The mediating role of health literacy for COVID-19 between preventive behaviors and quality of life.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly developed around the world. Plenty of health information about the virus was available from multiple media platforms, but such information was not always accurate. Identifying misinformation depends on an individual's health literacy.

[Guidelines for presymptomatic genetic testing for adult-onset hereditary neuromuscular diseases in Japan].

In Japan, there are no nationwide guidelines for presymptomatic testing for hereditary neuromuscular diseases. Although each institution has been dealing with this situation by using their own procedures to date, it is necessary to develop a standardized guidelines based on the Japanese medical system, because the development of disease-modifying therapies has progressed, and we are entering an era in which early diagnosis and early treatment are necessary. The guidelines presented here were devised by the Committee on Medical Genetics of the Japan Neurological Society.

Actual Use of Budesonide Enteric-Coated Capsules for Crohn's Disease in Japan: Analysis of Health Insurance Big Data.

Using a large health insurance database in Japan, we examined the real-world usage of budesonide enteric-coated capsules (BUD) in treating Crohn's disease. We analyzed data from the Japan Medical Data Center claims database for Crohn's disease patients prescribed BUD from April 2016 to March 2021, focusing on prescription status, adverse events (AEs), monitoring tests, and concomitant medications over 2 years following BUD initiation. Patients were categorized into two groups based on BUD usage duration: ≤1 year and >1 year.

Assessment of Risk of Acidosis in Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Chronic Kidney Disease Treated with Intravenous Branched-Chain Amino Acid-Enriched Solution: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Intravenous administration of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched solution is contraindicated in patients with severe chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there have been no reports on its risks in patients with mild-to-moderate CKD. In this study, we compared the incidence of acidosis between patients with mild-to-moderate CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥30 and <60 mL/min/1.

Development of a Clinically Applicable Deep Learning System Based on Sparse Training Data to Accurately Detect Acute Intracranial Hemorrhage from Non-enhanced Head Computed Tomography.

Non-enhanced head computed tomography is widely used for patients presenting with head trauma or stroke, given acute intracranial hemorrhage significantly influences clinical decision-making. This study aimed to develop a deep learning algorithm, referred to as DeepCT, to detect acute intracranial hemorrhage on non-enhanced head computed tomography images and evaluate its clinical applicability. We retrospectively collected 1,815 computed tomography image sets from a single center for model training.

Intraoperative Superficial Temporal Artery-middle Cerebral Artery Bypass Failure during Combined Bypass Surgery in Children with Moyamoya Disease.

Pediatric patients with moyamoya disease frequently show rapid progression with a high risk of stroke. Indirect revascularization is widely accepted as a surgical treatment for pediatric moyamoya disease, but it does not augment cerebral blood flow immediately, which leaves patients at risk for stroke peri-operatively. This delay in flow augmentation may make adding direct bypass the better option.

Association Between Cannula Size of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Prognosis in Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest - A Secondary Analysis of the SAVE-J II Study.

Background: Selecting an appropriate cannula size is crucial for achieving an adequate extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) flow rate. However, the association between ECMO cannula size and the prognosis of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has not been fully elucidated. We examined the associations between ECMO cannula size and neurological outcomes and survival at discharge in patients with OHCA who received ECMO.

Mobile Phone App to Promote Lifestyle Change in People at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Feasibility 3-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The use of mobile health interventions, such as apps, are proposed to meet the challenges faced by preventive health care services due to the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Thus, we developed and conducted initial feasibility testing of the Plunde app for promoting and monitoring individual goals related to lifestyle change for people at risk of T2D.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of an app for promoting lifestyle change in people at risk of T2D.

Grasping Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from the Perspective of Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology (PNIE): Etiopathogenic Mechanisms and Relevance for the Integrative Management.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition caused by exposure to traumatic events, affecting 5-10% of the population, with increased prevalence among women and individuals in war zones. Beyond psychological symptoms, PTSD induces significant physiological changes across systems. Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology (PNIE) offers a framework to explore these complex interactions between the psyche and the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems.

Redo Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement versus Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Degenerated Bioprosthetic Valves.

Background: Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (ViV-TAVR) is associated with improved perioperative safety compared to redo surgical aortic valve replacement (redo-SAVR), but long-term outcomes remain uncertain. We therefore compare long-term outcomes of ViV-TAVR and redo-SAVR.

Methods: The study included 1:1 propensity-matched Medicare beneficiaries with degenerated bioprosthetic valves admitted between 09/29/2011 and 12/30/2020 undergoing either redo-SAVR or ViV-TAVR.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Intermacs Database Risk Model for Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Background: Statistical risk models for durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation inform candidate selection, quality improvement, and evaluation of provider performance. We developed a 90-day mortality risk model utilizing The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Intermacs Database (STS Intermacs).

Methods: STS Intermacs was queried for primary durable LVAD implants from 1/ 2019 - 9/2023.

Fasting enhances the efficacy of Sorafenib in breast cancer via mitophagy mediated ROS-driven p53 pathway.

The multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib has shown potential to inhibit tumor cell growth and intra-tumoral angiogenesis by targeting several kinases, including VEGFR2 and RAF. Abnormal activation of the Ras/Raf/MAPK/ERK kinase cascade and the VEGF pathway is a common feature in breast cancer. However, the efficacy of sorafenib in breast cancer treatment remains limited.

Assessing the feasibility of a spiritual healing intervention for adults with moderate depression: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background: Many individuals with depression explore complementary and alternative medicine, including spiritual healing. This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to assess the feasibility of a study that integrated spiritual healing with standard care versus standard care alone for adults with moderate depression.

Method: In this pilot RCT with two parallel groups, 28 adult patients with depression were randomized to receive either spiritual healing alongside usual care (n=14) or usual care alone (n=14).

Joint image reconstruction and segmentation of real-time cardiac MRI in free-breathing using a model based on disentangled representation learning.

Purpose: To investigate image quality and agreement of derived cardiac function parameters in a novel joint image reconstruction and segmentation approach based on disentangled representation learning, enabling real-time cardiac cine imaging during free-breathing.

Methods: A multi-tasking neural network architecture, incorporating disentangled representation learning, was trained using simulated examinations based on data from a public repository along with MR scans specifically acquired for model development. An exploratory feasibility study evaluated the method on undersampled real-time acquisitions using an in-house developed spiral bSSFP pulse sequence in eight healthy participants and five patients with intermittent atrial fibrillation.

The moderating and mediating role of the placenta in the association between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and birth weight: A twin study.

Prenatal exposure to air pollution has been linked to lower birth weight, yet the role of the placenta in this association is often overlooked. This study investigates whether placental characteristics act as moderators or mediators in the association between prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO) and birth weight in twins. The study included 3340 twins (born 2002-2013) from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey.

Selecting a smartwatch for trials involving older adults with neurodegenerative diseases: A researcher's framework to avoid hidden pitfalls.

Background: Increased prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases complicates care needs for older adults. Sensing technologies, such as smartwatches, are one available solution which can help address the challenges of aging. Knowledge of the possibilities and pitfalls of these sensing technologies is of key importance to researchers when choosing a device for a trial and considering the sustainability of these technologies in real-world settings.

Unveiling results and insights from multinational, multicenter Study of Prescribing patterns and Effectiveness of Ceftolozane/Tazobactam Real-world Analysis (SPECTRA).

Objectives: Antibacterial-resistant gram-negative hospital-acquired infections result in significant morbidity and mortality. In clinical trials, ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) has been effective against these infections; however, real-world findings are limited.

Methods: SPECTRA was a global, retrospective, observational inpatient study of adults treated with C/T for ≥48 hours, conducted between 2016 and 2020.

Transmitted HIV-1 Drug Resistance in Estonian Residents and Ukrainian Refugees in 2020 and 2022.

Objectives: We investigated the prevalence of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in individuals newly diagnosed with HIV-1 in Estonia in 2020 and 2022, and in Ukrainian war refugees living with HIV who arrived in Estonia in 2022.

Methods: HIV-1 genomic RNA was sequenced in protease-reverse transcriptase and integrase regions. DRMs were determined separately by Stanford University CPR Tool and HIVdb Program.

Clinical and molecular characteristics of KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections: results of a multicentre study.

Objectives: KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) is a great cause of concern and it is often associated with bloodstream infections (BSIs) and a high mortality rate. We identified the risk factors of KPC-Kp BSIs observed in three Italian hospitals and studied the epidemiology of KPC-Kp strains.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of KPC-Kp BSIs from 2014 to 2019 in three hospitals in Central Italy (Ancona, Pesaro-Fano, and Perugia).

PSMA-targeted delivery of docetaxel in prostate cancer using small-sized PDA-based micellar nanovectors.

In this study, we present the first comparative analysis of active and passive drug delivery systems for docetaxel (DTX) in prostate cancer using supramolecular self-assembled micellar nanovectors. Specifically, we developed two novel micelles based on polydiacetylenic amphiphiles (PDA) for passive and active targeting. The active targeting micelles were designed with a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligand, ACUPA, to facilitate recognition by PSMA-positive cancer cells.

Beyond Averaging: A Transformer Approach to Decoding Event Related Brain Potentials.

The objective of this study is to assess the potential of a transformer-based deep learning approach applied to event-related brain potentials (ERPs) derived from electroencephalographic (EEG) data. Traditional methods involve averaging the EEG signal of multiple trials to extract valuable neural signals from the high noise content of EEG data. However, this averaging technique may conceal relevant information.