Country-specific key lifestyle factors and health outcomes for resource allocation in the general population: a network analysis across 29 countries.

Background: We aimed to identify the central lifestyle, the most impactful among lifestyle factor clusters; the central health outcome, the most impactful among health outcome clusters; and the bridge lifestyle, the most strongly connected to health outcome clusters, across 29 countries to optimise resource allocation for local holistic health improvements.

Methods: From July 2020 to August 2021, we surveyed 16 461 adults across 29 countries who self-reported changes in 18 lifestyle factors and 13 health outcomes due to the pandemic. Three networks were generated by network analysis for each country: lifestyle, health outcome, and bridge networks.

Key lifestyles and health outcomes across 16 prevalent chronic diseases: A network analysis of an international observational study.

Background: Central and bridge nodes can drive significant overall improvements within their respective networks. We aimed to identify them in 16 prevalent chronic diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to guide effective intervention strategies and appropriate resource allocation for most significant holistic lifestyle and health improvements.

Methods: We surveyed 16 512 adults from July 2020 to August 2021 in 30 territories.

Key lifestyles and interim health outcomes for effective interventions in general populations: A network analysis of a large international observational study.

Background: The interconnected nature of lifestyles and interim health outcomes implies the presence of the central lifestyle, central interim health outcome and bridge lifestyle, which are yet to be determined. Modifying these factors holds immense potential for substantial positive changes across all aspects of health and lifestyles. We aimed to identify these factors from a pool of 18 lifestyle factors and 13 interim health outcomes while investigating potential gender and occupation differences.

Global impacts of COVID-19 on lifestyles and health and preparation preferences: An international survey of 30 countries.

Background: The health area being greatest impacted by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and residents' perspective to better prepare for future pandemic remain unknown. We aimed to assess and make cross-country and cross-region comparisons of the global impacts of COVID-19 and preparation preferences of pandemic.

Methods: We recruited adults in 30 countries covering all World Health Organization (WHO) regions from July 2020 to August 2021.

Transcriptome Profile Identifies Actin as an Essential Regulator of Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein C3 Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a Zebrafish Model.

Variants in cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) are the leading cause of inherited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), demonstrating the key role that cMyBP-C plays in the heart's contractile machinery. To investigate the HCM-related cardiac impairment, we generated a zebrafish -knockout model. These knockout zebrafish displayed significant morphological heart alterations related to a significant decrease in ventricular and atrial diameters at systolic and diastolic states at the larval stages.

Phylogenomics and antimicrobial resistance of Typhi and Paratyphi A, B and C in England, 2016-2019.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to first- and second-line treatment regimens of enteric fever is a global public-health problem, and routine genomic surveillance to inform clinical and public-health management guidance is essential. Here, we present the prospective analysis of genomic data to monitor trends in incidence, AMR and travel, and assess hierarchical clustering (HierCC) methodology of 1742 isolates of typhoidal salmonellae. Trend analysis of Typhi and .

ESBL-producing strains isolated from imported cases of enteric fever in England and Wales reveal multiple chromosomal integrations of blaCTX-M-15 in XDR Salmonella Typhi.

Background: There are approximately 300 cases of enteric fever reported annually from England and Wales; most are imported infections. Clinical management of enteric fever remains a challenge with the emergence of ESBL-producing strains, especially XDR Salmonella Typhi from Sindh, Pakistan.

Methods: All strains of S.

Functional characterization of human myosin-binding protein C3 variants associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy reveals exon-specific cardiac phenotypes in zebrafish model.

Myosin-binding protein C 3 (MYBPC3) variants are the most common cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM is a complex cardiac disorder due to its significant genetic and clinical heterogeneity. MYBPC3 variants genotype-phenotype associations remain poorly understood.

Wnt Signaling: The double-edged sword diminishing the potential of stem cell therapy in congenital heart disease.

Stem cell therapy using bone marrow derived or mesenchymal stem cells has become a popular option for cardiovascular disease treatment, however the administration of embryonic stem cells has been mostly experimental. Remarkably, most of these ongoing clinical trials involve adult patients, but little is known regarding the safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy in newborns and children battling congenital heart diseases. Furthermore, cell delivery methods involve the administration of stem cells without pre-differentiation, and without consideration for the consequent process of cardiac development.

Comparative study between the efficacy of fractional micro-needle radiofrequency and fractional CO laser in the treatment of striae distensae.

Striae distensae (SD) cause a cosmetic problem to many patients. Recently, fractional micro-needle radiofrequency (FMR) device has been introduced in treatment of SD. Also, fractional CO laser has been used as a resurfacing laser technique in the treatment of SD.

Diet and hygiene practices influence morbidity in schoolchildren living in Schistosomiasis endemic areas along Lake Victoria in Kenya and Tanzania-A cross-sectional study.

Background: Since 2011, cohorts of schoolchildren in regions bordering Lake Victoria in Kenya and Tanzania have been investigated for morbidity caused by Schistosoma mansoni infection. Despite being neighbouring countries with similar lifestyles and ecological environments, Tanzanian schoolchildren had lower S. mansoni prevalence and intensity and they were taller and heavier, fewer were wasted and anaemic, and more were physical fit compared to their Kenyan peers.

Dilated cardiomyopathy-induced disruption of basement membrane alters the lever systems acting on the heart.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is considered the most common form of non-ischemic heart diseases. DCM, occurs in response to both non-genetic and genetic factors, and has been associated with cytoskeletal protein mutations, impairing the contractile apparatus of cardiac myocytes. However, the pathology underlying the marked left ventricular dilatation remains unclear.

Predicting Adherence to Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy among Breast Cancer Survivors: An Application of the Protection Motivation Theory.

The purpose of this observational study was to determine if the Protection Motivation Theory could predict and explain adherence to aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy among breast cancer survivors. Purposive sampling was used to identify 288 survivors who had been prescribed AI therapy. A valid and reliable survey was mailed to survivors.

The Role of Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein C3 in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy-Progress and Novel Therapeutic Opportunities.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common autosomal dominant genetic cardiovascular disorder marked by genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Mutations in the gene encodes the cardiac myosin-binding protein C, cMYBPC3 is amongst the various sarcomeric genes that are associated with HCM. These mutations produce mutated mRNAs and truncated cMyBP-C proteins.

Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1-induced osteopontin expression facilitates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Enhanced expression and activity of the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) has been implicated in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in various experimental models. The upregulation of NHE1 was correlated with an increase in osteopontin (OPN) expression in models of cardiac hypertrophy (CH), and the mechanism for this remains to be delineated. To determine whether the expression of active NHE1-induces OPN and contributes to the hypertrophic response in vitro, cardiomyocytes were infected with the active form of the NHE1 adenovirus or transfected with OPN silencing RNA (siRNA-OPN) and characterized for cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy involves activation of p90 ribosomal s6 kinase.

Studies using pharmacological and genetic approaches have shown that increased activity/expression of the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. Despite the importance of NHE1 in cardiac hypertrophy, severe cerebrovascular side effects were associated with the use of NHE1 inhibitors when administered to patients with myocardial infarctions. p90 ribosomal S6 Kinase (RSK), a downstream regulator of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, has also been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy.

Na(+)/H (+) exchanger isoform 1 induced osteopontin expression in cardiomyocytes involves NFAT3/Gata4.

Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional glycophosphoprotein, has been reported to contribute to the development and progression of cardiac remodeling and hypertrophy. Cardiac-specific OPN knockout mice were protected against hypertrophy and fibrosis mediated by Ang II. Recently, transgenic mice expressing the active form of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) developed spontaneous hypertrophy in association with elevated levels of OPN.

High-calorie diet exacerbates prostate neoplasia in mice with haploinsufficiency of Pten tumor suppressor gene.

Objective: Association between prostate cancer and obesity remains controversial. Allelic deletions of PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene, are common in prostate cancer in men. Monoallelic Pten deletion in mice causes low prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mPIN).

Targeting osteopontin, the silent partner of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 in cardiac remodeling.

Cardiac hypertrophy (CH), characterized by the enlargement of cardiomyocytes, fibrosis and apoptosis, contributes to cardiac remodeling, which if left unresolved results in heart failure. Understanding the signaling pathways underlying CH is necessary to identify potential therapeutic targets. The Na(+) /H(+) -exchanger isoform I (NHE1), a ubiquitously expressed glycoprotein and cardiac specific isoform, regulates intracellular pH.

A review of obesity, insulin resistance, and the role of exercise in breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer, the most common female malignancy in the world, has a strong association with obesity and insulin resistance. The importance of these risk factors goes up significantly in patients already affected by this cancer as they negatively affect the prognosis, recurrence rate, and survival by various mechanisms. The literature on the role of physical activity and aerobic exercise on modifying the above risks is debatable with data both for and against it.

Indolent Breast Lymphomas: A Case Series and Review of Literature.

Indolent breast lymphomas (IBL) are a rare form of extranodal lymphoma. There are very few reported cases of IBL presenting as a breast mass. We report two cases of IBL, a Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MZL) and a Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL), which were discovered on routine mammogram and later confirmed by biopsy and flow cytometery.

A case of life-threatening retinoic acid syndrome and review of literature.

All-trans-retinoic acid represents a major progress that has made acute promyelocytic leukemia the most curable subtype of acute myeloid leukemia in adults. Although all-trans-retinoic acid is usually well tolerated, some patients develop the retinoic acid syndrome, characterized by unexplained fever, weight gain, respiratory distress, interstitial pulmonary infiltrates, pleural and pericardial effusions, episodic hypotension, and acute renal failure. Further studies of growth factor expression and modulation of adhesion molecules are warranted to provide further insights into the pathogenesis of the syndrome and may lead to its prevention.