycystic kidneys (15 cases), and kidney stones (n = 4). Out of 315 subjects with a 22q13 deletion, 101 (32%) had at least one kidney disorder, while only one out of 42 (2%) individuals with a SHANK3 pathogenic variant had a kidney disorder (increased kidney size). We identified two genomic regions that were significantly associated with having a kidney disorder with the peak associations observed near positions approximately 5 Mb and 400 Kb from the telomere. CONCLUSIONS: The candidate genes for kidney disorders include FBLN1, WNT7B, UPK3A, CELSR1, and PLXNB2. This study demonstrates the utility of patient registries for uncovering genetic contributions to rare diseases. Future work should focus on functional studies for these genes to assess their potential pathogenic contribution to the different subsets of kidney disorders.

Situs Ambiguus Is Associated With Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Children With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

BACKGROUND: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare disorder of motile cilia associated with situs abnormalities. At least 12% of patients with PCD have situs ambiguus (SA), including organ laterality defects falling outside normal arrangement (situs solitus [SS]) or mirror image inversion (situs inversus totalis [SIT]). RESEARCH QUESTION: Do patients with PCD and SA achieve worse clinical outcomes compared with those with SS or SIT? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, multicenter study evaluated participants aged 21 years or younger with PCD. Participants were classified as having SA, including heterotaxy, or not having SA (SS or SIT). Markers of disease severity were compared between situs groups, adjusting for age at enrollment and severe CCDC39 or CCDC40 genotype, using generalized linear models and logistic and Poisson regression. RESULTS: In 397 participants with PCD (mean age, 8.4 years; range, 0.1-21), 42 patients were classified as having SA, including 16 patients (38%) with complex cardiovascular malformations or atrial isomerism, 13 patients (31%) with simple CVM, and 13 patients (31%) without cardiovascular malformations. Of these, 15 patients (36%) underwent cardiac surgery, 24 patients (57%) showed an anatomic spleen abnormality, and seven patients (17%) showed both. The remaining 355 participants did not have SA, including 152 with SIT and 203 with SS. Overall, 70 participants (17%) harbored the severe CCDC39 or CCDC40 genotype. Compared with participants without SA, those with SA showed lower median BMI z scores (P = .03), lower FVC z scores (P = .01), and more hospitalizations and IV antibiotic courses for acute respiratory infections during the 5 years before enrollment (P < .01). Participants with cardiovascular malformations requiring surgery or with anatomic spleen abnormalities showed lower median BMI z scores and more hospitalizations and IV therapies for respiratory illnesses compared with participants without SA. INTERPRETATION: Children with PCD and SA achieve worse nutritional and pulmonary outcomes with more hospitalizations for acute respiratory illnesses than those with SS or SIT combined. Poor nutrition and increased hospitalizations for respiratory infections in participants with SA and PCD are associated with cardiovascular malformations requiring cardiac surgery, splenic anomalies, or both. TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov; Nos.: NCT02389049 and NCT00323167; URL: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov.

Regio- and Enantioselective Macrocyclization from Dynamic Imine Formation: Chemo- and Enantioselective Fluorescent Recognition of Lysine.

The dynamic covalent chemistry of imines is utilized to conduct a regioselective as well as enantioselective synthesis of an unsymmetric (C1) chiral macrocycle from the reaction of an unsymmetric (C1) chiral dialdehyde, (S)-4, that contains a salicylaldehyde unit and a benzaldehyde unit, with lysine, an unsymmetric (C1) chiral diamine. The enantioselectivity is further enhanced in the presence of Zn2+. Compound (S)-4 in combination with Zn2+ is found to be a highly chemoselective as well as enantioselective fluorescent probe for lysine. It can be used to detect specific enantiomers of this amino acid.

Defining and Promoting Pediatric Pulmonary Health: Assessing Lung Function and Structure.

Lifelong respiratory health is rooted in the structural and functional development of the respiratory system in early life. Exposures and interventions antenatally through childhood can influence lung development into young adulthood, the life stage with the highest achievable lung function. Because early respiratory health sets the stage for adult lung function trajectories and risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, understanding how to promote lung health in children will have far reaching personal and population benefits. To achieve this, it is critical to have accurate and precise measures of structural and functional lung development that track throughout life stages. From this foundation, evaluation of environmental, genetic, metabolic, and immune mechanisms involved in healthy lung development can be investigated. These goals require the involvement of general pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists, patients, and researchers to design and implement studies that are broadly generalizable and applicable to otherwise healthy and chronic disease populations. This National Institutes of Health workshop report details the key gaps and opportunities regarding lung function and structure.

Intravenous BCG vaccination reduces SARS-CoV-2 severity and promotes extensive reprogramming of lung immune cells.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) confers heterologous immune protection against viral infections and has been proposed as vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (SCV2). Here, we tested intravenous BCG vaccination against COVID-19 using the golden Syrian hamster model. BCG vaccination conferred a modest reduction on lung SCV2 viral load, bronchopneumonia scores, and weight loss, accompanied by a reversal of SCV2-mediated T cell lymphopenia, and reduced lung granulocytes. BCG uniquely recruited immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells to the lung suggesting accelerated local antibody production. BCG vaccination also recruited elevated levels of Th1, Th17, Treg, CTLs, and Tmem cells, with a transcriptional shift away from exhaustion markers and toward antigen presentation and repair. Similarly, BCG enhanced recruitment of alveolar macrophages and reduced key interstitial macrophage subsets, that show reduced IFN-associated gene expression. Our observations indicate that BCG vaccination protects against SCV2 immunopathology by promoting early lung immunoglobulin production and immunotolerizing transcriptional patterns among key myeloid and lymphoid populations.

Preliminary Evidence of the Association between Time on Buprenorphine and Cognitive Performance among Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder Maintained on Buprenorphine: A Pilot Study.

People on buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT) commonly present cognitive deficits that have been associated with illicit drug use and dropout from buprenorphine treatment. This study has compared cognitive responses to the Stroop Task and the Continuous Performance Task (CPT) among individuals on BMT, with recent drug use, and healthy controls and explored the associations between cognitive responses and drug use, craving, and buprenorphine use among participants on BMT. The participants were 16 individuals on BMT and 23 healthy controls. All participants completed a 60 min laboratory session in which they completed the Stroop Task and the CPT, a saliva drug test, a brief clinical history that collected substance-use- and treatment-related information, and the Opioid Craving Scale. The results showed that the BMT participants presented more commission errors (MBMT participants = 2.49; Mhealthy controls = 1.38; p = 0.048) and longer reaction times (MBMT participants = 798.09; Mhealthy controls = 699.09; p = 0.047) in the Stroop Task than did the healthy controls. More days on buprenorphine were negatively associated with reaction time in the CPT (-0.52) and the number of commission errors (-0.53), simple reaction time (-0.54), and reaction time correct (-0.57) in the Stroop Task. Neither drug use nor craving was significantly associated with the results for the cognitive tasks. Relative to the control participants, the BMT individuals performed worse in terms of longer reaction times and more commission errors in the Stroop Task. Within the BMT participants, longer times on buprenorphine were associated with better cognitive results in terms of faster reaction times for both tasks and lower commission errors for the Stroop Task.

Dietary, macronutrient, micronutrient, and nutrigenetic factors impacting cardiovascular risk markers apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A1: a narrative review.

Genetic predisposition and dietary factors can impact cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Two important markers in assessing CVD risk are apolipoprotein (apo) B and apolipoprotein A1 plasma levels. These markers are measured as a ratio, with a high apoB:apoA1 ratio associated with increased CVD risk. Dietary and lifestyle recommendations are the cornerstone of managing primary and secondary CVD risk-mitigation strategies. One way to assess the impact of various dietary and lifestyle interventions on CVD risk is to evaluate the changes in CVD risk markers, such as apoB, apoA1, and apoB:apoA1 ratio. Various human studies have demonstrated the impact of dietary, macronutrient, and micronutrient interventions on apoB and apoA1 status. This review aims to elucidate dietary, macronutrient, micronutrient, and nutrigenetic considerations for impacting apoB and apoA1 levels. A low-carbohydrate, high-saturated-fat diet, low fiber intake, low vitamin and mineral intake, and zinc and iron deficiency are associated with an elevated apoB:apoA1 ratio. The Mediterranean diet, vegan diet, fermented dairy products, lower sugar intake, higher protein intake, higher polyunsaturated fat intake, and an omega-3-rich diet are associated with a decreased apoB:apoA1 ratio. Micronutrients associated with a decreased apoB:apoA1 ratio include vitamin D sufficiency, increased serum vitamin C, and magnesium. Variants in the APOE, APOA1, and FADS2 genes may alter the apoB:apoA1 ratio in response to various dietary interventions. When accounting for factors that may favorably alter the apoB:apoA1 ratio, researchers should consider a healthy diet sufficient in polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and lower excess sugars.