Mitigating the environmental effects of healthcare: the role of the endocrinologist.

Human health depends on planetary health, and yet healthcare provision can have unintended consequences for the health of the planet. Emissions from the healthcare sector include greenhouse gases, air pollution and plastic pollution, alongside chemical contamination. Chemical pollution resulting in endocrine disruption has been associated with plastics, which are a source of concerning additives such as phthalates, bisphenols, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and flame retardants (all routinely found in healthcare products).

Inhibition of Reaction Layer Formation on MgO(100) by Doping with Trace Amounts of Iron.

Despite extensive research on MgO's reactivity in the presence of CO under various conditions, little is known about whether impurities incorporated into the solid, such as iron, enhance or impede hydroxylation and carbonation reactions. The purity of the MgO required for the successful implementation of MgO looping as a direct air capture technology affects the deployment costs. With this motivation, we tested how incorporated iron impacts MgO (100) reactivity and passivation layer formation under ambient conditions by using atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, and synchrotron-based X-ray scattering.

Complex Adsorption Behavior of Neodymium and Ytterbium on Structurally-Distinct Alumina Surfaces.

New sources of rare earth elements (REEs) are needed to support a green energy transition. REEs adsorbed to aluminum-rich clays in weathering deposits represent important resources, but the mechanisms responsible for their retention and ease of extraction are unresolved. Disordered coordination and co-occurrence of multiple species pose challenges to investigating REE adsorption processes via established spectroscopic methods.

Carbonation of MgO Single Crystals: Implications for Direct Air Capture of CO.

Direct air capture (DAC) may be feasible to remove carbon dioxide (CO) from the atmosphere at the gigaton scale, holding promise to become a major contributor to climate change mitigation. Mineral looping using magnesium oxide (MgO) is potentially an economical, efficient, and sustainable pathway to gigaton-scale DAC. The hydroxylation and carbonation of MgO determine the efficiency of the looping process, but their rates and mechanisms remain uncertain.

Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Weight Loss, BMI, and Waist Circumference for Patients With Obesity or Overweight: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression of 47 Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: To provide an updated synthesis on effects of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) on weight, BMI, and waist circumference incorporating newer randomized controlled trials (RCTs), particularly in individuals with overweight or obesity.

Research Design And Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for RCTs published from inception to 4 October 2024. The search was limited to RCTs evaluating the use of GLP-1 RAs for mean differences from baseline in weight, BMI, and waist circumference in adults with obesity or overweight with or without diabetes.

Lead Adsorption and Desorption at the Barite (001) Surface in the Presence of EDTA.

Scaling minerals, such as barite, can cause detrimental consequences for oil/gas pipelines and water systems, but their formation can be inhibited by organic chelators such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Here, we resolve how EDTA affects sorption and desorption of Pb at the barite (001) surface using a combination of X-ray scattering and microscopy measurements. In the presence of EDTA, Pb incorporated in the topmost part of the barite surface and adsorbed as inner-sphere complexes on the surface.

Ischemic Stroke in Women: Understanding Sex-Specific Risk Factors, Treatment Considerations, and Outcomes.

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of mortality and disability and has become a significant public health concern among women. Overall, women have more ischemic stroke events than men, in part due to their longer life span, and also suffer from more severe stroke-related disabilities compared to men. Women are also more likely than men to present with atypical non-focal neurological symptoms, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment.

Anti-diabetic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on obese and overweight patients across diabetes status, administration routes, treatment duration and baseline characteristics: A systematic review.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are increasingly used for anti-obesity indications. However, little is known of the comparative effect of GLP-1 RAs and their glycemic impact across the different routes of administration, diabetic statuses and durations of prescription. PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched from inception to 13 February 2024.

Postnatal glycaemic outcomes in women with high-risk gestational diabetes: Identifying key predictors for early intervention.

Aims: Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) have increased lifetime risk of developing diabetes. We aim to determine the factors contributing to poor adherence of the postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and identify key predictors to postpartum dysglycaemia in our Asian cohort.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women with high-risk GDM (n = 561).

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on blood pressure in overweight or obese patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists are novel medications with proven efficacy in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus, and are increasingly being used for weight loss. They may potentially have benefit in treating metabolic disorders; however, evidence is sparse with regards to treating high blood pressure (BP). We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression investigating the efficacy of GLP-1 RAs in lowering BP in obese or overweight patients.

Investigating the Clinical Appropriateness of Short Synacthen Testing and Utility of Pretest Cortisol to Predict Short Synacthen Testing Outcomes: A Tertiary Center Experience in Southeast Asia.

Objective: No studies have investigated the predictors of an adequate cortisol response to the short synacthen test (SST) and the appropriateness of patient selection for SST in the Southeast Asian population. The aim of our study is to investigate the predictors and indications of SSTs and concondance of SSTs conducted with outcomes.

Methods: This is a retrospective study investigating all SSTs performed over a year in a tertiary center.

Implementing care for women with gestational diabetes after delivery-the challenges ahead.

Gestational diabetes (GDM), defined as glucose intolerance during pregnancy, affects one in six pregnancies globally and significantly increases a woman's lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Being a relatively young group, women with GDM are also at higher risk of developing diabetes related complications (e.g.

Diagnosing new-onset asthma in a paediatric clinical trial setting in school-age children.

Asthma is a common chronic disease in children. It is a dynamic condition-symptoms change over time, and the outcome of diagnostic tests can vary. Consequently, evaluating the onset of asthma at a single point in time, perhaps when patients are asymptomatic with limited impairment of the lung function, may result in false diagnostic conclusions.

Identifying critical features of iron phosphate particle for lithium preference.

One-dimensional (1D) olivine iron phosphate (FePO) is widely proposed for electrochemical lithium (Li) extraction from dilute water sources, however, significant variations in Li selectivity were observed for particles with different physical attributes. Understanding how particle features influence Li and sodium (Na) co-intercalation is crucial for system design and enhancing Li selectivity. Here, we investigate a series of FePO particles with various features and revealed the importance of harnessing kinetic and chemo-mechanical barrier difference between lithiation and sodiation to promote selectivity.

At the Heart of the Community: Implementation of Echocardiographic Screening for Rheumatic Heart Disease in Primary Care Facilities of Northern Borneo Island.

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a potentially life-threatening condition that causes long-standing public health concerns. Echocardiography is a reliable diagnostic and screening technique for many cardiovascular conditions, including RHD. It is commonly used in tertiary care facilities worldwide but less so in the community setting.

Reaction Layer Formation on MgO in the Presence of Humidity.

Mineralization by MgO is an attractive potential strategy for direct air capture (DAC) of CO due to its tendency to form carbonate phases upon exposure to water and CO. Hydration of MgO during this process is typically assumed to not be rate limiting, even at ambient temperatures. However, surface passivation by hydrated phases likely reduces the CO capture capacity.

Metastatic Colon Cancer - An Effective Treatment Protocol of Integrative Therapies Including Electromagnetic Field Frequencies: A Case Report.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, with 25% of patients being diagnosed with metastatic disease, mostly in the liver, resulting in poor survival. Standard treatment of stage-IV colorectal cancer consists of primary tumour resection followed by chemotherapy.

Case Presentation: Here, we report on the treatment effectiveness using integrative therapies in a 52-year-old male with metastatic colon cancer and liver lesions to achieve stable partial remission with an overall high level of wellbeing.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in women - Current knowledge and emerging concepts.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide, affecting up to 30% of adults. Progression to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a key risk factor for cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and cardiovascular events. Alterations in reproductive hormones are linked to the development and/or progression of NAFLD/NASH in women.

Obesity-Related Hypogonadism in Women.

Obesity-related hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is a well-characterized condition in men (termed male obesity-related secondary hypogonadism; MOSH); however, an equivalent condition has not been as clearly described in women. The prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is known to increase with obesity, but PCOS is more typically characterized by increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (and by proxy luteinizing hormone; LH) pulsatility, rather than by the reduced gonadotropin levels observed in MOSH. Notably, LH levels and LH pulse amplitude are reduced with obesity, both in women with and without PCOS, suggesting that an obesity-related secondary hypogonadism may also exist in women akin to MOSH in men.

Derivation and comparison of formulae for the adjustment of total calcium.

Background: Free ionized calcium (Ca) is the biologically active component of total calcium (TCa) and hence responsible for its biological action. TCa is routinely adjusted for albumin using several formulae (e.g.

Imaging of the electronic bonding of diamond at pressures up to 2 million atmospheres.

Diamond shows unprecedented hardness. Because hardness is a measure of resistance of chemical bonds in a material to external indentation, the electronic bonding nature of diamond beyond several million atmospheres is key to understanding the origin of hardness. However, probing the electronic structures of diamond at such extreme pressure has not been experimentally possible.

Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activities, and HPLC Analysis of Nine Edible Sprouts in Cambodia.

The non-nutritional health benefits of sprouts are unconfirmed. Thus, nine sprout methanolic extracts were tested for phytoconstituents and antioxidant activity. The TPC, TCC, TFC, TAC, and TALC were measured.

A Novel Somatic Mutation Implicates ATP6V0D1 in Proinsulin Processing.

Context: Prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3), encoded by protein convertase subtilisin kexin type 1 (PCSK1), converts inactive prohormones into biologically active peptides. Somatic mutations of insulinomas are associated with genetic defects interfering with control of insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. However, somatic mutations in proinsulinomas have not been described.