Meta-Analysis: Global Prevalence and Mortality of Cirrhosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.

Background And Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is responsible for a significant global health burden. Despite this burden, the prevalence and mortality of MASLD-related cirrhosis remain inadequately defined, hindering effective public health strategies. This study aimed to estimate the global prevalence and mortality associated with MASLD-related cirrhosis.

Crohn's Disease Confined to the Esophagus, with No Involvement of the Small or Large Bowel.

Unlabelled: Crohn's disease (CD) is a transmural inflammatory process that can affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. CD has a predilection for the colon and the small bowel, specifically the terminal ileum. Esophageal involvement of CD is exceedingly rare and there is a paucity of data regarding the disease phenotypes, course, complications and treatment.

A Phase 1, Single-Dose Study to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Bepirovirsen in Adults with Hepatic Impairment and Healthy Participants (B-Assured).

Bepirovirsen is a developmental antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) for treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. No pharmacokinetic (PK) studies comparing participants with hepatic impairment (HI) and healthy participants (HPs) have been conducted with ASOs. Given the target patient population, characterization of bepirovirsen PK in HI was imperative.

Structure, Covalency, and Paramagnetism of Homoleptic Actinide and Lanthanide Amidinate Complexes.

Isostructural trivalent lanthanide and actinide amidinates bearing the -bis(isopropyl)benzamidinate (PrBA) ligand [Ln/An(PrBA)] (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu; An = U, Np) have been synthesized and characterized in both solid and solution states. All compounds were examined in the solid state utilizing single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), revealing a notable deviation in the actinide series with shortened bond lengths compared to the trend in the lanthanide series, suggesting a nonionic contribution to the actinide-ligand bonding. Quantum-chemical bonding analysis further elucidated the nature of these interactions, highlighting increased covalency within the actinide series, as evidenced by higher delocalization indices and greater 5 orbital occupation, except for Th(III) and Pa(III), which demonstrated substantial 6 orbital occupancies.

Regional Workshop on Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

The purpose of this article is to describe the activities developed within the framework "Regional Workshop on Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin American and Caribbean countries," developed between October 16th and 19th of the year 2023 in the city of San José, Costa Rica. The workshop was carried out as part of a joint work between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The main objective of the regional workshop was to gather the experiences and future work planning among participants in the Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPRIPALC) program.

Drought-Tolerant Bacteria and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Mitigate the Detrimental Effects of Drought Stress Induced by Withholding Irrigation at Critical Growth Stages of Soybean (, L.).

Considering current global climate change, drought stress is regarded as a major problem negatively impacting the growth of soybeans, particularly at the critical stages R3 (early pod) and R5 (seed development). Microbial inoculation is regarded as an ecologically friendly and low-cost-effective strategy for helping soybean plants withstand drought stress. The present study aimed to isolate newly drought-tolerant bacteria from native soil and evaluated their potential for producing growth-promoting substances as well as understanding how these isolated bacteria along with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could mitigate drought stress in soybean plants at critical growth stages in a field experiment.

Permanent Peripheral Nerve Stimulator for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome of the Forearm and Hand.

A 51-year-old woman with diabetes and depression was referred to the anesthesia pain clinic with a 15-year history of complex regional pain syndrome type I of the right forearm and hand in the radial sensory nerve distribution. There was no recognized antecedent trauma and she had failed both medical treatment and radial sensory nerve decompression surgery. An ultrasound-guided local anesthetic block of the radial nerve in the upper arm resulted in partial and temporary improvement in pain.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Bepirovirsen in Healthy Participants and Participants with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Results from Phase 1, 2a, and 2b Studies.

Introduction: Bepirovirsen is a novel antisense oligonucleotide in development for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection therapy. Understanding the impact that clinical characteristics may have on bepirovirsen exposure is important for determining efficacious and well-tolerated dosing regimens. This analysis evaluated demographics and clinical characteristics associated with bepirovirsen exposure using a population pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis.

The Effect of Gastrointestinal Graft-Versus-Host Disease and Diarrhea on the Pharmacokinetic Profile of Sotrovimab in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

Background: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are utilized broadly to treat cancer and infectious diseases, and mAb exposure (serum concentration over time) is one predictor of overall treatment efficacy. Herein, we present findings from a clinical trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics of the long-acting mAb sotrovimab targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients.

Methods: All participants received an intravenous infusion of sotrovimab within 1 week prior to initiating the pretransplant preparative regimen.

Peripheral nerve blocks of wrist and finger flexors can increase hand opening in chronic hemiparetic stroke.

Introduction: Hand opening is reduced by abnormal wrist and finger flexor activity in many individuals with stroke. This flexor activity also limits hand opening produced by functional electrical stimulation (FES) of finger and wrist extensor muscles. Recent advances in electrical nerve block technologies have the potential to mitigate this abnormal flexor behavior, but the actual impact of nerve block on hand opening in stroke has not yet been investigated.

Optimization of Radiation Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin America and the Caribbean: Development, Advancements, Challenges and Achievements of the OPRIPALC Program.

This article presents the development, advancements, challenges and achievements of the "Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin America and the Caribbean" (OPRIPALC) program. This international initiative is led by the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The main objectives of OPRIPALC are to foster a culture of radiological protection in pediatric interventions, enhance these procedures' quality, and define optimization strategies such as the use of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs).

Standardizing nomenclature in regional anesthesia: an ASRA-ESRA Delphi consensus study of upper and lower limb nerve blocks.

Background: Inconsistent nomenclature and anatomical descriptions of regional anesthetic techniques hinder scientific communication and engender confusion; this in turn has implications for research, education and clinical implementation of regional anesthesia. Having produced standardized nomenclature for abdominal wall, paraspinal and chest wall regional anesthetic techniques, we aimed to similarly do so for upper and lower limb peripheral nerve blocks.

Methods: We performed a three-round Delphi international consensus study to generate standardized names and anatomical descriptions of upper and lower limb regional anesthetic techniques.

Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibody, Sotrovimab, Delivered Intravenously or Intramuscularly in Japanese and Caucasian Healthy Volunteers.

Background And Objective: Sotrovimab 500 mg administered by a single intravenous (IV) infusion has been granted special approval for emergency use in Japan for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults and children aged ≥ 12 years weighing ≥ 40 kg. This Phase 1, single-dose study investigated the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of IV or intramuscular (IM) sotrovimab 500 mg doses versus placebo in healthy Japanese and Caucasian volunteers.

Methods: This was a two-part, Phase 1, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind study.

Intramuscular vs Intravenous SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Sotrovimab for Treatment of COVID-19 (COMET-TAIL): A Randomized Noninferiority Clinical Trial.

Background: Convenient administration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment in community settings is desirable. Sotrovimab is a pan-sarbecovirus dual-action monoclonal antibody formulated for intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) administration for early treatment of mild/moderate COVID-19.

Method: This multicenter phase 3 study based on a randomized open-label design tested the noninferiority of IM to IV administration according to an absolute noninferiority margin of 3.

Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation of C2 Dorsal Root Ganglion for the Treatment of Refractory Atypical Facial Pain: A Technical Report and Case Series.

Background: Chronic craniofacial pain can be difficult to manage clinically. This technical report documents the peripheral nerve stimulation of the C2 dorsal root ganglion as an effective modality to treat refractory atypical facial pain.

Materials And Methods: In this case series, three patients with chronic refractory atypical facial pain and p >50% pain relief following diagnostic C2 dorsal root ganglion blockade underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous placement of a peripheral nerve stimulator adjacent to the C2 dorsal root ganglion.

Population pharmacokinetic and exposure-response modelling to inform upadacitinib dose selection in adolescent and adult patients with atopic dermatitis.

Aims: First, population pharmacokinetic analyses were used to characterize upadacitinib pharmacokinetics in adolescent and adult participants with atopic dermatitis (AD) and to identify patient covariates that may impact upadacitinib pharmacokinetics. Second, the exposure-response relationship for upadacitinib with efficacy and safety endpoints, and the effect of age and concomitant use of topical corticosteroids (TCS) on the exposure-response relationship and dose selection for patients with AD were evaluated.

Methods: A two-compartment model with combined first- and zero-order absorption adequately characterized the upadacitinib concentration-time profiles in 911 healthy volunteer adolescent and adult participants with AD who received upadacitinib 15 or 30 mg orally once daily (QD) as monotherapy or in combination with TCS for 16 weeks.

Assessing perceptions of establishing a vaccine pooled procurement mechanism for the Western Pacific Region.

This study explored the demand and interest among countries in the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region (WPR) to establish and participate in a regional vaccine pooled procurement mechanism. National counterparts affiliated with Ministries of Health that are involved in the national procurement of vaccines within the WPR were identified and invited to complete surveys. Out of 80 counterparts invited, 17 (21%) responded, representing 13 of the 27 WPR countries.

Population pharmacokinetics and exposure-response analysis of a single dose of sotrovimab in the early treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Sotrovimab is a recombinant human monoclonal antibody that has been shown to prevent progression to hospitalization or death in non-hospitalized high-risk patients with mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 following either intravenous (i.v.) or intramuscular (i.

Effectiveness of an Electronic Medical Record-Based Recognition Tool for the Identification of Incidental Pulmonary Nodules.

Background: Incidental pulmonary nodules (IPNs) are lung nodules detected on imaging studies performed for an unrelated reason. Approximately 1.6 million IPNs are detected in the United States every year.

Semantic and Visuospatial Fluid Reasoning in School-Aged Autistic Children.

In light of the known visuoperceptual strengths and altered language skills in autism, we investigated the impact of problem content (semantic/visuospatial) combined with complexity and presence of lures on fluid reasoning in 43 autistic and 41 typical children (6-13 years old). Increased complexity and presence of lures diminished performance, but less so as the children's age increased. Typical children were slightly more accurate overall, whereas autistic children were faster at solving complex visuospatial problems.

Setting up regional diagnostic reference levels for pediatric interventional cardiology in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: preliminary results and identified challenges.

The goal of the present study was to propose a set of preliminary regional diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for pediatric interventional cardiology (IC) procedures in Latin America and the Caribbean countries, classified by age and weight groups. The study was conducted in the framework of the Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin America and the Caribbean program coordinated by the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The first step of the program was focused on pediatric IC.

Circadian pain patterns in human pain conditions - A systematic review.

Background: Chronobiology is the science of how physiological processes in the body follow a pattern of time. Pain has been shown to follow a circadian rhythm, with different types of pain having variable expression along this rhythm.

Objective: This article reviews the nature of diurnal variations in pain along with a discussion of the mechanisms of circadian rhythm of pain.