The impact of community engaged healthcare education on undergraduate students' empathy and their views towards social accountability; a mixed methods systematic review.

Background: Many non-communicable diseases are rooted in social factors that determine health outcomes. Complex topics such as the social determinants of health are difficult to teach through traditional didactic methods. Since the introduction of the social accountability of medical schools' framework in 1995 by the World Health Organisation, healthcare education institutions are encouraged to shift their traditional education models towards a socially accountable approach.

The comparative effect of propolis and chlorhexidine mouthwash on oral nitrite-producing bacteria and blood pressure regulation.

Background: Propolis mouthwash (PROP-M) has demonstrated antibacterial properties like those of chlorhexidine mouthwash (CHX-M). However, its impact on the abundance of oral nitrite-producing species (NPS) and nitrite-producing activity (NPA) remains unexplored.

Methods: Forty-five healthy individuals were randomised into 2 groups to rinse their mouth twice a day for seven days with either CHX-M ( = 21) or PROP-M ( = 24).

Open label vancomycin in primary sclerosing cholangitis-inflammatory bowel disease: improved colonic disease activity and associations with changes in host-microbiome-metabolomic signatures.

Background: We conducted a single-arm interventional study, to explore mucosal changes associated with clinical remission under oral vancomycin (OV) treatment, in primary sclerosing cholangitis associated inflammatory bowel disease (PSC-IBD); NCT05376228.

Method: Fifteen patients with PSC and active colitis (median faecal calprotectin 459µg/g; median total Mayo score 5) were treated with OV (125mg QID) for 4 weeks and followed-up for a further 4 weeks of treatment withdrawal (8 weeks, end-of-study). Colonic biopsies were obtained at baseline and week 4.

Optimizing transport methods to preserve function of self-innervating muscle cells for laryngeal injection.

Objectives: Recently, our laboratory has discovered a self-innervating population of muscle cells, called motor endplate-expressing cells (MEEs). The cells innately release a wide variety of neurotrophic factors into the microenvironment promoting innervation when used as an injectable treatment. Unlike other stem cells, the therapeutic potential of MEEs is dependent on the cells' ability to maintain phenotypical cell surface proteins in particular motor endplates (MEPs).

A Closed-Loop Audit of Early Mobilization of Thoracic Surgery Patients on Postoperative Day 0.

Introduction Early mobilization in the postoperative period, particularly on the day of surgery, is crucial for reducing morbidity and mortality in thoracic surgery patients. Starting physical activity as soon as clinically feasible enhances recovery and is a key component of enhanced recovery pathways. Effective implementation of early mobilization protocols requires collaboration among multidisciplinary teams (MDT), emphasizing its importance in postoperative care.

Energy metabolism in osteoprogenitors and osteoblasts: Role of the pentose phosphate pathway.

Bioenergetic preferences of osteolineage cells, including osteoprogenitors and osteoblasts (OBs), are a matter of intense debate. Early studies pointed to OB reliance on glucose and aerobic glycolysis while more recent works indicated the importance of glutamine as a mitochondrial fuel. Aiming to clarify this issue, we performed metabolic tracing of C-labeled glucose and glutamine in human osteolineage cells: bone marrow stromal (a.

Validation of a reduction in time for avian influenza virus isolation using specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs.

Background: The international gold standard for avian influenza virus (AIV) diagnosis is virus isolation (VI) in specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs). AIV isolation typically involves a 6-day turnaround, during which premises under suspicion for notifiable AIV infection are held under restriction regardless of molecular diagnoses, often with significant welfare implications.

Methods: A reduction in time for negation by VI was investigated following experimental inoculation of AIV from known-positive original clinical material into ECEs.

Steered Response Power for Sound Source Localization: a tutorial review.

In the last three decades, the Steered Response Power (SRP) method has been widely used for the task of Sound Source Localization (SSL), due to its satisfactory localization performance on moderately reverberant and noisy scenarios. Many works have analysed and extended the original SRP method to reduce its computational cost, to allow it to locate multiple sources, or to improve its performance in adverse environments. In this work, we review over 200 papers on the SRP method and its variants, with emphasis on the SRP-PHAT method.

Multi-Layered Implant Approach for Hemilaryngectomy Reconstruction in a Porcine Model.

Objective: Partial laryngectomies result in voice, swallowing, and airway impairment for thousands of patients in the United States each year. Treatment options for dynamic restoration of laryngeal function are limited. Thus, there is a need for new reconstructive approaches.

A combination of peripherally restricted CB and CB cannabinoid receptor agonists reduces bladder afferent sensitisation in cystitis.

Cannabinoid agonists can potentially ameliorate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including pain associated with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). This study aims to determine the contributions of the cannabinoid 1 receptors (CBRs) and CBRs in regulating the activity of different functional classes of afferents, comparing normal healthy bladder with bladders from guinea pigs with protamine/zymosan-induced cystitis. The mechanosensitivity of different functional afferent classes was determined by ex vivo single-unit extracellular recordings.

Cannabidiol and fluorinated derivative anti-cancer properties against glioblastoma multiforme cell lines, and synergy with imidazotetrazine agents.

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis, partly due to resistance to the standard chemotherapy treatment, temozolomide (TMZ). Phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has exhibited anti-cancer effects against GBM, however, CBD's ability to overcome common resistance mechanisms to TMZ have not yet been investigated. 4'-Fluoro-cannabidiol (4'-F-CBD, or HUF-101/PECS-101) is a derivative of CBD, that exhibits increased activity compared to CBD during in vivo behavioural studies.

A novel, robust, and portable platform for magnetoencephalography using optically-pumped magnetometers.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measures brain function via assessment of magnetic fields generated by neural currents. Conventional MEG uses superconducting sensors, which place significant limitations on performance, practicality, and deployment; however, the field has been revolutionised in recent years by the introduction of optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs). OPMs enable measurement of the MEG signal without cryogenics, and consequently the conception of "OPM-MEG" systems which ostensibly allow increased sensitivity and resolution, lifespan compliance, free subject movement, and lower cost.

Building research capacity and capability to enhance the quality of living and dying addressing advancing frailty through integrated care: the ALLIANCE partnership.

Background: Frailty affects around 10% of people aged over 65 years, increasing to 65% of those over 90 years. This number is increasing. Older people with frailty are projected to become the largest future users of care services as they near end of life.

The Effect of Colesevelam on the Microbiome in Postoperative Crohn's Disease.

Background: While surgery plays a pivotal role in the management of ileal Crohn's disease, the risk of endoscopic recurrence following an ileocaecal resection can be greater than 65% within 12 months of surgery. More than 90% of patients with Crohn's disease have a concomitant diagnosis of bile acid diarrhea following an ileal resection. This pilot study aimed to assess whether the use of bile acid sequestrants in patients with Crohn's disease who have undergone a primary terminal ileal resection with concomitant bile acid diarrhea can alter the microbiome and prevent disease recurrence.

Periodontitis and pre-eclampsia among pregnant women in Rwanda: A case-control study.

Introduction: Several studies have indicated that the presence of periodontitis during pregnancy could increase the risk of developing pre-eclampsia, thereby negatively influencing pregnancy outcomes for both the mother and child. Notably, despite the high prevalence of both periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Rwanda, there exists a crucial evidence gap concerning the precise relationship between periodontitis and pre-eclampsia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the association between periodontitis and pre-eclampsia amongst pregnant women in Rwanda.

A scoping review of evidence of naturally occurring Japanese encephalitis infection in vertebrate animals other than humans, ardeid birds and pigs.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the leading cause of human encephalitis in Asia. JEV is a vector-borne disease, mainly transmitted by Culex mosquitoes, with Ardeidae birds as maintenance hosts and pigs as amplifying hosts. Other vertebrate animal hosts have been suggested to play a role in the epidemiology of JEV.

An interconnected data infrastructure to support large-scale rare disease research.

The Solve-RD project brings together clinicians, scientists, and patient representatives from 51 institutes spanning 15 countries to collaborate on genetically diagnosing ("solving") rare diseases (RDs). The project aims to significantly increase the diagnostic success rate by co-analyzing data from thousands of RD cases, including phenotypes, pedigrees, exome/genome sequencing, and multiomics data. Here we report on the data infrastructure devised and created to support this co-analysis.

Wearable magnetoencephalography in a lightly shielded environment.

Wearable magnetoencephalography based on optically pumped magnetometers (OPM-MEG) offers non-invasive and high-fidelity measurement of human brain electrophysiology. The flexibility of OPM-MEG also means it can be deployed in participants of all ages and permits scanning during movement. However, the magnetic fields generated by neuronal currents - which form the basis of the OPM-MEG signal - are much smaller than environmental fields, and this means measurements are highly sensitive to interference.

SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission via the skin to oro-nasal route with the production of bioaerosols in the ferret model.

Direct and indirect transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been attributed to virus survival in droplets, bioaerosols and on fomites including skin and surfaces. Survival of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) on the skin and virus transference following rounds of skin-to-skin contact were assessed on porcine skin as a surrogate for human skin. SARS-CoV-2 variants were detectable on skin by RT-qPCR after 72 h at biologically relevant temperatures (35.