Perspectives of People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Towards a Decision Aid Assessing Preferences of Glucose-Lowering Drugs: The Dilemma of Choosing.

Background: Treatment guidelines recommend metformin as initial drug in many people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and low risk of cardiovascular disease, with the possibility to switch to or add other drug classes. A decision aid (DA) could be useful to incorporate a patient's preferences in the decision of which drug class to choose. We developed such a DA and assessed the perspectives of people with T2D towards its comprehensibility and usability.

The role of vitamin K2 in cognitive impairment: linking vascular health to brain health.

Cognitive impairment, marked by a decline in essential mental aspects such as attention, memory, and problem-solving, is significantly correlated with advancing age. This condition presents a major challenge for the elderly, adversely affecting quality of life, diminishing independence, and imposing substantial burdens on healthcare systems. Recent research indicates that vitamin K2 may be vital for preserving brain health and cognitive function.

Serve Coffee, Hold Clamps, Do Not Complain: Student Perceptions and Experiences Regarding Surgery.

Objective: To explore medical students' perceptions and experiences regarding the surgery clerkship and surgeons.

Design: Between November 2021 and February 2022, an anonymous prepost survey study was performed among 2 consecutive cohorts of medical students. The survey was taken 6 weeks prior to the surgery clerkship and repeated shortly after the surgery clerkship.

The impact of proton pump inhibitors on brain health based on cross-sectional findings from the Rhineland Study.

Reports linking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with cognition and dementia show conflicting results, with limited evidence on underlying biological mechanisms. However, existing studies did not investigate brain microstructure, which could provide valuable insights into early structural changes indicative of cognitive decline. Analyses were based on cross-sectional baseline data from the Rhineland Study (n = 7,465; mean age 55.

Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events.

Increasing extreme climatic events threaten the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Because soil microbes govern key biogeochemical processes, understanding their response to climate extremes is crucial in predicting the consequences for ecosystem functioning. Here we subjected soils from 30 grasslands across Europe to four contrasting extreme climatic events under common controlled conditions (drought, flood, freezing and heat), and compared the response of soil microbial communities and their functioning with those of undisturbed soils.