Background: Cardiac arrest and cardiomyopathy are major contributors to cardiovascular mortality and sudden death. However, long-term national mortality trends and demographic disparities remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate U.S. mortality trends from 1999 to 2025 and assess differences by sex, race/ethnicity, and age. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of U.S. mortality data from 1999–2025 using the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause-of-Death database. Deaths among adults aged ≥25 years were identified using ICD-10 codes I42 (cardiomyopathy) and I46 (cardiac arrest), including cases where these codes appeared as underlying or contributing causes of death. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were calculated. Temporal trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression and expressed as average annual percent change (AAPC), stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, and three age groups (25–44, 45–64, and ≥65 years). Results: Between 1999 and 2025, 237,958 deaths from cardiac arrest and cardiomyopathy occurred among U.S. adults ≥25 years. Overall, AAMR declined from 6.33 to 2.41 (AAPC −3.83; 95% CI: −4.18 to −3.57). Males had higher mortality than females (AAMR 5.82 vs 2.71) with declines from 9.13 to 3.28 and 4.36 to 1.62, respectively. Non-Hispanic (NH) Black individuals had the highest AAMR (7.42), followed by Hispanics (4.62). Mortality was highest among those aged ≥65 years (CMR 14.74), declining from 23.88 to 7.88 between 1999 and 2025. Conclusion: Mortality from cardiac arrest and cardiomyopathy declined significantly from 1999–2025. However, substantial disparities persisted, with higher mortality among males, NH Black individuals, and adults ≥65 years, highlighting ongoing inequities in cardiovascular outcomes.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) complicated by sepsis is a life-threatening condition marked by circulatory collapse and systemic inflammation, with persistently high mortality despite critical care advances. National trends and disparities remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate temporal mortality trends from 1999 to 2025 and project rates through 2040. Methods: We conducted a population-based study using U.S. mortality data (1999–2025) from the CDC WONDER database. Deaths among adults aged ≥25 years with CS and sepsis were identified using ICD-10 codes. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 were calculated. Joinpoint regression estimated annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC). Forecasting models projected mortality trends through 2040. Results: From 1999 to 2025, 71,726 deaths occurred; 97.09% in medical facilities. Overall, AAMR rose from 0.65 to 2.16 (AAPC 5.01%, p < 0.001) and is projected to reach 3.62 by 2040. Men had higher mortality than women (2025: 2.78 vs 1.65; AAPC 5.06% vs 4.91%). In 2025, AAMR was 3.75 among NH Black individuals, 1.98 among NH White individuals, and 2.01 among Hispanic individuals. Adults ≥65 years had the highest CMR (7.50 in 2025; AAPC 4.63%), with the largest relative increase in ages 25–44 (AAPC 7.19%). Conclusion: CS with sepsis mortality increased significantly from 1999 to 2025, particularly among men, NH Black individuals, and adults ≥65 years. Although recent trends have stabilized, projections indicate continued increases through 2040, highlighting persistent and widening demographic disparities in the mortality burden.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States despite advances in screening and treatment. Prior national studies have documented long-term declines in CRC mortality; however, emerging demographic and disparities warrant updated evaluation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, population-based analysis of CRC mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2023 using the CDC WONDER database. Adults aged ≥25 years with CRC were identified using ICD-10 codes C18–C20. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were calculated. Trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression. Results: From 1999 to 2023, a total of 1,551,550 CRC deaths were recorded among U.S. adults aged ≥25. The overall AAMR declined from 38.23 per 100,000 in 1999 to 22.93 in 2023 (AAPC: –2.14; 95% CI: –2.39 to –1.88; p < 0.001). Overall, the AAMR declined in both sexes between 1999 and 2023; 31.98 to 19.09 (AAPC: -2.16; p < 0.01) among women, as compared to 47.46 to 27.43 (AAPC: -2.31; p < 0.01) among men. Racial disparities persisted, with non-Hispanic Black individuals showing the highest overall AAMR (37.34). Regionally, the Midwest has the highest overall AAMR (30.05). Urban–rural comparisons (1999–2020) showed higher AAMRs in rural areas (32.08) than in metropolitan areas (27.81). Older adults (≥65 years) accounted for most deaths. The most common place of death was home (40.7%). Conclusions: CRC mortality in the U.S. has declined substantially over the past 25 years; however, significant disparities persist by race, geography, and age.

Background: Pancreatic Cancer is the sixth deadliest cancer across the world, and its incidence has more than doubled in recent decades. The literature lacks comprehensive evidence on rural-urban and place-of-death mortality trends over the last two decades. This retrospective analysis summarizes the mortality trends for deaths involving pancreatic cancer patients from 1999 to 2023, with urban and rural stratification to better direct interventional strategies. Methods: Data from death certificates were extracted using the CDC WONDER database's multiple cause-of-death model, using ICD-10 codes C25.0 to C25.4 and C25.7 to C25.9 for adults aged 25+ years from 1999 to 2023. The urbanization data were extracted from 1999 to 2020. Urbanization regions were organized, and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were calculated per 100,000 population. Joinpoint software was used for evaluating trends. Results: A total of 1,002,439 deaths from pancreatic cancer occurred from 1999 to 2023, with an overall increase in AAMR from 17.254 in 1999 to 18.446 in 2023 (AAPC: 0.3293%). The death rate in rural areas, though declining initially (APC: -0.2572%), has increased persistently since 2003 (APC: 0.773%), surpassing the urban death rate from 2010 onwards. The rise in urban fatality rates was less steep (AAPC: 0.20%). Place of death was analyzed as a cross-period distribution, with the majority of deaths occurring in the decedent’s home (48.3%), followed by medical facilities (25.19%) and nursing homes (11.26%). Conclusion: A consistent rise in pancreatic cancer-related mortality with an increasing trend for rural areas emphasizes the discrepancy and the possible need for targeted interventions.

Nanoscale materials can support vaccine delivery, antigen display and immune stimulation, but successful platform function or enhanced immunogenicity does not necessarily establish meaningful or durable clinical protection. This narrative review examines evidence published from January 2016 through April 2026, with selected foundational studies, for nanotechnology-enabled vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and dengue, focusing on their relevance to the Global South. These diseases were selected for their substantial public-health burden, distinct biological barriers to vaccination and contrasting stages of translational development, enabling comparison across preclinical research, human immunogenicity, clinical efficacy and implementation evidence. The synthesis distinguishes the functional contribution of nanoscale carriers, antigen-display scaffolds and adjuvants from the performance of complete vaccine formulations. Malaria has the most advanced clinical and implementation evidence among the reviewed platforms. Tuberculosis has disease-prevention evidence in a defined infected adult population, and HIV and dengue platforms remain predominantly at preclinical or early clinical stages. Clinical efficacy of a nano-enabled formulation does not, by itself, quantify the incremental benefit attributable to its nanoscale component. Across diseases, translational value depends on antigen suitability, disease-relevant immune function, durability, formulation-specific safety and applicability to the intended population. Evidence from selected trial cohorts cannot automatically be generalized across heterogeneous Global South settings. Manufacturing readiness, storage requirements, affordable complete schedules, regulatory capacity and equitable access must therefore be assessed alongside biological performance. The review identifies where links between platform function, clinical benefit and feasible implementation are supported and where they remain unestablished.