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Social content and thinking about information in relation to the self may attenuate age-related declines in associative memory. However, it's unclear whether these strategies are similarly effective across cultures due to potential differences in the prioritization of social and self-relevant information. The present study compared Taiwanese and American younger and older adults on associative memory for social information across two encoding conditions. Specifically, they related object-scene image pairs containing varying levels of social information (i.e. none, low and high) to themselves (i.e. self-referencing) or to a distant-other (i.e. other-referencing). We replicated a prior finding in a new sample of Taiwanese participants in which other-referencing (vs self-referencing) enhanced older adults' memory for high social trials, relative to younger adults. In contrast, this pattern did not emerge for Americans; older American participants' memory performance was relatively consistent across self- vs. other-referencing and the level of social information, and there was no interaction with age. These findings suggest that cultural differences in memory for high social (relative to low and nonsocial) information emerge for older, but not younger, adults, particularly when participants are asked to think about another person. Therefore, culture may influence the effectiveness of strategies to reduce age-related associative memory impairments.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American men. Striking disparities persist in PCa incidence and mortality, with African American (AA) men experiencing a 1.7-fold higher incidence and more than two-fold higher mortality rate compared to European American (EA) men. Despite this disparity, the Black community remains underrepresented in PCa research and clinical trials. As PCa progresses to high-grade and metastatic castration-resistant stages, treatment options become increasingly limited and median overall survival falls below two years, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. One promising yet underexplored avenue is the circulatory microenvironment, which consists of platelets (PLTs) and immune cells that interact directly with circulating tumor cells (CTCs) during intravasation. Mounting evidence supports a bidirectional relationship in which tumor cells activate platelets to promote thrombosis, and platelets in turn activate tumor cells to promote tumorigenesis. In PCa, reciprocal signaling between tumor cells and platelets is increasingly being recognized. Recent transcriptomic profiling (RNA-Seq) has identified transmembrane signaling proteins mediating these interactions, broadly categorized into four groups: (1) integrin-ligand, (2) EPH receptor-ephrin, (3) immune checkpoint receptor-ligand, and (4) miscellaneous receptor-ligand interactions. Notably, many components of these signaling axes are overexpressed in platelets and/or PCa cells from individuals of African ancestry and are associated with poorer clinical outcomes. These findings highlight platelet-mediated signaling pathways as a source of novel biomarkers and pharmacologically actionable targets, offering opportunities to address both aggressive disease biology and persistent PCa disparities.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10) is a rare, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia and, frequently, seizures. While it is linked to Native American and East Asian ancestry, no cases have previously been reported in Guatemala. We evaluated a large Guatemalan family at the Mayo Movement Disorder Clinic with index case of a 42-year-old Native American man with genetically confirmed SCA10. Assessment included clinical history, the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), neuroimaging, and molecular genetic testing. Additionally, neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were measured in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from index symptomatic SCA10 case, unaffected relatives, two healthy controls and two symptomatic SCA3 cases. The index patient presented with slowly progressive balance impairment, dysarthria, and limb ataxia starting in his 30s. Genetic testing confirmed a pathogenic ATTCT repeat expansion in the ATXN10 gene. A strong family history was noted, with several affected siblings and a wheelchair-bound mother, though notably, no family members experienced seizures. CSF NfL levelin the index case (650.7 pg/mL) was elevated compared to an unaffected relative and healthy controls. This report identifies the first SCA10 family in Guatemala, extending the known geographic distribution of the disorder in Central America. Our findings also provide the first data on CSF NfL in SCA10, suggesting its potential utility as a biomarker for monitoring disease progression.

This study aimed to evaluate the completeness and readability of patient education materials available through 3 widely used drug information databases and assess their potential impact on patient comprehension. A cross-sectional comparative analysis of patient education materials for 50 commonly prescribed medications was conducted across 3 different drug information databases. Medications were selected from diverse therapeutic classes, such as cardiovascular, endocrine, mental health, and others. Completeness was evaluated using the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists guidelines, including indications, dosing, administration, adverse effects, drug interactions, and precautions. Readability was analyzed using validated tools, such as the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and Flesch-Kincaid scale. Subgroup analysis examined variation by therapeutic class. All 3 databases were assigned high completeness scores, with drug interactions, lifestyle, and diet being the most common missing components. Readability scores varied significantly across databases. Database 1 produced materials closest to the National Institutes of Health/American Medical Association-recommended 6th-grade reading level, whereas databases 2 and 3 had higher literacy demands, producing materials from the 7th-grade to college level. It was also observed that education materials include numerous specific drug names. For instance, database 2 and database 3 often provided comprehensive medication lists for potential drug interactions, which increased readability scores and grade levels. When these lists were removed, the readability scores and grade levels decreased. While most essential information was included in the patient education materials, readability remained a barrier to patient comprehension. Balancing clarity with completeness is essential for supporting adherence and safety.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) may show protein overexpression and/or gene amplification in a subset of carcinomas at various sites. Recent developments in HER2-directed therapies have increased the need to optimize HER2 testing, assessment, and reporting of HER2 status. Seven of 11 active biomarker reporting templates developed by the College of American Pathologists include elements for capturing HER2 status, which has presented challenges to accommodate different scoring systems and allow clear, concise reporting. To evaluate the current evidence for HER2 testing, interpretation, and reporting in different tumor types, and to create a guidebook for navigating HER2 assessment by organ systems to improve the accuracy of HER2 testing and its utility as a predictive marker in carcinomas of various primary sites. The Biomarker Project Team, composed of members of the College of American Pathologists serving on different committees (Cancer, Pathology Electronic Reporting, Immunohistochemistry, Center Guideline, Molecular Oncology), set out to create a guideline for HER2 testing, assessment, and reporting. The Biomarker Project Team identified indications for HER2 testing, scoring criteria, and optimal reporting in carcinomas of different organ systems to improve the accuracy of HER2 (ERBB2) testing by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. This guidebook reviews the current guidelines for HER2 testing and reporting in carcinomas of different organ systems. In addition, it discusses the challenges of designing a unified biomarker reporting format to cover alternative scoring systems.

We report the case of a man in his 30s who presented with exertional dyspnoea and dry cough for 18 months, along with fever and generalised lymphadenopathy (cervical and axillary) for 3 months. He had no feature indicating a connective tissue disorder. High-resolution CT of the chest revealed bilateral and diffuse thin-walled cysts with multiple mediastinal lymph nodes, consistent with a cystic interstitial lung disease. His pulmonary function test showed a severe restrictive disease and an autoimmune workup revealed strong positivity for anti-SSA/Ro52. Minor salivary gland biopsy showed lymphocytic foci with a focus score of >1. Based on the 2016 American College of Rheumatology-European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (ACR-EULAR) classification, the patients' diagnosis of Primary Sjögren's was confirmed. A transbronchial lung biopsy on histopathology showed diffuse polyclonal lymphoplasmacytic interstitial infiltration with germinal centre formation, consistent with lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia. In view of the extensive lymphadenopathy, lymphoma was systematically ruled out through lymph node excision, bone marrow examination and serum electrophoresis, all of which supported a benign reactive process. The patient was diagnosed with lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia and pseudolymphomatous lymphadenopathy as the initial manifestation of primary Sjögren's syndrome and showed clinical stability following treatment with systemic corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil.

Political orientation has been shown to correlate with fertility, raising the possibility that demographic processes contribute to long-term ideological change. Using data from the US General Social Survey, we analyze completed fertility across 17 birth cohorts (1898-1982) to examine how political orientation has contributed to fertility decline in the United States and whether emerging selective forces can be detected. Earlier cohorts show little difference in fertility by political orientation. From the 1943-1947 birth cohort onward, however, a pronounced divergence emerges: individuals with right-wing political orientations maintain fertility at or above replacement level, whereas fertility among left-wing individuals declines sharply to well below replacement. Applying Lande-Arnold selection gradient analyses, we find increasing directional selection that may favor right-wing political orientation over time, while education shows consistent negative associations with fertility and religiosity positive but weaker effects. Separate analysis of Black and White Americans reveals, however, that the increasingly stronger association between political orientation and fertility in more recent cohorts holds only true for whites but not for blacks. Nonetheless, these findings suggest that recent fertility decline in the United States is driven disproportionately by left-leaning individuals and point to contemporary demographic processes that may gradually shift the ideological composition of populations.

Although specialist care reduces acute healthcare utilization among children with uncontrolled asthma, the timeliness of enrollment and consequences of delayed specialty care remain poorly characterized. To characterize correlates of delayed enrollment in specialty asthma care and evaluate whether pre-post changes in childhood severe asthma exacerbation (SAE) incidence differed by patient characteristics. We conducted a pre-post, quasi-experimental longitudinal cohort study of 229 children (<11 years) with moderate-to-severe asthma enrolled in a high-risk asthma (HRA) clinic between January 2010 and December 2021, with follow-up through 2024. Early childhood asthma risk burden was quantified using predefined risk factors. Cox proportional hazards models examined correlates of delayed enrollment. Piecewise generalized linear mixed-effects models estimated changes in SAE odds before and after HRA enrollment, adjusting for demographic characteristics and time-varying treatments. The cohort was 66% male and 61% African American, with a mean (SD) age of 4 (3) years at HRA enrollment. Despite earlier asthma diagnosis, children with a high (vs low) burden of early childhood risk factors experienced delayed HRA enrollment and 2-3 years of increasing annual SAE odds before enrollment (adjusted OR per year 1.54; 95% CI, 1.31-1.80). HRA enrollment was associated with a 36% reduction in SAE odds (adjusted OR 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51-0.80). Reductions were greater among children who initiated inhaled corticosteroids within 12 months of diagnosis (adjusted OR 0.61; 95% CI, 0.48-0.78). Enrollment in specialty asthma care was associated with reduced SAE risk; however, high-risk children experienced substantial delays in HRA enrollment despite escalating exacerbations. Early risk stratification may facilitate timely enrollment into specialty care and improve outcomes.