Identifying and treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease among at-risk Veterans.

Objectives: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), an increasing public health concern, remains challenging to diagnose and risk-stratify. We assessed the 1) prevalence of MASLD risk factors among Veterans in Veterans Health Administration (VA) care, 2) factors associated with MASLD diagnosis; and 3) associations between MASLD diagnosis and receipt of care.

Methods: Veterans with MASLD risk factors, including obesity, pre-diabetes, diabetes, or dyslipidemia, were identified using International Classification of Diseases-10 codes and followed in 2019-2022.

The Effect of Carnosine Supplementation on Musculoskeletal Health in Adults with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background/objectives: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with an increased risk of adverse musculoskeletal outcomes likely due to heightened chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and advanced glycation end-products (AGE). Carnosine has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-AGE properties. However, no clinical trials have examined the impact of carnosine on musculoskeletal health in adults with prediabetes or T2D.

A numerical investigation of the effects of model parameterization on the delineation of source protection zones under uncertainty.

Source protection zone delineation has evolved over the past decades from fixed radius or analytical and numerical methods which do not consider uncertainty, to more complex stochastic numerical approaches. In this paper we explore options for delineating a source protection zone, while considering the inherent uncertainty involved in characterizing hydraulic conductivity. We consider a representative pumping well in an unconfined alluvial aquifer under steady-state flow conditions, with the hydraulic conductivity distribution inferred from borehole lithology data in the West Melton area near Christchurch, New Zealand.

An expert consensus statement on biomarkers of ageing for use in intervention studies.

Biomarkers of ageing serve as important outcome measures in longevity-promoting interventions. However, there is limited consensus on which specific biomarkers are most appropriate for human intervention studies. This work aimed to address this need by establishing an expert consensus on biomarkers of ageing for use in intervention studies via the Delphi method.

Consumption of antimicrobials for use in food-producing animals in New Zealand, a measure of progress in reduction from 2015 to 2022.

Aims: To describe progress in the reduction of the consumption of antimicrobial drugs by food-producing animals in New Zealand to 2022 and to identify the animal production sectors where progress has been greatest, and those where opportunities remain.

Methods: Data were sourced from official government and industry reports to update previous estimates of consumption (as sales) of antimicrobial products applied to food-producing animals in New Zealand, European countries and the USA. Antimicrobial consumption (AMC) was estimated based on the amount of active ingredient sold, per kg of animal biomass standardised to the probable weight at time of treatment or lifetime mean weight but not slaughter weight (population correction unit; PCU).