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The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi is one of the most successful marine bioinvaders on record. Native to the Atlantic coast of the Americas, M. leidyi invaded the Black Sea, Caspian and Mediterranean Seas beginning the in late 1980s, followed by the North and Baltic Seas starting in 2006, with major concomitant alterations in pelagic ecology, including fishery collapses in some cases. Using extensive native range sampling (21 sites), along with 11 invasive sites in the Black, Caspian, Mediterranean, North and Baltic Seas, we examined M. leidyi worldwide phylogeographic patterns using data from mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) and six nuclear microsatellite loci. Cytb and microsatellite data sets showed different levels of genetic differentiation in the native range. Analyses of cytb data revealed considerable genetic differentiation, recovering three major clusters (northwestern Atlantic, Caribbean, and South America) and further divided northwestern Atlantic sampling sites into three groups, separated approximately at Cape Hatteras on the US Atlantic coast and at the Floridian peninsula, separating the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. In contrast, microsatellite data only distinguished samples north and south of Cape Hatteras, and suggested considerable gene flow among native samples with clear evidence of isolation by distance. Both cytb and microsatellite data sets indicated that the northern invaders (North/Baltic Seas) originated from north of Cape Hatteras, with cytb data pointing to Delaware and north. Microsatellite data indicated a source for the southern invaders (Black, Caspian and Mediterranean Seas) to be south of Cape Hatteras, while cytb data narrowed the source location to the Gulf of Mexico region. Both cytb and microsatellite data sets suggested that the southern invasion was associated with genetic bottlenecks while evidence was equivocal for the northern invasion. By increasing the native range spatial sampling, our dataset was able to sufficiently characterize patterns and levels of genetic differentiation in the native range of M. leidyi and identify likely biogeographic boundaries, allowing for the most complete characterization of M. leidyi’s invasion histories and most realistic estimates of its source region(s) to date.

(See the editorial commentary by Schwarz, on page 702.) Background. Raising concerns about the waning immunity of cohorts receiving hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination in infancy persuaded us to identify the changing incidence of acute hepatitis B (AHB) in children and young adults. Methods. Data on AHB surveillance through the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from July 2001 to June 2009 were collected and described. Cases were divided into 2 cohorts according to their birth year: before or after the universal newborn HBV vaccination program. Age-specific incidence was compared for the 2 birth cohorts with diagnosis at age 15-24 years. Results. In total, 2226 patients with AHB were identified. AHB rates varied by age; the highest rates occurred among unvaccinated individuals aged 25-39 years (2.33/100 000). Due to breakthrough HBV infection from mother-to-infant transmission, vaccinated infants (0.78/100 000) had higher rates than those aged 1-14 years (0.04/100 000), who had the lowest rates. The incidence in vaccinated birth cohorts was significantly lower than in unvaccinated birth cohorts among patients 15-24 years old, with an adjusted-relative risk of 0.42. Conclusions. Implementation of universal-at-birth HBV immunization programs has effectively reduced the occurrence of AHB among adolescents and young adults in Taiwan for >25 years, making infants and the 25-39-year-old cohort additional targets for preventing AHB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To test the association of family history of diabetes with the adoption of diabetes risk-reducing behaviors and whether this association is strengthened by physician advice or commonly known factors associated with diabetes risk.Research Design and Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the effects of family history of diabetes on the adoption of selected risk-reducing behaviors in 8,598 adults (aged ≥20 years) without diabetes. We used multiple logistic regression to model three risk reduction behaviors (controlling or losing weight, increasing physical activity, and reducing the amount of dietary fat or calories) with family history of diabetes.Results: Overall, 36.2% of U.S. adults without diabetes had a family history of diabetes. Among them, ~39.8% reported receiving advice from a physician during the past year regarding any of the three selected behaviors compared with 29.2% of participants with no family history (P < 0.01). In univariate analysis, adults with a family history of diabetes were more likely to perform these risk-reducing behaviors compared with adults without a family history. Physician advice was strongly associated with each of the behavioral changes (P < 0.01), and this did not differ by family history of diabetes.Conclusions: Familial risk for diabetes and physician advice both independently influence the adoption of diabetes risk-reducing behaviors. However, fewer than half of participants with familial risk reported receiving physician advice for adopting these behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prospectively followed up patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in our previous study for 1 year. A total of 77 consecutive patients with electrophysiologically confirmed mild-to-moderate idiopathic CTS were randomized and assigned into 2 treatment arms: 1) 2 weeks of prednisolone 20 mg daily followed by 2 weeks of prednisolone 10 mg daily (n = 39); and 2) acupuncture administered in 8 sessions over 4 weeks (n = 38). In the current study, the patients were further followed up at 7 and 13 months using Global symptom score (GSS) assessments and nerve conduction studies repeated again at 13 months. When comparing with baseline levels, the percentages of patients with treatment failure, moderate improvement, and good improvement were significantly different between the 2 groups at month 7 [10.5, 2.6, and 86.8% for the acupuncture group and 33.3, 7.7, and 59% for the steroid group, respectively (P = .014)] and month 13 [15.8, 2.6, and 81.6% versus 51.3, 0, and 48.7%, respectively (P = .002)]. The acupuncture group had a significantly better improvement in GSS, distal motor latencies and distal sensory latencies when compared to the steroid group throughout the 1-year follow-up period (P < .01). Furthermore, significant correlation was observed between changes of GSS (month 13-baseline) and all parameters of the electrophysiological assessments except for compound muscle action potential amplitude. PERSPECTIVE: This article demonstrates that short-term acupuncture treatment may result in long-term improvement in mild-to-moderate idiopathic CTS. Acupuncture treatment can be considered as an alternative therapy to other conservative treatments for those who do not opt for early surgical decompression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) have become the second most common type of infection among persons residing in long-term care facilities. Objective: The purpose of this article was to review the latest information on SSTIs among the elderly, including age-related changes, challenges, and treatment strategies in the era of emerging bacterial resistance. Methods: Relevant information was identified through a search of MEDLINE (1970-April 2010), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-April 2010), and Google Scholar using the terms skin and soft tissue infection, skin and skin structure infection, cellulitis, treatment guidelines, and elderly. Additional publications were found by searching the reference lists of the identified articles. Trials published since 1970 were selected for this review if they prospectively evaluated mostly adults (>=18 years of age), included >50 patients, and reported diagnostic criteria as well as clinical outcomes in patients treated for simple or complicated SSTIs. Results: Fifty-eight of 664 identified studies were selected and included in this review. A search of the literature did not identify any prospective clinical trials that were conducted exclusively in the elderly. Information on the treatment of SSTIs in the elderly was based solely on clinical studies that were conducted in adults in general. As recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 2008 update, SSTIs should be suspected in elderly patients who have skin lesions and present with a decline in functional status, with or without fever. Patients who present with symptoms of systemic toxicity should be hospitalized for further evaluation. Current challenges in the management of SSTIs include the rapid emergence of community-acquired, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), the emergence of macrolide-resistant streptococci within the past decade, and the lack of a reliable algorithm to differentiate potentially life-threatening SSTIs that require aggressive interventions and prompt hospitalization from those that can be managed in an outpatient setting. S aureus was the most common cause of SSTIs, being isolated in 42.8% (5015/11,723) of wounds, followed by streptococci. Common SSTIs in the elderly such as shingles, diabetic foot infections, infected pressure ulcers, and scabies, and their treatment were also discussed. Based on reviews of published trials, treatment of simple SSTIs generally consisted of administration of agents with activity against S aureus and Streptococcus species such as a penicillinase-resistant [beta]-lactam, a first-generation cephalosporin, or clindamycin. Broadening of the antimicrobial spectrum to include gram-negative and anaerobic organisms should be implemented for complicated SSTIs such as diabetic foot infections and infected pressure ulcers. Local rates of MRSA, CA-MRSA, and macrolide-resistant streptococci should be considered when selecting empiric therapy. Conclusions: A search of the literature did not identify any prospective clinical trials on the treatment of SSTIs in the elderly; therefore, it is recommended to follow treatment based on the current IDSA guidelines. More research and publications are needed to establish proper selection of antimicrobial agents, treatment strategies, and duration of therapy of SSTIs in the elderly population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population-based allele frequencies and genotype prevalence are important for measuring the contribution of genetic variation to human disease susceptibility, progression, and outcomes. Population-based prevalence estimates also provide the basis for epidemiologic studies of gene-disease associations, for estimating population attributable risk, and for informing health policy and clinical and public health practice. However, such prevalence estimates for genotypes important to public health remain undetermined for the major racial and ethnic groups in the US population. DNA was collected from 7,159 participants aged 12 years or older in Phase 2 (1991-1994) of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Certain age and minority groups were oversampled in this weighted, population-based US survey. Estimates of allele frequency and genotype prevalence for 90 variants in 50 genes chosen for their potential public health significance were calculated by age, sex, and race/ethnicity among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican Americans. These nationally representative data on allele frequency and genotype prevalence provide a valuable resource for future epidemiologic studies in public health in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial photomodulated channels represent a significant advancement toward practical photogated systems because of their remote noncontact stimulation. Ion transport behaviors in artificial photomodulated channels, however, still require further investigation, especially in multiple nanochannels that closely resemble biological structures. Herein, we present the design and development of photoswitchable ion nanochannels inspired by natural channelrhodopsins (ChRs), utilizing photoresponsive polymers grafted anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. Our approach integrates spiropyran (SP) as photoresponsive molecules into nanochannels through surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), creating a responsive system that modulates ionic conductivity and hydrophilicity in response to light stimuli. A key design feature is the reversible ring-opening photoisomerization of spiropyran groups under UV irradiation. This transformation, observable at the molecular level and macroscopically, allows the surface inside the nanochannels to switch between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states, thus efficiently modulating ion transport via changing water wetting behaviors. The patternable and erasable polySP-grafted AAO, based on a controllable and reversible photochromic effect, also shows potential applications in anticounterfeiting. This study pioneers achieving macroscopic anticounterfeiting and photoinduced photoswitching through reversible surface chemistry and expands the application of polymer-grafted structures in multiple nanochannels.

Early intervention is imperative for young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who manifest heterogeneous neurocognitive deficits. The study investigated the functional connectivity and complexity of brain activity among young children with ADHD exhibiting a fast cognitive processing speed (ADHD-F, n = 26), with ADHD exhibiting a slow cognitive processing speed (ADHD-S, n = 17), and typically developing children (n = 35) using wireless electroencephalography (EEG) during rest and task conditions. During rest, compared with the typically developing group, the ADHD-F group displayed lower long-range intra-hemispheric connectivity, while the ADHD-S group had lower frontal beta inter-hemispheric connectivity. During task performance, the ADHD-S group displayed lower frontal beta inter-hemispheric connectivity than the typically developing group. The ADHD-S group had lower frontal inter-hemispheric connectivity in broader frequency bands than the ADHD-F group, indicating ADHD heterogeneity in mental processing speed. Regarding complexity, the ADHD-S group tended to show lower frontal entropy estimators than the typically developing group during the task condition. These findings suggest that the EEG profile of brain connectivity and complexity can aid the early clinical diagnosis of ADHD, support subgrouping young children with ADHD based on cognitive processing speed heterogeneity, and may contain specific novel neural biomarkers for early intervention planning., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes leads to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and neuropathic pain, yet the association between glycemic variability and painful DPN remains insufficiently evidenced. To address this, we conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study involving adult type 2 diabetes patients at a medical center. DPN was identified using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI), and neuropathic pain was assessed with the Taiwan version of the Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4-T) questionnaire. At baseline in 2013, all participants were free of DPN and were re-evaluated in 2019 for the development of painful DPN. We measured visit-to-visit glycemic fluctuations using the coefficient of variation (CV) of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Patients were stratified into tertiles according to their FPG-CV and HbA1c-CV. Among the 622 participants, 267 developed DPN during the six-year follow-up. Following matching of age and sex, 210 patients without DPN and 210 with DPN (including 26 with neuropathic pain) were identified. Our findings revealed a significant association between high FPG-CV and painful DPN, with the highest tertile showing an adjusted odds ratio of 2.82 (95% confidence interval 1.04-7.64) compared to the lowest tertile. On the contrary, HbA1c-CV did not show a significant association with the risk of painful DPN. Our study indicates that higher FPG-CV is associated with an increased risk of painful DPN, supporting the role of glycemic variability in the development of painful DPN., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Evaluation of the impact of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevention program that incorporates maternal antiviral prophylaxis on mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is limited using real-world data., Methods: We analyzed data on maternal HBV screening, neonatal immunization, and post-vaccination serologic testing (PVST) for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among at-risk infants born to HBV carrier mothers from the National Immunization Information System during 2008-2022. Through linkage with the National Health Insurance Database, information on maternal antiviral therapy was obtained. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore MTCT risk in relation to infant-mother characteristics and prevention strategies., Results: In total, 2 460 218 deliveries with maternal HBV status were screened. Between 2008 and 2022, the annual HBsAg and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seropositivity rates among native pregnant women decreased from 12.2% to 2.6% and from 2.7% to 0.4%, respectively (P for both trends < .0001). Among the 22 859 at-risk infants who underwent PVST, the MTCT rates differed between infants born to HBsAg-positive/HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive mothers (0.75% and 6.33%, respectively; P < .001). MTCT risk increased with maternal HBeAg positivity (odds ratio [OR], 9.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.79-12.73) and decreased with maternal antiviral prophylaxis (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, .16-.49). For infants with maternal HBeAg positivity, MTCT risk was associated with mothers born in the immunization era (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.17-1.67)., Conclusions: MTCT was related to maternal HBeAg positivity and effectively prevented by maternal prophylaxis in the immunized population. At-risk infants born to maternal vaccinated cohorts might possibly pose further risk., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest . The authors: No reported conflicts of interest. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

In this study, we fabricate and characterize amphiphilic anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes using UV-triggered thiol-yne click reactions and photomasks for various innovative applications, including driven polymer nanopatterns, anti-counterfeiting, and conductive pathways. Specifically, we synthesize 10-undecynyl-terminated-AAO membranes and subsequently prepare amphiphilic AAO membranes with superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic regions. Various analytical methods, including grazing angle X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (GIXPS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), nanofocused synchrotron X-ray techniques (nano-XRD and nano-XRF), and water contact angle measurements, confirm the modifications and distinct properties of the modified areas. This work achieves a series of applications, such as driven polymer nanopatterns, solvent- and light-triggered anti-counterfeiting, and region-selective conductive pathways using silver paint with lower resistivity. Besides, the amphiphilic AAO membrane exhibits successful stability, durability, and reusability. To sum up, this study highlights the versatility and potential of amphiphilic AAO membranes in advanced material design and smart applications.

Background: Limited evidence exists to support any specific medication over others to prevent dementia in older patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We investigated whether treatment with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors is associated with a lower risk of incident dementia and all-cause mortality, relative to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA)., Methods: In this retrospective, active-comparator cohort study, we used data from the TriNetX electronic health records network. Our primary cohort comprised patients with T2D aged ≥50 years, registered between January 2012 and December 2022. Patients with a history of dementia were excluded. We used Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to estimate the incidence of dementia and all-cause mortality in our cohort after they had used glucose-lowering drugs for at least 12 months. Propensity score matching was performed to balance the SGLT-2 inhibitor, DPP-4 inhibitor and GLP-1 RA cohorts. Subgroup analyses for sex and age were also conducted., Results: Our first cohort comprised 193 948 patients treated with metformin and SGLT-2 inhibitors and an equal number of patients treated with metformin and DPP-4 inhibitors. In this cohort, the risk of dementia and all-cause mortality was lower in patients treated with SGLT-2 inhibitors than in those treated with DPP-4 inhibitors (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-0.65, for dementia; HR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.52-0.56, for all-cause mortality). Our second cohort comprised 165 566 patients treated with metformin and SGLT-2 inhibitors and an equal number of patients treated with metformin and GLP-1 RAs. In this cohort, the risk of dementia and all-cause mortality was lower in those treated with SGLT-2 inhibitors than in those treated with GLP-1 RAs (HR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.98, for dementia; HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.85-0.91, for all-cause mortality)., Conclusions: The use of SGLT-2 inhibitor was associated with a lower risk of incident dementia and all-cause mortality in older adults with T2D compared to DPP-4 inhibitor and GLP-1 RA., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Death from tuberculosis or HIV among people from racial and ethnic minority groups who are aged <65 years is a public health concern. We describe age-adjusted, absolute, and relative death rates from HIV or tuberculosis from 2011 through 2020 by sex, race, and ethnicity among US residents., Methods: We used mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention online data system on deaths from multiple causes from 2011 through 2020 to calculate age-adjusted death rates and absolute and relative disparities in rates of death by sex, race, and ethnicity. We calculated corresponding 95% CIs for all rates and determined significance at P < .05 by using z tests., Results: For tuberculosis, when compared with non-Hispanic White residents, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native residents had the highest level of disparity in rate of death (666.7%). Similarly, as compared with non-Hispanic White female residents, American Indian or Alaska Native female residents had a high relative disparity in death from tuberculosis (620.0%). For HIV, the age-adjusted death rate was more than 8 times higher among non-Hispanic Black residents than among non-Hispanic White residents, and the relative disparity was 735.1%. When compared with non-Hispanic White female residents, Black female residents had a high relative disparity in death from HIV (1529.2%)., Conclusion: Large disparities in rates of death from tuberculosis or HIV among US residents aged <65 years based on sex, race, and ethnicity indicate an ongoing unmet need for effective interventions. Intervention strategies are needed to address disparities in rates of death and infection among racial and ethnic minority populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.