Symptoms of ADHD and Other Common Mental Disorders Influence Academic Success in South African Undergraduates.

Objective: ADHD symptoms are highly prevalent among university students. These symptoms, particularly the inattentive cluster, predispose students to poorer academic performance and worse academic adjustment. Moreover, ADHD symptoms are often comorbid with other common mental disorders; this comorbidity also leads to poor outcomes.

Quantitative characterisation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque neovascularisation using contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging: A feasibility study.

Introduction: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), an in vivo imaging tool for evaluating intraplaque neovascularisation (IPN), is an increasingly researched marker of susceptible atherosclerotic plaque. This study aims to assess the feasibility of quantifying carotid IPN using CEUS and to identify and characterise the neovascularisation in carotid plaques. The hospital's ethical committee approved the study, and the informed individual consent form of CEUS was obtained from all patients before the examination.

Dehydroepiandrosterone and Bone Health: Mechanisms and Insights.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, plays a key role in various physiological processes, including bone health. Its age-related decline is linked to reduced bone density, though the mechanisms by which DHEA affects bone metabolism remain complex. This review summarises the diverse effects of DHEA on bone metabolism and density, highlighting its therapeutic potential; Methods: A literature search on the effects of DHEA on bone-related parameters was conducted from PubMed and Scopus using a specific search string, and after removing duplicates and irrelevant articles, 36 relevant full-text studies were included; Results: DHEA promotes osteoblast differentiation and proliferation, regulates the RANKL/OPG ratio, and inhibits osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption.

Case report: Acute macular neuroretinopathy post-COVID-19 infection.

Significance: Acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) is a rare disease that causes transient or permanent visual disturbance. The exact etiology remains unknown, but vascular compromise of the deep retinal capillary plexus was postulated as the main mechanism. Retinal vascular event post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is recently highlighted during the pandemic, which includes AMN.