Recombinant zoster vaccine and the risk of dementia.

Background: Herpes zoster is a potential risk factor for dementia. The effectiveness of the recombinant zoster vaccine for preventing dementia is uncertain.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used de-identified claims data from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse database from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022, to determine whether the recombinant zoster vaccine is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.

Association between immunosuppressive medications and COVID-19 hospitalisation and death: a retrospective cohort study.

Importance: Immunocompromised status is a risk factor for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Little is known about how systemic corticosteroid dose and concurrent use of immunosuppressants are associated with COVID-19 outcomes.

Objective: To assess the association between corticosteroid dose/duration and concurrent immunosuppressant use on COVID-19 hospitalisation and death in the era of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Effect of acute treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, liraglutide, and estrus phase on cue- and drug-induced fentanyl seeking in female rats.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a crisis in the USA. Despite advances with medications for OUD, overdose deaths have continued to rise and are largely driven by fentanyl. We have previously found that male rats readily self-administer fentanyl, with evident individual differences in fentanyl taking, seeking, and reinstatement behaviors.

Mothers making milestones: Awareness of rural mothers toward pediatric milestones.

Background: Developmental milestones are easily identifiable events during a child's development, and their thorough monitoring is of utmost importance till 6 years of age. Rural mothers are rarely explained these milestones, which may be a reason for the higher prevalence of developmental disorders in rural areas (≊18%). This study aimed to assess the knowledge of developmental milestones in rural mothers attending a rural, tertiary care hospital and further provides intelligence to the mothers on the same.

p12 isoform-2 is a regulatory subunit of human DNA polymerase delta and is dysregulated in various cancers.

Dysregulation of human DNA polymerase delta (Polδ) subunits is associated with genome instability and pathological disorders. Genome databases suggest the expression of several spliced variants of subunits which may alter Polδ function. Here, we analyzed the protein-encoding variants of the Polδ subunit p12 and their association with cancer.

Epigenetic therapeutics attenuate kidney injury and fibrosis by restoring the expression of epigenetically reprogrammed fibrogenic genes and signaling pathways.

Kidney fibrosis is a commonly observed pathological condition during development of chronic kidney disease. Therapeutic options currently available are effective only in slowing the progression of kidney fibrosis and there is no cure for this disease. Aberrant expression and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the peritubular space is a characteristic pathological feature of fibrotic kidney.

Nutritional Optimization of the Surgical Patient: A Narrative Review.

An increasing body of literature supports the clinical benefit of nutritional assessment and optimization in surgical patients; however, this data has yet to be consolidated in a practical fashion for use by surgeons. In this narrative review, we concisely aggregate emerging data to highlight the role of nutritional optimization as a promising, practical perioperative intervention to reduce complications and improve outcomes in surgical patients. This review of the surgical nutrition literature was conducted via large database review.

Macular Edema Ranibizumab v. Intravitreal anti-inflammatory Therapy (MERIT) Trial-24-week Outcomes of Uveitic Macular Edema Retreatment.

Purpose: Evaluation of longer-term effectiveness of three intravitreal therapies (methotrexate, ranibizumab, or dexamethasone implant) for participants enrolled in the randomized comparative effectiveness trial the Macular Edema Ranibizumab versus Intravitreal anti-inflammatory Therapy (MERIT) Trial followed for24 weeks.

Design: Multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial with masked evaluation of retinal thickness and visual acuity.

Participants: Patients with persistent or recurrent uveitic macular edema.

Sex Differences in Neural Circuits Underlying Fear Processing.

Neural circuitry involved in anxiety and fear-related disorders exhibits strong sexual modulation. A limited number of studies integrating female and male data have revealed differences in neural networks, and distinct interconnectivity between these brain areas. Despite the efforts to incorporate female or mixed-sex data, there is compelling evidence that sex, as a biological variable, significantly influences fear processing.

Impact of Cannabis Legalization on Umbilical Cord Tissue Tetrahydrocannabinol Levels.

Objective:  This study aimed to assess the impact of cannabis legalization on both qualitative and quantitative umbilical cord tissue tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) rates and concentrations as a proxy for fetal exposure.

Study Design:  This is a retrospective, observational study of umbilical cord tissue THC levels in a single center, comparing THC exposure rates and concentration levels before and after cannabis legalization in the state of Illinois, Epoch 1 (October 1, 2018-June 30, 2019, pre-legalization) and Epoch 2 (July 1, 2019-August 31, 2021, post-legalization).

Results:  A total of 811 umbilical cords were analyzed during epoch 1 and 2,170 during epoch 2.

Quasi-1D Oxides as Electrocatalysts for Water-Splitting: Case Study of SrMMnO (M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn).

We have demonstrated that multimetal oxides with a quasi-1D structure can be effective electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. Four materials have been systematically investigated, namely, SrCoMnO, SrNiMnO, SrCuMnO, and SrZnMnO, comprising 1D chains of face-sharing MnO octahedra and MO trigonal prisms (M = Co, Ni, Cu or Zn), which are held together by strontium ions located between the chains. These materials show a consistent trend in electrocatalytic properties for both half-reactions of water-splitting, i.

Expanding the solvent diversity and perovskite compatibility of SnO inks that are directly deposited on perovskite layers.

Tin oxide (SnO) is an attractive electron transport material (ETM) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its optoelectronic properties, low-temperature solution processability, cost, and stability. However, solvent incompatibilities have largely limited its application to devices with SnO deposited below the perovskite. To expand its utility in other device structures, including inverted PSCs and tandem devices, alternate deposition strategies are needed.

Indian Rheumatology Association guidelines for the management of ANCA associated vasculitis.

Background: The ACR in 2021 and the EULAR in 2022 published recommendations for management of ANCA-associated vasculitis. Given the differences in the demographic, clinical profiles, and the socio-economic realities between various countries, there is a need for development of guidelines for the management of AAV for less economically developed regions of the world.

Methods: These guidelines were made following the GRADE methodology.

Ulnar longitudinal deficiency - a unique case series from the Indian subcontinent.

Purpose: Ulnar Longitudinal Deficiency (ULD) is a sporadic congenital difference affecting the upper-limb. There is a lack of information on this condition in the Indian subcontinent population, hence the importance of documenting ULD in this region and highlighting the novelty. This retrospective case-series aimed to describe the manifestations of ULD and document its unique presentation pattern in the South Asian population.

Inhibition of choroidal osteoma progression using bisphosphonate and RANKL-inhibitory treatment.

Purpose: To describe the use of anti-osteoclastic medications (i.e., bisphosphonates and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa beta (RANK) ligand inhibitors) in treating choroidal osteoma.

Endometriosis: A Comprehensive Exploration of Inflammatory Mechanisms and Fertility Implications.

Endometriosis is a prevalent gynecological disorder characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. This condition poses significant challenges due to its chronic nature, debilitating symptoms such as pelvic pain and infertility, and substantial impact on quality of life. Central to the pathogenesis of endometriosis are inflammatory mechanisms that perpetuate tissue proliferation, adhesion formation, and immune dysregulation within the pelvic cavity.

A Design Strategy for Highly Active Oxide Electrocatalysts by Incorporation of Oxygen-Vacancies.

Using both density functional theory (DFT+U) simulations and experiments, we show that the incorporation of an ordered array of oxygen-vacancies in a perovskite oxide can lead to enhancement of the electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER). As a benchmark, LaCoO was investigated, where the incorporation of oxygen-vacancies led to LaCoO (LaCoO), featuring a structural transformation. DFT+U simulations demonstrated the effect of oxygen-vacancies on lowering the potential required to achieve negative Gibbs Free Energy for all steps of the OER mechanism.

Association between in vitro susceptibility and clinical outcomes in fungal keratitis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between antifungal susceptibility as measured by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and clinical outcomes in fungal keratitis.

Methods: This pre-specified secondary analysis of the Mycotic Ulcer Treatment Trial II (MUTT II) involved patients with filamentous fungal keratitis presenting to Aravind Eye Hospitals in South India. Antifungal susceptibility testing for natamycin and voriconazole was performed on all samples with positive fungal culture results according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Guidelines.

Utilizing Maternal Morbidity as a Novel Screening (MMS) Tool for Predicting Peripartum Morbidity at a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Central India.

Background The majority of complications and deaths related to childbirth are concentrated in developing and disadvantaged nations, where the rates are unacceptably elevated. These incidents predominantly occur in the vicinity during the intrapartum period and immediately after childbirth. The peripartum period is especially critical for expectant mothers, as it represents the time when a significant number of complications and deaths occur.

Critical roles of Dpb3-Dpb4 sub-complex of DNA polymerase epsilon in DNA replication, genome stability, and pathogenesis of .

Unlabelled: DNA polymerase ε (Polε) is an essential replicative polymerase consisting of Pol2, Dpb2, Dpb3, and Dpb4 subunits and has not been explored in the pathogenic yeast is accountable for >40% of deaths due to systemic candidiasis per year worldwide. Genome plasticity is one of the adaptive mechanisms associated with virulence, and as it is associated with DNA polymerase function, this study explored the role of Polε in genome stability and pathogenesis of and are haploinsufficient, but and are dispensable for cell survival in diploid . However, unlike in , loss of any or both of the nonessential subunits or defective interaction between the two resulted in slow growth and temperature-sensitive phenotypes.

Association Between Baseline Macular Morphologic Features on Optical Coherence Tomography and Visual Outcomes in Patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

Purpose: The choroidal thickening and serous retinal detachments that characterize Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease can be imaged in detail using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Whether specific qualitative and quantitative SD-OCT features at presentation were associated with visual outcomes in a randomized controlled trial comparing methotrexate to mycophenolate for steroid-sparing control of uveitis were evaluated.

Methods: An exploratory subanalysis of data from the FAST trial in which SD-OCT images from VKH participants were analyzed for presence/absence of bacillary detachments, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) folds, and internal limiting membrane (ILM) fluctuations was performed.

Navigating Pregnancy With Uterine Fibroids: A Case Study.

Benign uterine tumors, known as leiomyomas or uterine fibroids, can result in severe pain, bleeding, and infertility. They impact a woman's overall well-being, ability to conceive, and the course of her pregnancy. Fibroids are associated with increasing maternal age.

Artificial Intelligence in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Transforming Care and Outcomes.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) is revolutionizing the landscape of women's healthcare. This review article explores the transformative impact of AI technologies on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of obstetric and gynecological conditions. We examine key advancements in AI-driven imaging techniques, predictive analytics, and personalized medicine, highlighting their roles in enhancing prenatal care, improving maternal and fetal outcomes, and optimizing gynecological interventions.

Comparison of CT-Guided needle biopsy versus percutaneous endoscopic debridement and drainage in pathogen identification and pain outcomes for spondylodiscitis patients: A systematic review and literature review.

Introduction: Spondylodiscitis (SD) is an infection of the intervertebral disc with involvement of the adjacent vertebral bodies. Diagnostic tests with CT-guided biopsy only provide a positive yield in 14%-48% of cases. Percutaneous endoscopic debridement and drainage (PEDD) has recently shown promise in the treatment of spondylodiscitis.