Klinefelter Syndrome: A Review.

Background: Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is an uncommonly recognised condition typified by gynaecomastia, small testes and aspermatogenesis. It is caused by a supernumerary X chromosome, resulting in a 47 XXY karyotype. Since its first description, the phenotype of KS has evolved and there is a much greater appreciation of the subtle features of the condition.

Use of a Non-Endoscopic Capsule-Sponge Triage Test for Reflux Symptoms: Results From the NHS England Prospective Real-World Evaluation.

Background: Acid reflux is a common presentation in primary care leading to a high volume of referrals to endoscopy that are often normal.

Aims: To determine whether a non-endoscopic capsule sponge biomarker test could triage patients with low-risk reflux symptoms, reduce endoscopy waiting lists and identify Barrett's oesophagus in a real-world setting.

Methods: Patients with reflux symptoms on NHS endoscopy waiting lists who were offered a capsule sponge (test group) between February 2021 and August 2022 were included in this national multicentre prospective cohort study and compared with eligible patients on the standard endoscopy pathway (counterfactual group).

Autologous macrophage therapy for liver cirrhosis: a phase 2 open-label randomized controlled trial.

Cirrhosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality; however, there are no approved therapies except orthotopic liver transplantation. Preclinical studies showed that bone-marrow-derived macrophage injections reduce inflammation, resolve fibrosis and stimulate liver regeneration. In a multicenter, open-label, parallel-group, phase 2 randomized controlled trial ( ISRCTN10368050 ) in n = 51 adult patients with compensated cirrhosis and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ≥10 and ≤17, we evaluated the efficacy of autologous monocyte-derived macrophage therapy (n = 27) compared to standard medical care (n = 24).

Antibodies to the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 spike mediate productive infection of primary human macrophages.

The role of myeloid cells in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 is well established, in particular as drivers of cytokine production and systemic inflammation characteristic of severe COVID-19. However, the potential for myeloid cells to act as bona fide targets of productive SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the specifics of entry, remain unclear. Using a panel of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) we performed a detailed assessment of antibody-mediated infection of monocytes/macrophages.

Long-Term Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Compared to Standard Medical Care for Improving Quality of Life in Muscle Disorders.

Introduction/aims: A previous randomized controlled trial showed that guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy plus standard medical care (ACT+SMC) was superior to standard medical care alone (SMC) for improving quality of life (QoL) and mood at 9-weeks post randomization in a sample of people with muscle disorders (MD). This follow-up study evaluated whether these effects were maintained in the longer term alongside individual patterns of response.

Methods: The original study was a two-arm parallel group randomized controlled trial, which compared ACT+SMC to SMC.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Celiac Disease: A Retrospective Analysis and Literature Review.

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are used to treat various malignancies. They block the inhibitory signals of tumor cells and enhance the inflammatory cascade, which results in tumor killing. However, this can lead to unchecked inflammation throughout the body, leading to various adverse effects.

How to … Build a Peer Reviewer Community in Health Professions Education.

Peer review is the cornerstone of academic publishing that upholds the quality and integrity of scholarly work. However, there is an ever-growing struggle to recruit peer reviewers, termed the 'peer review crisis', driven by a shrinking academic workforce and increased workload. Additionally, there is a notable lack of standardised training for peer reviewers which poses a challenge in maintaining high-quality reviews.

Avian communities show distinct responses to forest-to-bog restoration.

Since the 1990's, attempted restoration of blanket bogs which have been previously afforested with non-native conifers has taken place in Ireland and Britain, with the aim of reinstating hydrological functioning and hence, peatland biodiversity. Here, we assess the conservation benefit of these restoration measures at sites in the west of Ireland, 16-20 years post works, by comparing avian communities between trios of restored (n = 6), near-natural (n = 6), and afforested (n = 6) lowland blanket bogs. We assessed avian community response in terms of differences in the richness and density of all bird species and of Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland (BoCCI), as well as community composition.

Understanding kitten fostering and socialisation practices using mixed methods.

Many companion kittens entering shelters are fostered by volunteer community members during the sensitive period for socialisation (~2 to 9 weeks of age) when early experiences are critical to behavioural development. Using a mixed-method survey, we explored current fostering practices relevant to kitten behavioural development and welfare. Foster caretaker participants (n = 487) described their fostering practices and reported providing kittens with a majority of recommended socialisation experiences, such as handling and exposure to various toys and exploratory items.

Effect of time and temperature on the stability of HPV and cellular nucleic acid using simulated dry self-samples.

Background: Self-sampling is now a key component within HPV-based cervical screening programmes to engage individuals and enhance participation. As self-sampling is relatively new, information on the influence of pre-analytical parameters such as transit-temperature and time between sampling and testing on HPV test results requires detailed investigation.

Methods: FLOQSwabs® and Evalyn Brushes® were used to assess HPV and cellular stability over a 30-week period (0w,4w,12w,30w) at 4 °C, ambient, and 37 °C.

Evaluating the home-based intervention strategy (HIS-UK) to reduce new chlamydia infection among young men aged 16-25 years by promoting correct and consistent condom use: findings from a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Correct and consistent condom use is the most effective method to reduce transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Objective: To compare the HIS-UK intervention to usual condom information and distribution care for effect on chlamydia test positivity.

Methods: Trial design A 3-parallel arm randomised controlled trial (1:1:1 allocation, two intervention arms vs.

Assessing multidimensional fidelity in a pilot optimization trial: A process evaluation of four intervention components supporting medication adherence in women with breast cancer.

Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy in women with breast cancer is low. We conducted a 24-1 fractional factorial pilot optimization trial to test four intervention components supporting medication adherence [text messages, information leaflet, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), self-management website], in the preparation phase of the multiphase optimization strategy. Guided by the National Institute of Health Behavior Change Consortium fidelity framework, we investigated fidelity of design, training, delivery, receipt, and enactment of four intervention components.

Harvest of Vestibular End-Organs under Physiologic Conditions during Labyrinthectomy.

The living human inner ear is challenging to study because it is encased within dense otic capsule bone that limits access to biological tissue. Traditional temporal bone histopathology methods rely on lengthy, expensive decalcification protocols that take 9-10 months and reduce the types of tissue analysis possible due to RNA degradation. There is a critical need to develop methods to access fresh human inner ear tissue to better understand otologic diseases, such as Ménière's disease, at the cellular and molecular level.

Hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling for suspected or confirmed COVID-19: Pragmatic randomised controlled trial (ELVIS COVID-19).

Background: In a previous pilot randomised controlled trial conducted on UK adults, we found that hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling (HSNIG) reduced common cold symptoms, the need for over-the-counter medications, viral shedding, and the duration and transmission of the illness. It is unclear whether HSNIG improves outcomes of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hypertonic saline can be prepared and HSNIG performed at home, making it a safe and scalable intervention, particularly well-suited for low- and middle-income countries.

Music to Their Ears: Reducing Antipsychotic Use With a Personalized Music Intervention for Rural Veterans.

Background This project investigates a music intervention to deprescribe antipsychotics in rural Veterans with dementia.  Methods The Veterans Health Administration Home-Based Primary Care Program is care provided in the home by an interdisciplinary team with the goals of decreasing hospitalizations and falls, providing education to patients and caregivers, and improving quality of life. Eighteen Home Based Primary Care Veterans with dementia and active antipsychotic prescriptions were identified with the goal to deprescribe antipsychotics in 50% of them using a music intervention.

Membrane staining and phospholipid tracking in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 using the phosphatidylcholine mimic propargyl-choline.

The use of membrane-specific dyes for fluorescent microscopy is commonplace. However, most of these reagents are non-specific and cannot track specific lipid species movement, instead often acting as non-covalent lipid-associated probes or requiring the uptake of whole lipids and acyl tails into the membrane. This issue has been solved in eukaryotic cell biology by the use of click-chemistry-liable phospholipid headgroup pulse labels.

Gazing into the crystal ball: Do adolescent survival expectations predict premature mortality risk in the United States?

A robust body of research has demonstrated that adolescents' survival expectations are predictive of important facets of their young adult lives. Specifically, adolescent perceptions of a low chance of surviving to young adulthood are associated with worse physical and mental health, higher engagement in risky behaviors, and lower socioeconomic status in young adulthood. Using data from a nationally representative sample of adolescent participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, the purpose of the present study is to extend this line of research by investigating if adolescents' survival expectations are associated with premature (ages 14-46) all-cause mortality risk in the United States.

CD70 CAR T cells secreting an anti-CD33/anti-CD3 dual targeting antibody overcome antigen heterogeneity in AML.

CD70 has emerged as a promising target in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and we have previously demonstrated the potency of an optimized CD70-targeted ligand-based CAR. However, here, we identify in vivo CD70 antigen escape as a limitation of single antigen targeting. Combination targeting of CD70 and CD33 may overcome AML antigen heterogeneity.

Antibiotic Treatment for 7 versus 14 Days in Patients with Bloodstream Infections.

Background: Bloodstream infections are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Early, appropriate antibiotic therapy is important, but the duration of treatment is uncertain.

Methods: In a multicenter, noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned hospitalized patients (including patients in the intensive care unit [ICU]) who had bloodstream infection to receive antibiotic treatment for 7 days or 14 days.

Graft-versus-host disease after anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a transplant complications and paediatric diseases working parties joint EBMT study.

In patients diagnosed with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) or B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) relapsing after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT), it is a standard practice to perform anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. When collected from the patient after allo-HCT, the produced CAR-T cells are likely to be donor T-cell-derived, creating unknown safety risks due to their potential allo-reactivity. We therefore performed an EBMT registry-based study on the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in this setting.