The role of the triglyceride-glucose index as a biomarker of cardio-metabolic syndromes.

Background: The Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index represents a simple, cost-effective, and valid proxy for insulin resistance. This surrogate marker has also been proposed as a predictor of metabolic and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this descriptive review, we aimed to assess the utility of the TyG index as a predictive biomarker of cardiometabolic diseases.

Pediatric case of hemoglobin I-high Wycombe variant.

Over 1400 variants of hemoglobin (Hb) have been identified and characterized with phenotypes ranging from clinically silent to severe clinical manifestations in carriers. Different analytical methods have been established to detect Hb variants. Here, we report the first pediatric case of hemoglobin I-High Wycombe [β59(E3) Lys → Glu] variant found in an infant of Mexican-American descent.

Large Scale Ultrafast Manufacturing of Wireless Soft Bioelectronics Enabled by Autonomous Robot Arm Printing Assisted by a Computer Vision-Enabled Guidance System for Personalized Wound Healing.

A Customized wound patch for Advanced tissue Regeneration with Electric field (CARE), featuring an autonomous robot arm printing system guided by a computer vision-enabled guidance system for fast image recognition is introduced. CARE addresses the growing demand for flexible, stretchable, and wireless adhesive bioelectronics tailored for electrotherapy, which is suitable for rapid adaptation to individual patients and practical implementation in a comfortable design. The visual guidance system integrating a 6-axis robot arm enables scans from multiple angles to provide a 3D map of complex and curved wounds.

Utility of urinary NT-proBNP in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a prospective pilot study.

Background: Echocardiography is the reference standard for diagnosing pulmonary hypertension (PH) and cardiac dysfunction (CD) in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The use of an adjunct non-invasive biomarker would be invaluable. Plasma N-terminal brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) has been evaluated as a biomarker in CDH.

Fluoxetine and Sertraline Inhibit Height Growth and Growth Hormone Signaling During Puberty.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of fluoxetine and sertraline on height growth and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) during puberty.

Methods: In this 6-month cohort study, electronic medical records were used to identify 8- to 15-year-old participants, within 1 month of starting fluoxetine (n = 39) or sertraline (n = 27), and sexual maturation stages 2 to 4 were confirmed. Conditions that interfere with height growth led to exclusion.

AI-Supported Echocardiography for the Detection of Heart Diseases - A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for accurate and efficient diagnostic tools. Echocardiography, a non-invasive imaging technique, plays a central role in the diagnosis of heart diseases, yet the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on its accuracy and speed has not yet been reviewed and summarized. This scoping review aims to address this research gap by synthesizing existing evidence on AI-assisted echocardiography's.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Pediatric and Adult Patients Hospitalized for Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Comparison Across Age Strata.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to cause hospitalizations and severe disease in children and adults.

Methods: This study compared the risk factors, symptoms, and outcomes of children and adults hospitalized for COVID-19 from March 2020 to May 2023 across age strata at 5 US sites participating in the Predicting Viral-Associated Inflammatory Disease Severity in Children with Laboratory Diagnostics and Artificial Intelligence consortium. Eligible patients had an upper respiratory swab that tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by nucleic acid amplification.

Promoting Resilience in Stress Management for Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) requires demanding self-management health behaviors, and adolescents with T1D are at risk for poor psychosocial and medical outcomes. Developing resilience skills may help adolescents with T1D and elevated distress navigate common stressors and achieve positive outcomes.

Objective: To test the efficacy of the Promoting Resilience in Stress Management (PRISM) intervention on levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), diabetes distress, self-management behaviors, resilience, and quality of life among adolescents.

Postpartum Glucose Monitoring in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Dual Center Experience.

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is known to be a predisposing factor in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in affected mothers and their offspring. Current guidelines recommend a two-hour postpartum glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in patients with a history of GDM. However, compliance rates for ordering and completion has been reported as suboptimal.

Real-World Data on Treatment Outcome of ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer from an Indian Multicentric Cancer Registry.

Lalatendu Moharana The Anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors (ALKi) represent the standard of care for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EML4-ALK rearrangements. Various ALKi agents are available; however, not all eligible patients receive treatment with them due to various reasons. Given the limited real-world data available in our country, we aimed to assess treatment outcomes through a multicenter collaboration.

Effectiveness of Cord blood as a Strategy to rule out Conjugated Hyperbilirubinemia.

Early detection of biliary atresia is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes in infants with elevated conjugated bilirubin levels. This study aims to investigate the viability of cord blood gas analysis as a novel method for assessing conjugated bilirubin levels. Infants with high heel stick levels also showed elevated cord blood bilirubin levels, indicating that cord blood testing could replace the need for repeat heel stick tests, especially benefiting low birth weight infants.

Utility of Cystatin C-based Equation for the Estimation of Glomerular Filtration Rate in a Pediatric Population.

Background: The accurate assessment of kidney function is vital for the early detection of kidney damage. The estimated glomerular filtration rate GFR (eGFR) from serum cystatin C (CysC) and creatinine-based equations are commonly used in clinical practice as an alternative to the invasive measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR), which is the usually accepted overall best index of kidney function in health and disease. Recently the CKiD under 25 (CkiD U25) equations have been shown to perform well in children and young adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Understanding the charge transfer effects of single atoms for boosting the performance of Na-S batteries.

The effective flow of electrons through bulk electrodes is crucial for achieving high-performance batteries, although the poor conductivity of homocyclic sulfur molecules results in high barriers against the passage of electrons through electrode structures. This phenomenon causes incomplete reactions and the formation of metastable products. To enhance the performance of the electrode, it is important to place substitutable electrification units to accelerate the cleavage of sulfur molecules and increase the selectivity of stable products during charging and discharging.

Electronic Health Record Population Health Management for Chronic Kidney Disease Care: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Large gaps in clinical care in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) lead to poor outcomes.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of an electronic health record-based population health management intervention vs usual care for reducing CKD progression and improving evidence-based care in high-risk CKD.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Kidney Coordinated Health Management Partnership (Kidney CHAMP) was a pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial conducted between May 2019 and July 2022 in 101 primary care practices in Western Pennsylvania.

Path Towards Biopsy-Free Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Pediatric Patients.

Background: Laboratory testing for celiac disease in pediatric patients integrates serology, genetic susceptibility and duodenal biopsy examination. The 2023 American College of Gastroenterology guidelines recommend a biopsy-free approach in pediatric patients utilizing tissue transglutaminase antibody titers >10 times upper limit of normal and subsequent endomysial antibody seropositivity as sufficient for diagnosis. The objective of this study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of biopsy-free approach at our pediatric hospital.

PD-L1 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance: A prospective observational study from a tertiary care centre.

Background: Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in tumor cells contribute to tumor immunity and therapies directed against it, have shown encouraging results in recent years. As there is limited data on the significance of PD-L1 expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) from India, we aimed to study the PD-L1 expression and its relation with different clinic-pathological parameters in patients of HNSCC from a tertiary care center in Eastern India.

Methods: A prospective evaluation of HNSCC patients diagnosed and managed at our center over a period of two and half years, was performed.

Validation of a whole blood machine learning strategy for distinguishing between bacterial and viral infection in a pediatric hospital setting.

Similar symptoms between viral and bacterial diseases often make diagnosis difficult. This study assessed the clinical performance of the newly cleared whole-blood Bacterial versus Viral Score assay in our pediatric cohort to the previously validated serum assay and emergency department physician diagnosis. This assay shows excellent agreement (R = 0.

Dawn-to-dusk dry fasting decreases circulating inflammatory cytokines in subjects with increased body mass index.

Background: The circadian rhythm involves numerous metabolic processes, including sleep/awakening, body temperature regulation, hormone secretion, hepatic function, cellular plasticity, and cytokine release (inflammation), that appear to have a dynamic relationship with all the processes above. Studies have linked various cytokines to the chronic state of low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress in obesity. Dawn-to-dusk dry fasting (DDDF) could alleviate the adverse effects of obesity by decreasing inflammation.

CADHERIN-11 regulation of myeloid phagocytes and autoimmune inflammation in murine lupus.

Background And Objective: Understanding the regulation of efferocytosis by myeloid phagocytes is important in identifying novel targets in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Cadherin-11 (CDH11), a cell adhesion molecule, is implicated in inflammatory arthritis and fibrosis and recently been shown to regulate macrophage phagocytosis. The extent and mechanism of this regulation is unknown.

A nutritional supplement during preconception and pregnancy increases human milk vitamin D but not B-vitamin concentrations.

Background & Aims: Optimal maternal vitamin status during pregnancy and lactation is essential to support maternal and infant health. For instance, vitamin D is involved in infant bone development, and B-vitamins are involved in various metabolic processes, including energy production. Through a double-blind randomised controlled trial, we investigated the effects of maternal supplementation from preconception throughout pregnancy until birth on human milk (HM) concentrations of vitamin D and B-vitamins.

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes screening at a large pediatric center.

Objective: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation guidelines recommend annual diabetes screening by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) starting at the age of 10 years. Adherence to these guidelines proves to be challenging, and the nationwide screening rates are still considered suboptimal. The aim of this study was to assess and improve the screening rates at our large pediatric center.