Pacemaker-Induced Superior Vena Cava Syndrome.

Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is a result of impaired blood flow from the SVC to the right atrium, leading to venous congestion in the head and neck. It can be caused by clotting disorders or compressive tumors of the head and neck but has become more prevalent in the setting of implantable devices such as pacemakers. As such, managing these patients can present challenges for physicians who have to account for SVC syndrome as well as their underlying condition requiring an implantable cardiac device.

Metabolic Health, Overweight or Obesity, and Lung Function in Older Australian Adults.

Few studies have explored the links between adiposity, metabolic health, and lung function. This study examined the cross-sectional association between spirometric lung function and overweight/obesity, with and without metabolic abnormalities, in older adults. The research involved 3,318 older adults from the Hunter Community Study Cohort who had a BMI of 18.

Effects of ALS-associated 5'tiRNA on the transcriptomic and proteomic profile of primary neurons in vitro.

tRNA-derived stress-induced RNAs (tiRNAs) are a new class of small non-coding RNA that have emerged as important regulators of cellular stress responses. tiRNAs are derived from specific tRNA cleavage by the stress-induced ribonuclease angiogenin (ANG). Loss-of-function mutations in the ANG gene are linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and elevated levels of specific tiRNAs were recently identified in ALS patient serum samples.

Readiness for professional practice among health professions education graduates: a systematic review.

Readiness to practice is the state of being prepared and capable of engaging in professional activities in a specific field. Graduates of healthcare professions require a diverse set of skills, knowledge and attitudes to meet the demands of complex healthcare settings. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of readiness for professional practice among graduates of health professions education.

Rivaroxaban, in combination with low-dose aspirin, is associated with a reduction in proinflammatory and prothrombotic circulating vesicle signatures in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Background: Despite secondary prevention with aspirin, patients with stable cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain at elevated long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. The Cardiovascular Outcomes in People Using Anticoagulant Strategies (COMPASS) double-blind, randomized clinical trial demonstrated that aspirin plus low-dose rivaroxaban (COMPASS regime) significantly decreased the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events by 24% compared with aspirin alone. However, the mechanisms underlying these potential synergistic/nonantithrombotic effects remain elusive.

Proteomic and metabolomic profiles of plasma-derived Extracellular Vesicles differentiate melanoma patients from healthy controls.

Background: Plasma-derived Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) have been suggested as novel biomarkers in melanoma, due to their ability to reflect the cell of origin and ease of collection. This study aimed to identify novel EV biomarkers that can discriminate between disease stages. This was achieved by characterising the plasma-derived EVs of patients with melanoma, and comparing their proteomic and metabolomic profile to those from healthy controls.

Spillover effects from a type 2 diabetes integrated model of care in 22,706 Australians: an open cohort stepped wedge trial.

Background: Many Australian adults are not receiving timely or effective diabetes management to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes related complications. Integrated care, a worldwide trend in healthcare reform, aims to reduce the fragmented delivery of health services and improve outcomes. This study aimed to test whether a specialist-led integrated model of care provided to a small subset of patients in general practices leads to spillover clinical improvements in all patients of the practice with type 2 diabetes.

Cell-specific models reveal conformation-specific RAF inhibitor combinations that synergistically inhibit ERK signaling in pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) presents significant challenges for targeted clinical interventions due to prevalent KRAS mutations, rendering PDAC resistant to RAF and MEK inhibitors (RAFi and MEKi). In addition, responses to targeted therapies vary between patients. Here, we explored the differential sensitivities of PDAC cell lines to RAFi and MEKi and developed an isogenic pair comprising the most sensitive and resistant PDAC cells.

When Revascularization May Be Appropriate in Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis.

Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is a condition that involves the narrowing of one or both renal arteries, most commonly caused by either atherosclerosis or fibroplasia. RAS can present in a multitude of clinical manifestations involving hypertension (HTN), heart failure, and renal failure. Current recommendations for treating patients with RAS involve strict medical therapy often without invasive therapies.

A Qualitative Study Supporting Optimal Nutrition in Advanced Liver Disease-Unlocking the Potential for Improvement.

Malnutrition rates in Advanced Liver Disease (ALD) are significantly higher than those in well-compensated liver disease. In addition to its physiological impact, malnutrition is detrimental for quality of life and social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Studies within oncology and renal supportive care have identified the influence of non-physiological factors on malnutrition risk.

Amorphous aggregates with a very wide size distribution play a central role in crystal nucleation.

There is mounting evidence that crystal nucleation from supersaturated solution involves the formation and reorganization of prenucleation clusters, contradicting classical nucleation theory. One of the key unresolved issues pertains to the origin, composition, and structure of these clusters. Here, a range of amino acids and peptides is investigated using light scattering, mass spectrometry, and terahertz Raman spectroscopy, showing that the presence of amorphous aggregates is a general phenomenon in supersaturated solutions.

Electromagnetic Enantiomer: Chiral Nanophotonic Cavities for Inducing Chemical Asymmetry.

Chiral molecules, a cornerstone of chemical sciences with applications ranging from pharmaceuticals to molecular electronics, come in mirror-image pairs called enantiomers. However, their synthesis often requires complex control of their molecular geometry. We propose a strategy called "electromagnetic enantiomers" for inducing chirality in molecules located within engineered nanocavities using light, eliminating the need for intricate molecular design.

Modifiable lifestyle risk factors for overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review.

This review aims to identify and report epidemiological associations between modifiable lifestyle risk factors for overweight or obesity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). A systematic literature search of medical databases from 1990 to 2023 was undertaken. Inclusion criteria were observational studies reporting on associations between dietary factors, disordered eating, physical activity, sedentary and sleep behaviours and measures of adiposity in children and adolescents (<18 years) with T1D.

Effect of hypercholesterolemia on circulating and cardiomyocyte-derived extracellular vesicles.

Hypercholesterolemia (HC) induces, propagates and exacerbates cardiovascular diseases via various mechanisms that are yet not properly understood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in the pathomechanism of these diseases. To understand how circulating or cardiac-derived EVs could affect myocardial functions, we analyzed the metabolomic profile of circulating EVs, and we performed an in-depth analysis of cardiomyocyte (CM)-derived EVs in HC.

Metabolic Health, Overweight or Obesity, and Depressive Symptoms among Older Australian Adults.

Background: The relationship between overweight or obesity and depressive symptoms in individuals with or without cardio-metabolic abnormalities is unclear. In a cross-sectional study we examined the odds of experiencing depressive symptoms in overweight or obese older adults with or without metabolic abnormalities.

Methods: The participants included 3318 older adults from the Hunter Community Study Cohort with a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 18.

Plasma complement and coagulation proteins as prognostic factors of negative symptoms: An analysis of the NAPLS 2 and 3 studies.

Introduction: Negative symptoms impact the quality of life of individuals with psychosis and current treatment options for negative symptoms have limited effectiveness. Previous studies have demonstrated that complement and coagulation pathway protein levels are related to later psychotic experiences, psychotic disorder, and functioning. However, the prognostic relationship between complement and coagulation proteins and negative symptoms is poorly characterised.

Rapid classification of epidemiologically relevant age categories of the malaria vector, Anopheles funestus.

Background: Accurately determining the age and survival probabilities of adult mosquitoes is crucial for understanding parasite transmission, evaluating the effectiveness of control interventions and assessing disease risk in communities. This study was aimed at demonstrating the rapid identification of epidemiologically relevant age categories of Anopheles funestus, a major Afro-tropical malaria vector, through the innovative combination of infrared spectroscopy and machine learning, instead of the cumbersome practice of dissecting mosquito ovaries to estimate age based on parity status.

Methods: Anopheles funestus larvae were collected in rural south-eastern Tanzania and reared in an insectary.