Ultrasound assessment of rectus femoris pennation angle and echogenicity. Their association with muscle functional measures and fat infiltration measured by CT scan.

Background & Aims: Ultrasound can be used to measure the pennation angle between muscle fiver and the presumed axis of force generation and muscle echogenicity as an indicator of muscle fat infiltration. We aimed to assess the association of the rectus femoris pennation angle and echogenicity with muscle functional measures. Also, to assess the concordance of rectus femoris echogenicity with muscle fat infiltration as determined by CT scan.

Introduction to the Special Issue on "Keratinocyte Carcinomas: Biology and Evolving Non-Invasive Management Paradigms".

Keratinocyte carcinomas (KCs) are the most prevalent form of cancer worldwide, and their incidence is rising dramatically, with an increasing trend in recent years [...

Robust microtubule dynamics facilitate low-tension kinetochore detachment in metaphase.

During mitosis, sister chromatids are stretched apart at their centromeres via their attachment to oppositely oriented kinetochore microtubules. This stretching generates inwardly directed tension across the separated sister centromeres. The cell leverages this tension signal to detect and then correct potential errors in chromosome segregation, via a mechanical tension signaling pathway that detaches improperly attached kinetochores from their microtubules.

The Effect of Terlipressin on Renal Replacement Therapy in Patients with Hepatorenal Syndrome.

Key Points: Hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS-1) is an often fatal, but potentially reversible, kidney failure in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Treatment with terlipressin in patients with HRS-1 is associated with a reduction in the need for RRT.

Background: Hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS-1)—also known as hepatorenal syndrome-AKI (HRS-AKI)—is a rapidly progressing and usually fatal, but potentially reversible, kidney failure occurring in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Features and Long-Term Outcomes of Stage IV Melanoma Patients Achieving Complete Response Under Anti-PD-1-Based Immunotherapy.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has changed the melanoma treatment spectrum. Few studies have examined the characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients achieving complete response (CR) under ICI.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated patients with unresectable stage IV melanoma treated with first-line ICI.

Interaction among health workers and trans men: Findings from a qualitative study in Chile.

Purpose: To explore trans men's access and use of healthcare services in Chile, based on the experiences of the trans men themselves, as well as of healthcare professionals.

Methods: A qualitative study with an ethnographic approach was carried out with 30 participants: 14 trans men and 16 healthcare professionals. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews with open-ended questions were used to collect the data.

Three weeks of mental training changes physiological outcomes during a time trial to exhaustion.

Mental training (MT) can increase endurance performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the minimum dose of mental training needed to increase performance and elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying this improvement. In a randomized between groups pre-test-post-test design, 33 participants visited the lab on 6 separate days.

Randomized phase II study of weekly carfilzomib 70 mg/m and dexamethasone with or without cyclophosphamide in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma patients.

In this randomized phase II study (GEM-KyCyDex, clinicaltrials gov. Identifier: NCT03336073), the combination of weekly carfilzomib 70 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (KCd) was compared to carfilzomib and dexamethasone (Kd) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) after 1-3 prior lines (PL). One hundred and ninety-seven patients were included and randomized 1:1 to receive KCd (97 patients) or Kd (100 patients) in 28-day cycles until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity occurred.

Improving Health Behaviors and Weight Parameters With Motivational Interviewing and the TEEEN Program in an Ethnically and Socioeconomically Diverse Pediatric Population.

Objective: Obesity affects 14.7 million children and adolescents in the United States. Children's health behaviors are affected by parental health practices.

[Early use of tocilizumab in hospitalized patients with severe and critical COVID-19 in the Province of Buenos Aires: a multicentric study].

Introduction: Tocilizumab (TCZ), an IL-6 receptor antagonist monoclonal antibody is warranted in severe and critically-ill COVID-19 patients. The objective was to evaluate 28-day mortality of patients with severe or critical COVID-19 treated with early vs delayed TCZ.

Methods: Multicenter, retrospective cohort study including patients >18 years hospitalized between 7/1/2021-8/1/2022 with confirmed COVID-19, with 5, 6 and 7 points of WHO Ordinal Initial Severity Scale [SS].

Educational intervention for the main caregiver of primiparous women to promote breastfeeding and the association between prolactin and nutritional parameters.

Background: In the last two years, breastfeeding rates have experienced a notable decline worldwide. Only 46% of women breastfeed their children, the figure being much lower in primiparous women. Breastfed milk is the ideal food for babies; its benefits for the health of mothers and babies are scientifically proven.

Impact of Arm Dominance and Location on Detecting Electrotactile Stimuli During Voluntary Motor Activation in Older Adults.

Activation-related sensory gating is important for sensorimotor control, filtering signals irrelevant to a task. Literature on brain lateralization suggests that motor activation patterns during sensorimotor control differ depending on arm dominance. Whether the lateralization effect extends to how sensory signals modulate during voluntary sensorimotor control remains unaddressed.

Nanobody Loop Mimetics Enhance Son of Sevenless 1-Catalyzed Nucleotide Exchange on RAS.

RAS proteins control various intracellular signaling networks. Mutations at specific locations were shown to stabilize their active guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-bound state, which is associated with the development of multiple cancers. An attractive approach to modulate RAS signaling is through its regulatory guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) son of sevenless 1 (SOS1).

BTLA dysregulation correlates with poor outcome and diminished T cell-mediated antitumor responses in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) progressively develop marked immunosuppression, dampening innate and adaptive-driven antitumor responses. However, the underlying mechanisms promoting immune exhaustion are largely unknown. Herein, we provide new insights into the role of BTLA/HVEM axis promoting defects in T cell-mediated responses against leukemic cells.

Magnetic resonance imaging to assess the brain response to fasting in glioblastoma-bearing rats as a model of cancer anorexia.

Background: Global energy balance is a vital process tightly regulated by the brain that frequently becomes dysregulated during the development of cancer. Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most investigated malignancies, but its appetite-related disorders, like anorexia/cachexia symptoms, remain poorly understood.

Methods: We performed manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) and subsequent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), in adult male GBM-bearing (n = 13) or control Wistar rats (n = 12).

Implementation of the vitiligo area scoring index in clinical studies of patients with vitiligo: a scoping review.

The vitiligo area scoring index (VASI) is a validated, reliable clinician-reported outcome measure widely used to assess the extent of skin depigmentation seen in patients with vitiligo and to measure patient responses to therapies for vitiligo in clinical trials. However, its implementation in studies is inconsistent and makes comparing results across different studies difficult. The aim of this scoping review is to summarize interventional clinical studies that applied the VASI to measure vitiligo and identify variability in VASI implementation.

Untreated substance use disorder affects glycemic control: Results in patients with type 2 diabetes served within a network of community-based healthcare centers in Florida.

Introduction: Patients with diabetes and comorbid substance use disorders (SUD) experience poor diabetes management, increased medical complications and mortality. However, research has documented that patients engaged in substance abuse treatment have better management of their comorbid conditions. The current study examines diabetes management among patients with type 2 diabetes, with and without comorbid SUD, receiving care at Florida-based Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) of Health Choice Network (HCN).

A benchmark for machine-learning based non-invasive blood pressure estimation using photoplethysmogram.

Blood Pressure (BP) is an important cardiovascular health indicator. BP is usually monitored non-invasively with a cuff-based device, which can be bulky and inconvenient. Thus, continuous and portable BP monitoring devices, such as those based on a photoplethysmography (PPG) waveform, are desirable.

A comprehensive and healthcare equity promoting response by a civil society-public partnership to COVID-19 in Chiapas, Mexico.

Following the first COVID-19 case in Chiapas, Mexico in March 2020, the non-governmental organisation Compañeros En Salud (CES) and the state's Ministry of Health (MOH) decided to join forces to respond to the global pandemic. The collaboration was built over 8 years of partnership to bring healthcare to underserved populations in the Sierra Madre region. The response consisted of a comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and control programme, which included prevention through communication campaigns to combat misinformation and stigma related to COVID-19, contact tracing of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases and their contacts, outpatient and inpatient care for patients with respiratory symptoms, and CES-MOH collaboration on anti-COVID-19 immunisation campaigns.

Efficacy of Antimicrobial Spray Treatments in Reducing Salmonella enterica Populations on Chilled Pork.

Studies reporting on alternative antimicrobial interventions for pathogen control on chilled pork carcasses and cuts are limited. In this study, the antimicrobial effects of various spray treatments against Salmonella enterica inoculated on skin-on pork samples were evaluated. Chilled pork jowls were portioned (10 by 5 by 1 cm) and inoculated, on the skin side, with a mixture of six S.