Multisite Hebbian Plasticity Restores Function in Humans with Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord injury (SCI) damages synaptic connections between corticospinal axons and motoneurons of many muscles, resulting in devastating paralysis. We hypothesized that strengthening corticospinal-motoneuronal synapses at multiple spinal cord levels through Hebbian plasticity (i.e., "neurons that fire together, wire together") promotes recovery of leg and arm function. METHODS: Twenty participants with chronic SCI were randomly assigned to receive 20 sessions of Hebbian or sham stimulation targeting corticospinal-motoneuronal synapses of multiple leg muscles followed by exercise. Based on the results from this study, in a follow-up prospective study, 11 more participants received 40 sessions of Hebbian stimulation targeting corticospinal-motoneuronal synapses of multiple arm and leg muscles followed by exercise. During Hebbian stimulation sessions, 180 paired pulses elicited corticospinal action potentials by magnetic (motor cortex) and/or electrical (thoracic spine) stimulation allowing volleys to arrive at the spinal cord 1-2 milliseconds before motoneurons were activated retrogradely via bilateral electrical stimulation (brachial plexus, ulnar, femoral, and common peroneal nerves) for biceps brachii, first dorsal interosseous, quadriceps femoris, and tibialis anterior muscles as needed. RESULTS: We found in our randomized study that participants receiving Hebbian stimulation improved their walking speed and corticospinal function to a greater extent than individuals receiving sham stimulation. In agreement, prospective study participants improved their grasping and walking, corticospinal function, and quality of life metrics, exhibiting greater improvements with more sessions that persisted 9-month post-therapy. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that multisite Hebbian stimulation, informed by the physiology of the corticospinal system, represents an effective strategy to promote functional recovery following SCI. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:1198-1213.

Evaluating the use of methods to mitigate bias from non-transient medications in the case-crossover design: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: The case-crossover design is a self-controlled study design used to compare exposure immediately preceding an event occurrence with exposure in earlier control periods. The design is most suitable for transient exposures in order to avoid biases that can be problematic when using the case-crossover design for non-transient (i.e., chronic) exposures. Our goal was to conduct a systematic review of case-crossover studies and its variants (case-time-control and case-case-time-control) in order to compare design and analysis choices by medication type. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search to identify recent case-crossover, case-time-control, and case-case-time-control studies focused on medication exposures. Articles indexed in MEDLINE and EMBASE using these study designs that were published between January 2015 and December 2021 in the English language were identified. Reviews, methodological studies, commentaries, articles without medications as the exposure of interest, and articles with no available full text were excluded. Study characteristics including study design, outcome, risk window, control window, reporting of discordant pairs, and inclusion of sensitivity analyses were summarized overall and by medication type. We further evaluated the implementation of recommended methods to account for biases introduced by non-transient exposures among articles that used the case-crossover design on a non-transient exposure. RESULTS: Of the 2036 articles initially identified, 114 articles were included. The case-crossover was the most common study design (88%), followed by the case-time-control (17%), and case-case-time-control (3%). Fifty-three percent of the articles included only transient medications, 35% included only non-transient medications, and 12% included both. Across years, the proportion of case-crossover articles evaluating a non-transient medication ranged from 30% in 2018 to 69% in 2017. We found that 41% of the articles that evaluated a non-transient medication did not apply any of the recommended methods to account for biases and more than half of which were conducted by authors with no previous publication history of case-crossover studies. CONCLUSION: Using the case-crossover design to evaluate a non-transient medication remains common in pharmacoepidemiology. Researchers should apply appropriate design and analysis choices when opting to use a case-crossover design with non-transient medication exposures.

Comparing Postpartum Care Utilization from Medicaid Claims and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System in Wisconsin, 2011-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To compare two data sources from Wisconsin-Medicaid claims and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) surveys-for measuring postpartum care utilization and to better understand the incongruence between the sources. METHODS: We used linked Medicaid claims and PRAMS surveys of Wisconsin residents who delivered a live birth during 2011-2015 to assess women's postpartum care utilization. Three different definitions of postpartum care from Medicaid claims were employed to better examine bundled service codes and timing of care. We used one question from the PRAMS survey that asks women if they have had a postpartum checkup. Concordance between the two data sources was examined using Cohen's Kappa value. For women who reported having a postpartum checkup on PRAMS but did not have a Medicaid claim for a traditional postpartum visit, we determined the other types of health care visits these women had after delivery documented in the Medicaid claims. RESULTS: Among the 2313 women with a Medicaid-paid delivery and who completed a PRAMS survey, 86.6% had claims for a postpartum visit during the first 12 weeks postpartum and 90.5% self-reported a postpartum checkup on PRAMS (percent agreement = 79.9%, Kappa = 0.015). The percent agreement and Kappa values varied based on the definition of postpartum care derived from the Medicaid claims data. CONCLUSIONS: There was slight agreement between Medicaid claims and PRAMS data. Most women had Medicaid claims for postpartum care at some point in the first 12 weeks postpartum, although the timing of these visits was somewhat unclear due to the use of bundled service codes.

Predictors of Water Lead Levels in Drinking Water of Homes With Domestic Wells in 3 Illinois Counties.

CONTEXT: Millions of US homes receive water from private wells, which are not required to be tested for lead (Pb). An approach to prioritizing high-risk homes for water lead level (WLL) testing may help focus outreach and screening efforts, while reducing the testing of homes at low risk. OBJECTIVE: To (1) characterize distribution of WLLs and corrosivity in tap water of homes with private residential wells, and (2) develop and evaluate a screening strategy for predicting Pb detection within a home. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Three Illinois counties: Kane (northern), Peoria (central), and Jackson (southern). PARTICIPANTS: 151 private well users from 3 Illinois counties. INTERVENTION: Water samples were analyzed for WLL and corrosivity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) WLL and corrosivity, and (2) the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of a strategy for prioritizing homes for WLL testing. RESULTS: Pb was detected (>0.76 ppb) in tap water of 48.3% homes, and 3.3% exceeded 15 ppb, the US Environmental Protection Agency action level for community water systems. Compared with homes built in/after 1987 with relatively low corrosivity, older homes with more corrosive water were far more likely to contain measurable Pb (odds ratio = 11.07; 95% confidence interval, 3.47-35.31). The strategy for screening homes with private wells for WLL had a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 42%, positive predictive value of 58%, and negative predictive value of 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Pb in residential well water is widespread. The screening strategy for prioritizing homes with private wells for WLL testing is greater than 85% sensitive.

The Effect of Continuous Versus Pregnancy-Only Medicaid Eligibility on Routine Postpartum Care in Wisconsin, 2011-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To compare patterns of routine postpartum health care utilization for women in Wisconsin with continuous Medicaid eligibility versus pregnancy-only Medicaid METHODS: This analysis used Medicaid records and linked infant birth certificates for Medicaid paid births in Wisconsin during 2011-2015 (n = 105,718). We determined if women had continuous or pregnancy-only eligibility from the Medicaid eligibility file. We used a standard list of billing codes to identify if women received routine postpartum care. We examined maternal characteristics and receipt of postpartum care overall and by Medicaid eligibility category. Finally, we used a binomial model to calculate the relationship between Medicaid eligibility category and receipt of postpartum care, adjusted for maternal characteristics. RESULTS: Women with continuous Medicaid had profiles more consistent with low postpartum visit attendance rates (e.g., younger, more likely to use tobacco) than women with pregnancy-only Medicaid. However, after adjusting for maternal characteristics, women with continuous Medicaid eligibility had a postpartum visit rate that was 6 percentage points higher than the rate for women with pregnancy-only Medicaid (RD: 6.27, 95% CI 5.72, 6.82). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Women with pregnancy-only Medicaid were less likely to have received routine postpartum care than women with continuous Medicaid. Medicaid coverage beyond the current guaranteed 60 days postpartum could help provide more women access to postpartum care.

Effects of robot viscous forces on arm movements in chronic stroke survivors: a randomized crossover study.

BACKGROUND: Our previous work showed that speed is linked to the ability to recover in chronic stroke survivors. Participants moving faster on the first day of a 3-week study had greater improvements on the Wolf Motor Function Test. METHODS: We examined the effects of three candidate speed-modifying fields in a crossover design: negative viscosity, positive viscosity, and a "breakthrough" force that vanishes after speed exceeds an individualized threshold. RESULTS: Negative viscosity resulted in a significant speed increase when it was on. No lasting after effects on movement speed were observed from any of these treatments, however, training with negative viscosity led to significant improvements in movement accuracy and smoothness. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that negative viscosity could be used as a treatment to augment the training process while still allowing participants to make their own volitional motions in practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at Northwestern University (STU00206579) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (2018-1251).

A graph-based approach for characterizing resident and nurse handoff conversations.

Prior research has used a variety of qualitative and quantitative approaches for studying handoff communication. Due to the dynamic and interactive nature of handoffs, characterizing the structure and content of these conversations is challenging. In this paper, we use a graph-based approach to characterize handoff communication as a conversation network. Conversation networks were used to compare the structural properties of resident-resident and nurse-nurse handoff communication. Resident (n = 149) and nurse (n = 126) handoff conversations from general medicine units were coded using a previously validated clinical content framework. The coded conversations were then translated into separate resident and nurse conversation networks, and were compared using 11 network measures. Transition probabilities were used to identify commonly repeating sub-networks within resident and nurse conversations. There were significant differences between resident and nurse conversation networks in 10 of the 11 network measures. There were also significant differences in the structure of conversations: compared to resident conversations, nurse conversations were focused on fewer clinical content categories and had more branching and switching between clinical content categories; however, there were clinically-relevant organic relationships in the order of presentation of clinical content among both resident and nurse handoff conversations. We discuss the potential for using graph-based approach as an alternative method for characterizing interactive conversations and also suggest future directions for using network-based approaches for analyzing handoff conversations.

Variability in C-reactive protein is associated with cognitive impairment in women living with and without HIV: a longitudinal study.

Despite the availability of effective antiretroviral therapies, cognitive impairment (CI) remains prevalent in HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals. Evidence from primarily cross-sectional studies, in predominantly male samples, implicates monocyte- and macrophage-driven inflammatory processes linked to HIV-associated CI. Thus, peripheral systemic inflammatory markers may be clinically useful biomarkers in tracking HIV-associated CI. Given sex differences in immune function, we focused here on whether mean and intra-individual variability in inflammatory marker-predicted CI in HIV+ and HIV- women. Seventy-two HIV+ (36 with CI) and 58 HIV- (29 with CI) propensity-matched women participating in the Women's Interagency HIV Study completed a neuropsychological battery once between 2009 and 2011, and performance was used to determine CI status. Analysis of 13 peripheral immune markers was conducted on stored biospecimens at three time points (7 and 3.5 years before neuropsychological data collection and concurrent with data collection). HIV+ women showed alterations in 8 immune markers compared to HIV- women. The strongest predictors of CI across HIV+ and HIV- women were lower mean soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNFRI) levels, higher mean interleukin (IL)-6 levels, and greater variability in C-reactive protein (CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 (p values < 0.05). Stratified by HIV, the only significant predictor of CI was greater variability in CRP for both HIV+ and HIV- women (p values < 0.05). This variability predicted lower executive function, attention/working memory, and psychomotor speed in HIV+ but only learning in HIV- women (p values < 0.05). Intra-individual variability in CRP levels over time may be a good predictor of CI in predominately minority low-socioeconomic status midlife women.

Effect of acute postsurgical pain trajectories on 30-day and 1-year pain.

Untreated pain after surgery leads to poor patient satisfaction, longer hospital length of stay, lower health-related quality of life, and non-compliance with rehabilitation regimens. The aim of this study is to characterize the structure of acute pain trajectories during the postsurgical hospitalization period and quantify their association with pain at 30-days and 1-year after surgery. This cohort study included 2106 adult (≥18 years) surgical patients who consented to participate in the SATISFY-SOS registry (February 1, 2015 to September 30, 2017). Patients were excluded if they did not undergo invasive surgeries, were classified as outpatients, failed to complete follow up assessments at 30-days and 1-year following surgery, had greater than 4-days of inpatient stay, and/or recorded fewer than four pain scores during their acute hospitalization period. The primary exposure was the acute postsurgical pain trajectories identified by a machine learning-based latent class approach using patient-reported pain scores. Clinically meaningful pain (≥3 on a 0-10 scale) at 30-days and 1-year after surgery were the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. Of the study participants (N = 2106), 59% were female, 91% were non-Hispanic White, and the mean (SD) age was 62 (13) years; 41% of patients underwent orthopedic surgery and 88% received general anesthesia. Four acute pain trajectory clusters were identified. Pain trajectories were significantly associated with clinically meaningful pain at 30-days (p = 0.007), but not at 1-year (p = 0.79) after surgery using covariate-adjusted logistic regression models. Compared to Cluster 1, the other clusters had lower statistically significant odds of having pain at 30-days after surgery (Cluster 2: [OR = 0.67, 95%CI (0.51-0.89)]; Cluster 3:[OR = 0.74, 95%CI (0.56-0.99)]; Cluster 4:[OR = 0.46, 95%CI (0.26-0.82)], all p<0.05). Patients in Cluster 1 had the highest cumulative likelihood of pain and pain intensity during the latter half of their acute hospitalization period (48-96 hours), potentially contributing to the higher odds of pain during the 30-day postsurgical period. Early identification and management of high-risk pain trajectories can help in ascertaining appropriate pain management interventions. Such interventions can mitigate the occurrence of long-term disabilities associated with pain.

Assessing the interrelationship between stigma, social influence, and cervical cancer prevention in an urban underserved setting: An exploratory study.

In the US, incidence and mortality from cervical cancer disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities and low-income women. Despite affordable access to primary and secondary prevention measures at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening rates are low, suggesting the presence of non-financial barriers to uptake in this population. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study sought to explore factors that influence the acceptability of cervical cancer prevention services among parents and legal guardians of vaccine-eligible girls attending an urban FQHC and to assess social influences related to cervical cancer prevention. Participants included eight mothers, one father, and two grandparents/legal guardians. Nine participants self-identified as Black/Afro-Caribbean, or African American, two as Latinx, and one as Native American. The quantitative data suggested discordance between participants' cervical cancer prevention knowledge and their practices. Most indicated that their daughters had received the HPV vaccine but were unsure about HPV transmission modes. Qualitative data revealed that participants were comfortable disclosing information on HPV infection and vaccination status, and most women were likely to share information related to cervical cancer testing and diagnosis. Few comments indicated personal stigma on the part of participants, but there was frequent expression of perceived public stigma (shaming and blaming women), gender differences (men are indifferent to risk), and distrust of the healthcare system. Findings highlight several concepts including the disharmony between knowledge and practice, prevalent perceived public stigma, cumbersome attitudes on the part of men regarding HPV and cervical cancer, and distrust of the healthcare system.

Interpregnancy Interval and Severe Maternal Morbidity in Iowa, 2009 to 2014.

INTRODUCTION: Maternal mortality and morbidity rates have risen significantly, yet little research has focused on how severe maternal morbidity (SMM) is associated with future reproductive health, such as birth spacing or the likelihood of subsequent SMM. This study focuses on the risk of SMM recurrence and the association of interpregnancy intervals with SMM. METHODS: This population-based, retrospective cohort study used Iowa hospital discharge data longitudinally linked to birth certificate data between 2009 and 2014. To examine recurrence of SMM, crude and adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were generated. The associations between varying interpregnancy intervals and subsequent SMM were examined. Crude, stratified, and adjusted risk ratios and their associated 95% confidence intervals were estimated. RESULTS: A total of 36,190 women were included in this study. Women with SMM in the index delivery had significantly higher odds of SMM in the subsequent delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 8.16; 95% confidence interval, 5.45-12.24) compared with women without SMM. Women with an interpregnancy interval of less than 6 months compared with 18 months or longer were more likely to experience SMM during their subsequent delivery, although the difference was not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.99, 2.03). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that women who experience SMM are at markedly increased risk of subsequent SMM. Further investigation is necessary to inform optimal interpregnancy interval recommendations based on prior maternal health outcomes.

Impact of Gender Differences on Outcomes of Peripheral Artery Disease Intervention (from a Nationwide Sample).

We aimed to evaluate the role of gender differences in the outcomes of catheter-based peripheral arterial disease interventions on a national level. We queried the National Inpatient Sample Database and identified all patients who presented with acute or symptomatic long term limb ischemia requiring transcatheter nonsurgical peripheral intervention in the years of 2016 to 2017. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as the composite end point of in-hospital mortality, nonfatal stroke, and acute myocardial infarction. Secondary outcomes were the subject components of the primary end point, vascular complications, major bleeding, acute kidney injury, limb amputation, total cost, and length of stay. A total of 58,165 patients were included. The majority were males (57.2%) and of white race (67.1%). On multivariate analysis, female gender was an independent predictor of MACE with an adjusted odd ratio (a-OR) of 1.36 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12 to 1.65, p = 0.002), mortality (a-OR 1.52; 95% CI: 1.12 to 2.04, p = 0.006), nonfatal stroke (a-OR 2.51; 95% CI: 1.56 to 4.03, p < 0.001), major bleeding (a-OR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.53 to 2.28, p < 0.001), and higher cost with an adjusted mean ratio of 1.03 (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.06, p = 0.033). There was no significant difference in the rates of myocardial infarction, vascular complications, limb amputation, acute kidney injury, and length of stay. In conclusion, females presenting with acute or symptomatic long term limb ischemia requiring transcatheter peripheral intervention have a significantly higher composite risk of MACE.

Associations of PCBS, dioxins and furans with follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in postmenopausal women: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002.

BACKGROUND: The general population is exposed to the group of endocrine disrupting chemicals persistent organic pollutants (POPs), that includes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to evaluate the associations of serum levels of PCB, PCDD, and PCDF congeners with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in postmenopausal women not taking exogenous hormones. We hypothesized that associations of POPs with these gonadotropins could be modified by factors affecting endogenous hormones. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on data from 89 postmenopausal women using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). POPs were summarized based on classification schemes thought to reflect toxicological properties. Associations of POPs and gonadotropin hormones were modeled with multivariable regression models. When evidence of interaction was found, conditional effects were estimated. RESULTS: We found inverse associations of LH, but not FSH, with exposure to anti-estrogenic and/or dioxin-like POPs, but not with non dioxin-like PCBs. A doubling of dioxin-like toxic equivalents (TEQs) was associated with a decrease in LH of 11.9% (95% CI = -21.3%, -1.4%, p = 0.03). Inverse associations were enhanced by potential effect modifiers related to both direct and indirect estrogenicity, including obesity and the obesity-related condition inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: These investigations support a pattern of endocrine-disrupting effects by dioxin-like POPs among postmenopausal women, especially those with conditions related to peripheral estrogenicity.

In-hospital outcomes of transapical versus surgical aortic valve replacement: from the U.S. national inpatient sample.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA-TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) using a large US population sample. METHODS: The U.S. National Inpatient Sample was queried for all patients who underwent TA-TAVR or SAVR during the years 2016-2017. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital stroke, pericardiocentesis, pacemaker insertion, mechanical ventilation, vascular complications, major bleeding, acute kidney injury, length of stay, and cost of hospitalization. Outcomes were modeled using multi-variable logistic regression for binary outcomes and generalized linear models for continuous outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 1560 TA-TAVR and 44,280 SAVR patients were included. Patients who underwent TA-TAVR were older and frailer. Compared to SAVR, TA-TAVR correlated with a higher mortality (4.5% vs. 2.7%, effect size (SMD) = 0.1) and higher periprocedural complications. Following multivariable analysis, both TA-TAVR and SAVR had a similar adjusted risk for in-hospital mortality. TA-TAVR correlated with lower odds of bleeding with (adjusted OR (aOR) = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.18-0.38;P < 0.001), and a shorter length of stay (adjusted mean ratio (aMR) = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69-0.84; P < 0.001), but higher cost (aMR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.10-1.28; P < 0.001). No significant differences in other study outcomes. In subgroup analysis, TA-TAVR in patients with chronic lung disease had higher odds for mortality (aOR = 3.11; 95%CI: 1.37-7.08; P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The risk-adjusted analysis showed that TA-TAVR has no advantage over SAVR except for patients with chronic lung disease where TA-TAVR has higher mortality.

Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement With Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

We aimed to compare the outcomes of combined surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to concurrent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large U.S. population sample. The National Inpatient Sample was queried for all patients diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis who underwent SAVR with CABG or TAVR with PCI during the years 2016 to 2017. Study outcomes included all-cause in-hospital mortality, acute stroke, pacemaker insertion, vascular complications, major bleeding, acute kidney injury, sepsis, non-home discharge, length of stay and cost. Outcomes of hospitalization were modeled using logistic regression for binary outcomes and generalized linear models for continuous outcomes. Overall, 31,205 patients were included (TAVR + PCI = 2,185, SAVR + CABG = 29,020). In reference to SAVR + CABG, recipients of TAVR + PCI were older with mean age 82 versus 73 years, effect size (d) = 0.9, had higher proportions of females 47.6% versus 26.6%, d = 0.4 and higher prevalence of congestive heart failure and chronic renal failure. On multivariable analysis, TAVR + PCI was associated with lowers odds for mortality adjusted OR: 0.32 (95% CI: 0.17 to 0.62) p = 0.001, lower odds for acute kidney injury, sepsis, non-home discharge, shorter length of stay and higher odds for vascular complications, need for pacemaker insertion and higher cost. The occurrence of stroke was similar between both groups. In conclusion, results from real-world observational data shows less rates of mortality and periprocedural complications in TAVR + PCI compared to SAVR + CABG.

Antiretroviral therapy adherence among treatment-naive HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among treatment-naive HIV-infected patients and to evaluate the impact of single-tablet regimen (STR) on ART adherence among this population. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We used a nationally representative sample of IQVIA LRx Lifelink individual level pharmacy claims database during 2011-2016, and defined adult patients with index date (first complete ART regimen prescription fill date) after 30 June 2011 as treatment naïve. We estimated ART adherence, measured as the proportion of days covered during 1 year following the index date. We conducted multivariable analysis to identify the factors associated with optimum adherence (≥90% proportion of days covered). We also compared adherence between patients prescribed STR and multiple-tablet regimens among those prescribed integrase strand transfer inhibitor-based or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimens. RESULTS: Overall 42.9% of the patients were optimally adherent. Adherence was significantly lower among blacks, Hispanics and patients in low-income communities. Adjusting for the covariates, patients on STR had higher incidence of optimum adherence compared with those on multiple-tablet regimens among patients on integrase strand transfer inhibitor-based regimens [49 vs. 24%, relative risk, 2.16 (95% confidence interval: 1.96-2.26)], but no significant difference was observed among those on nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimen [45 vs. 45%, relative risk, 1.12 (95% confidence interval: 0.99-1.26)]. CONCLUSION: Low ART adherence observed among treatment-naive patients in this nationally representative study suggests the need for public health interventions to improve adherence among this population.

Chromosome-specific spatial periodicities in gene expression revealed by spectral analysis.

Recent years have seen an unprecedented surge of research activity in studies of gene expression. This extensive work, however, has been almost uniformly focused on genome-wide gene expression and has largely ignored the fundamental fact that every gene has a specific chromosome location. We propose a novel method of spectral analysis for detecting hidden periodicities in gene expression signals ordered along the length of each chromosome. Using this method, we have discovered that each chromosome in rodents and humans has a unique periodic pattern of gene expression. The uncovered spatial periodicities in gene expression are tissue-specific in the sense that the largest differences in humans were observed between two normal tissues (brain and mammary gland) as well as between their tumor counterparts (glioma and breast cancer). The smallest differences resulted from the comparison of tumors (glioma and breast cancer) with their normal counterparts. All such effects do not extend to all chromosomes but are limited to only some of them. The estimated periods and amplitudes are identical for the genes located on the positive and negative DNA strands. While precise molecular mechanisms of chromosome-specific periodicities in gene expression have yet to be unraveled, their universal presence in different tissues adds another dimension to the current understanding of the genome organization.

Unmet Respite Needs of Children With Medical Technology Dependence.

Children with medical technology dependency (MTD) require a medical device to compensate for a vital body function and substantial nursing care. As such, they require constant high-level supervision. Respite care provides caregivers with a temporary break, and is associated with reduced stress; however, there are often barriers. The study utilizes mixed methodology with the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) and semistructured interviews with state-wide care coordinators to understand the gap for respite care services. Fifty-nine percent of parents who needed respite care received none. Parents of older children with MTD were more likely to report respite needs. Care coordinators described that home health shortages created barriers to respite care utilization, and the lack of respite care can lead to hospital readmission. Although respite care is a vital resource to support families of children with MTD, it is infrequently available, which can have severe consequences.

Regression techniques employing feature selection to predict clinical outcomes in stroke.

It is not fully clear which measurable factors can reliably predict chronic stroke patients' recovery of motor ability. In this analysis, we investigate the impact of patient demographic characteristics, movement features, and a three-week upper-extremity intervention on the post-treatment change in two widely used clinical outcomes-the Upper Extremity portion of the Fugl-Meyer and the Wolf Motor Function Test. Models based on LASSO, which in validation tests account for 65% and 86% of the variability in Fugl-Meyer and Wolf, respectively, were used to identify the set of salient demographic and movement features. We found that age, affected limb, and several measures describing the patient's ability to efficiently direct motions with a single burst of speed were the most consequential in predicting clinical recovery. On the other hand, the upper-extremity intervention was not a significant predictor of recovery. Beyond a simple prognostic tool, these results suggest that focusing therapy on the more important features is likely to improve recovery. Such validation-intensive methods are a novel approach to determining the relative importance of patient-specific metrics and may help guide the design of customized therapy.

Prognostic Value of Serum Proteomic Test and Comorbidity Index in Diversified Population with Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The usefulness of serum proteomic test (VeriStrat) in African-Americans with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as well as the relationship between comorbidity and test performance have not been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed records of patients with NSCLC in our practice for whom VeriStrat was performed to assist with the selection of therapy. We correlated survival with VeriStrat test classification, race, and comorbidity index using SAS software 9.4. RESULTS: We identified 49 qualified patients; 33 with VeriStrat Good (VSG), 16 with VeriStrat Poor (VSP). When stratified by VSG vs. VSP, overall survival (OS) did not differ between African-Americans and Whites [hazard ratio (HR)test (VSG/VSP)=0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.38-1.61; p=0.51]. OS adjusted for mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was not different between erlotinib- and chemotherapy-treated groups in patients with non-squamous NSCLC (adjusted HR=0.91, 95% CI= 0.37-2.23; p=0.84), but was inferior in patients with squamous NSCLC treated with erlotinib (adjusted HR=10.6, 95% CI=1.28-87.8; p=0.029). Cox proportional hazard model for OS effect of VeriStrat test was estimated after adjusting for CCI. In both the VSG and VSP groups, a higher CCI value was associated with lower survival, and at any CCI value, the VSG group had better survival than the VSP group. CONCLUSION: Our study corroborates that race does not influence prognostic and predictive values of VeriStrat; however, comorbidities have a significant impact on survival in each proteomic stratum.