ApoM and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). APOM plays a critical role in reverse cholesterol transport by facilitating the formation of pre-β-HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and enabling the binding of S1P (sphingosine-1-phosphate) to HDL, a complex involved in several antiatherogenic processes. In this study, we sought to investigate the potential association between plasma APOM levels and the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with CKD.

Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Digital Study of Immunohistochemical BCL2, P53 and CD138 Expression in Low- and High-Risk Types.

Introduction: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the leading cancer in Caucasians globally. Certain histological types of BCC are defined as high-risk for recurrence by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Identifying biological differences, such as protein expression, between histological types could result in druggable targets and improve future management, potentially offsetting rising costs in the health sector due to an increase in the global incidence of aggressive BCC.

Treatment outcomes of bedaquiline-resistant tuberculosis: a retrospective and matched cohort study.

Background: Rising prevalence of bedaquiline resistance undermines benefits from this life-saving drug for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB). Despite increasing awareness, patient-level outcomes for bedaquiline-resistant TB have not been well-characterised and case management poorly defined.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with matched controls at a TB referral hospital in South Africa.

Curcumin encapsulated in PAMAM dendrimers for the therapeutic treatment of ischemic stroke in rats.

Introduction: Ischemic stroke is a devastating neurovascular condition that occurs when cerebral tissue fails to receive an adequate supply of oxygen. Despite being a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, therapeutic interventions are currently limited. Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers are nanomolecules commonly used in biomedical applications due to their ability to encapsulate small-molecules and improve their pharmacokinetic properties.

African ancestry neurodegeneration risk variant disrupts an intronic branchpoint in .

Recently, a novel African ancestry specific Parkinson's disease (PD) risk signal was identified at the gene encoding glucocerebrosidase (). This variant (rs3115534-G) is carried by ~50% of West African PD cases and imparts a dose-dependent increase in risk for disease. The risk variant has varied frequencies across African ancestry groups, but is almost absent in European and Asian ancestry populations.

Field study on the suitability of oral fluid samples for monitoring of Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira hyodysenteriae by multiplex qPCR under field conditions.

Background: Monitoring or surveillance of infectious diseases is crucial in terms of herd health management of livestock. Investigations of oral fluids have become an animal friendly routine strategy to monitor respiratory pathogens in pigs. Less is known about the suitability of oral fluids for the detection of enteric pathogens in swine.

Association of Small HDL Subclasses with Mortality Risk in Chronic Kidney Disease.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) exist in various subclasses, with smaller HDL particles possessing the highest anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Understanding the role of these specific subclasses in chronic kidney disease (CKD) could provide valuable insights into disease progression and potential therapeutic targets. In the present study, we assessed HDL subclass composition in 463 patients with CKD stage 2-4 using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Evaluation of S100A8/A9 and neutrophils as prognostic markers in metastatic melanoma patients under immune-checkpoint inhibition.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized melanoma treatment, yet approximately half of patients do not respond to these therapies. Identifying prognostic biomarkers is crucial for treatment decisions. Our retrospective study assessed liquid biopsies and tumor tissue analyses for two potential biomarkers: danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) S100A8/A9 and its source, neutrophils.

African ancestry neurodegeneration risk variant disrupts an intronic branchpoint in GBA1.

Recently, an African ancestry-specific Parkinson disease (PD) risk signal was identified at the gene encoding glucocerebrosidase (GBA1). This variant ( rs3115534 -G) is carried by ~50% of West African PD cases and imparts a dose-dependent increase in risk for disease. The risk variant has varied frequencies across African ancestry groups but is almost absent in European and Asian ancestry populations.

Effect of stabilizers on the detection of swine influenza A virus (swIAV) in spiked oral fluids over time.

Background: Aggregated samples such as oral fluids (OFs) display an animal friendly and time and cost-efficient sample type for swine Influenza A virus (swIAV) monitoring. However, further molecular and biological characterization of swIAV is of particular significance. The reportedly inferior suitability of aggregated samples for subtyping of swIAV presents a major drawback compared to nasal swabs, still considered the most appropriate sample type for this purpose (Garrido-Mantilla et al.

Monitoring of Respiratory Disease Patterns in a Multimicrobially Infected Pig Population Using Artificial Intelligence and Aggregate Samples.

A 24/7 AI sound-based coughing monitoring system was applied in combination with oral fluids (OFs) and bioaerosol (AS)-based screening for respiratory pathogens in a conventional pig nursery. The objective was to assess the additional value of the AI to identify disease patterns in association with molecular diagnostics to gain information on the etiology of respiratory distress in a multimicrobially infected pig population. Respiratory distress was measured 24/7 by the AI and compared to human observations.

Early clinical outcomes and medical complications following long segment fusion for adult spinal deformity with and without three column osteotomy.

Background: Surgical treatment of adult spinal deformity (ASD) commonly involves long-segment fusion with or without three column osteotomies (3CO) to provide satisfactory correction of sagittal and coronal balance. While some clinical studies have implicated 3CO as a driver of high surgical complication rates, these prior investigations are limited by small sample size. Herein, we compare early outcomes and adverse events in patients undergoing long segment posterior spinal fusion for ASD with and without 3CO.

Effects of dietary interventions and intermittent fasting on HDL function in obese individuals with T2DM: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Cardiovascular disease represents a significant risk factor for mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is believed to play a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular health through its multifaceted atheroprotective effects and its capacity to enhance glycemic control. The impact of dietary interventions and intermittent fasting (IF) on HDL functionality remains uncertain.

Impaired HDL antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions are linked to increased mortality in acute heart failure patients.

Aims: Acute heart failure (AHF) is typified by inflammatory and oxidative stress responses, which are associated with unfavorable patient outcomes. Given the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), this study sought to examine the relationship between impaired HDL function and mortality in AHF patients. The complex interplay between various HDL-related biomarkers and clinical outcomes remains poorly understood.

Evaluating guideline and registration policies among neurology journals: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Neurological disorders have had a substantial rise the last three decades, imposing substantial burdens on both patients and healthcare costs. Consequently, the demand for high-quality research has become crucial for exploring effective treatment options. However, current neurology research has some limitations in terms of transparency, reproducibility, and reporting bias.

Precarity and Hope at the Intersections of HIV and Cervical Cancer in a Johannesburg Clinic.

In a tragically ironic twist, antiretroviral therapy (ART) that promised an end to AIDS ushered in a syndemic of viral cancers, transforming hope to despair. In this article we draw from the illness narratives of HIV positive women attending a cervical cancer screening clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, and chart their pathways from HIV to cancer, and their quest for treatment. Our interlocutors described protracted struggles to access surgical procedures to prevent the onset of cervical cancer.

Evaluation of Gentamicin Release of PMMA Cements Using Different Methods: HPLC, Elution and Inhibition Zone Testing.

(1) Background: There is an ongoing discussion on the elution efficacy of antibiotic-impregnated cements. Our experiments were intended to clarify if there are differences in the antibiotic elution of HPLC compared with inhibition zone testing using eluates or PMMA discs. (2) Materials and Methods: Two cement brands with different concentrations of the active ingredient were tested in antimicrobial Kirby-Bauer (disc diffusion) assays.

Hemotrophic Mycoplasmas-Vector Transmission in Livestock.

Hemotrophic mycoplasmas (HMs) are highly host-adapted and specialized pathogens infecting a wide range of mammals including farm animals, i.e., pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats.

Haemotrophic Mycoplasmas Infecting Pigs: A Review of the Current Knowledge.

Haemotrophic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) are a group of highly specific and adapted bacteria. Three different haemoplasma species in pigs are known to date: (.) , and ' (.

HDL-based therapeutics: A promising frontier in combating viral and bacterial infections.

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and impaired HDL functionality have been consistently associated with increased susceptibility to infection and its serious consequences. This has been attributed to the critical role of HDL in maintaining cellular lipid homeostasis, which is essential for the proper functioning of immune and structural cells. HDL, a multifunctional particle, exerts pleiotropic effects in host defense against pathogens.

Mutation analysis in individual circulating tumor cells depicts intratumor heterogeneity in melanoma.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the cornerstone of liquid biopsy diagnostics, revealing clinically relevant genomic aberrations from blood of cancer patients. Genomic analysis of single circulating tumor cells (CTCs) could provide additional insights into intra-patient heterogeneity, but it requires whole-genome amplification (WGA) of DNA, which might introduce bias. Here, we describe a novel approach based on mass spectrometry for mutation detection from individual CTCs not requiring WGA and complex bioinformatics pipelines.

Influenza surveillance in pigs: balancing act between broad diagnostic coverage and specific virus characterization.

Background: Monitoring of infectious diseases on swine farms requires a high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the test system. Moreover, particularly in cases of swine influenza A virus (swIAV) it is desirable to include characterization of the virus as precisely as possible. This is indispensable for strategies concerning prophylaxis of swIAV and furthermore, to meet the requirements of a purposeful monitoring of newly emerging swIAV strains in terms of vaccine design and public health.

Postnatal myelomeningocele closure in smallest reported neonate: illustrative case.

Background: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is the most serious form of spina bifida, a congenital defect in neural tube development. Defect closure in a patient with an extremely low birth weight presents unique challenges and risks; lower birth weight is associated with multiple organ system concerns, homeostasis is difficult, and local tissue is underdeveloped. To the authors' knowledge, the present case is the lowest reported weight (490 g) for a neonate with postnatal MMC repair.