β-Triketones from Leptospermum scoparium (mānuka) oil show potential as scabicides.

Background: Scabies is a debilitating and neglected infectious disease with limited effective treatment options and affecting millions of people worldwide, mainly in poor and overcrowded settings. Essential oils from Australasian Myrtaceae are known to have parasiticidal properties, often attributed to the presence of β-triketones, which are known inhibitors of the tyrosine catabolism pathway through inhibition of hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD).

Purpose: In this study, essential oils from mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) were evaluated in vitro for miticidal and ovicidal activities and their active β-triketone constituents (flavesone, leptospermone, and isoleptospermone) were identified.

Effect of timing of citrate drink ingestion on blood lactate removal.

[Purpose] Citrate drinks are readily available and effectively remove lactate from blood, improving performance. However, whether they are more beneficial when consumed before or after exercise is unclear. We aimed to examine the effect of citrate drink intake timing on blood lactate removal.

Catheter-related thrombosis in adults with cancer: a secondary analysis of a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: Catheter-related thrombosis (CRT) is a complication of central venous access devices (CVADs). Evidence is variable regarding the significance of the side of catheter insertion. The role of the patient's hand dominance in predisposition to CRT remains uncertain.

A pilot randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern on disease activity, symptoms and microbiota profile in adults with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background/objectives: There is a lack of certainty in dietary prescription for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to heterogeneity in studies to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy on disease activity of a modified anti-inflammatory dietary pattern purposely designed to reduce intake of food additives (IBD-MAID), compared to standard care, in adults with IBD.

Subject/methods: Adults with IBD were randomised to IBD-MAID (meals provided) [n = 29] or general healthy eating (GHE) [n = 29] for 8 weeks.

A personalised algorithm predicting the risk of intravenous corticosteroid failure in acute ulcerative colitis.

Background: An episode of acute ulcerative colitis (UC) represents an important watershed moment in a patient's disease course.

Aims: To derive a personalised algorithm for identifying patients at high risk of corticosteroid non-response from variables available at hospital presentation using a large prospectively collected acute UC patient database and machine learning-based techniques.

Methods: We analysed data from 682 consecutive presentations of acute UC.

Effect of active recovery using individual maximum exercise capacity: a pilot study.

[Purpose] The intensity of active recovery (AR) for performance recovery is often determined using breath gas analyzers and other special equipment. However, such procedures are difficult to perform in the field or where facilities are inadequate. Although several AR methods using simple patient-derived information have been proposed, only a few have specifically addressed their immediate effects.

Mature human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes promote angiogenesis through alpha-B crystallin.

Background: Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) can be used to treat heart diseases; however, the optimal maturity of hiPSC-CMs for effective regenerative medicine remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the benefits of long-term cultured mature hiPSC-CMs in injured rat hearts.

Methods: Cardiomyocytes were differentiated from hiPSCs via monolayer culturing, and the cells were harvested on day 28 or 56 (D28-CMs or D56-CMs, respectively) after differentiation.

Questionnaire survey on sleep habits of 3-year-old children in Asahikawa City: Comparison between 2005 and 2020.

Background: Good sleep is essential for children's healthy growth. In 2005, we conducted a questionnaire survey on children's sleep habits and their background, targeting parents who attended health checkups for their 3-year-old children in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido. In 2020, we performed a secondary survey, including additional questions regarding media usage.

GRIA3 p.Met661Thr variant in a female with developmental epileptic encephalopathy.

The X-linked human glutamate receptor subunit 3 (GRIA3) gene (MIM *305915, Xq25) encodes ionotropic α amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA)-type glutamate receptor subunit 3, which mediates postsynaptic neurotransmission. Variants in this gene can cause a variety of neurological disorders, primarily reported in male patients. Here, we report a female patient with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy who carries the novel de novo GRIA3 variant NM_007325.

Anti-protease levels in cystic fibrosis are associated with lung function, recovery from pulmonary exacerbations and may be gender-related.

Background And Objective: Neutrophil elastase (NE), is an important host defence against lung pathogens. Maintaining a homeostatic balance between proteases such as NE and anti-proteases such as secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), is important to prevent tissue damage. In the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung, elevated protease levels and impaired anti-protease defences contribute to tissue destruction.

Serum CC-Chemokine Ligand 2 Is Associated with Visceral Adiposity but Not Fibrosis in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused by ectopic fat accumulation in the liver as a consequence of metabolic perturbations associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. People with NAFLD may develop metabolic and cardiovascular complications and/or liver-related complications, especially fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, associated with high morbidity and mortality. Due to the high and increasing prevalence of NAFLD, there is an urgent need to identify people at risk of developing liver fibrosis and complications.

Age-dependent changes in circulating Tfh cells influence development of functional malaria antibodies in children.

T-follicular helper (Tfh) cells are key drivers of antibodies that protect from malaria. However, little is known regarding the host and parasite factors that influence Tfh and functional antibody development. Here, we use samples from a large cross-sectional study of children residing in an area of high malaria transmission in Uganda to characterize Tfh cells and functional antibodies to multiple parasites stages.

Impact of body fat, body water content, and skeletal muscle mass index on peak salivary lactate levels after squat jump exercise in healthy non-athlete adult males.

Background: In the rehabilitation and sports science fields, comprehensive assessment of the response to exercise is important for accurately prescribing exercise programs. Lactate is an important energy substrate that is frequently measured in clinical practice because it provides information on aerobic capacity. Salivary lactate, which can be measured non-invasively, has recently been focused on as an alternative to blood lactate.

Physiological responses to cuddling babies with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy during therapeutic hypothermia: an observational study.

Objectives: To determine whether parents cuddling infants during therapeutic hypothermia (TH) would affect cooling therapy, cardiorespiratory or neurophysiological measures. The secondary aim was to explore parent-infant bonding, maternal postnatal depression and breastfeeding.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Wisconsin syndrome with brain volume laterality: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Wisconsin syndrome is a congenital anomaly caused by a 3q interstitial deletion. It is associated with characteristic facies and developmental delays. Only 33 cases with a deletion estimated to be in the associated region 3q25 have been reported.

Risk of metastatic disease using [F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT for primary prostate cancer staging.

Background: Accurate prostate cancer imaging is critical for patient management. Multiple studies have demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy of [Ga]-PSMA-11 PET/CT over conventional imaging for disease detection, with validated clinical and biochemical predictors of disease detection. More recently [F]PSMA-1007 offers theoretical imaging advantages, but there is limited evidence of clinical and biochemical predictors of scan findings in the staging population.

The impact on obstetric and perinatal outcomes in term infants following the introduction of a colour-coded, hierarchical cardiotocography classification system: A retrospective non-inferiority study.

Background: Queensland introduced a colour-coded cardiotocograph (CTG) classification system (green, blue, yellow and red) to complement the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists prose-based classification system of 'low, unlikely, maybe or likely' fetal compromise.

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the clinical impact of the introduction of the colour-coded CTG classification system compared to the prose-based system. We hypothesised there would be no change in the rate of operative delivery for intrapartum fetal compromise (OD-IFC).

The splicing effect of variants at branchpoint elements in cancer genes.

Purpose: Branchpoint elements are required for intron removal, and variants at these elements can result in aberrant splicing. We aimed to assess the value of branchpoint annotations generated from recent large-scale studies to select branchpoint-abrogating variants, using hereditary cancer genes as model.

Methods: We identified branchpoint elements in 119 genes associated with hereditary cancer from 3 genome-wide experimentally-inferred and 2 predicted branchpoint data sets.

The impact of a modified carbohydrate formula, and its constituents, on glycaemic control and inflammatory markers: A nested mechanistic sub-study.

Background: Hyperglycaemia occurs frequently in the critically ill. Dietary intake of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), specifically Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), may exacerbate hyperglycaemia through perturbation of insulin sensitivity. The present study aimed to determine whether the use of nutritional formulae, with varying AGE loads, affects the amount of insulin administered and inflammation.

Relationship between skeletal muscle mass and blood lactate level reduction after short squat jumps in healthy adult non-athletes.

[Purpose] Blood lactate reduction helps in understanding muscle recovery. Although light exercise and stretching are known interventions to reduce its concentration, the impact of skeletal muscle mass on blood lactate clearance is unknown. This study aimed to determine the relationships between blood lactate reduction and skeletal muscle mass following exercise.

Germline ERBB3 mutation in familial non-small-cell lung carcinoma: expanding ErbB's role in oncogenesis.

Lung cancer is the commonest cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Although strongly associated with smoking, predisposition to lung cancer is also heritable, with multiple common risk variants identified. Rarely, dominantly inherited non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been reported due to somatic mutations in EGFR/ErbB1 and ERBB2.

Convergent validity of a simplified device and relationship between blood lactate and salivary lactate after a vertical squat jump in healthy non-athletes.

[Purpose] The aims of this study were 1) to examine the convergent validity between Lactate pro 2 and a standard JCA-BM 8000 automatic analyzer using salivary lactate and 2) to investigate the relationship between blood and salivary lactate levels after a vertical squat jump. [Participants and Methods] Healthy non-athletes participated in this observational study. The participants performed a vertical squat jump for 1 min 30 s.

Factors associated with low levels of patient satisfaction following peripheral nerve block.

Peripheral nerve blocks can provide surgical anaesthesia as well as excellent postoperative analgesia. When questioned postoperatively, however, some patients report low levels of satisfaction with their nerve block experience. At our hospital, patients undergoing regional anaesthesia have their patient characteristics, block characteristics and postoperative feedback routinely recorded in a block registry.