Healthy Lifestyle Care vs Guideline-Based Care for Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: An unhealthy lifestyle is believed to increase the development and persistence of low back pain, but there is uncertainty about whether integrating support for lifestyle risks in low back pain management improves patients' outcomes.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of the Healthy Lifestyle Program (HeLP) compared with guideline-based care for low back pain disability.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This superiority, assessor-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted in Australia from September 8, 2017, to December 30, 2020, among 346 participants who had activity-limiting chronic low back pain and at least 1 lifestyle risk (overweight, poor diet, physical inactivity, and/or smoking), referred from hospital, general practice, and community settings.

Variations and Opportunities in Postnatal Management of Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn.

Importance: Preventive efforts in pregnancy-related alloimmunization have considerably decreased the prevalence of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). International studies are therefore essential to obtain a deeper understanding of the postnatal management and outcomes of HDFN. Taken together with numerous treatment options, large practice variations among centers may exist.

Symptom Attributions in Illness Anxiety Disorder.

Objectives: A major characteristic of health anxiety is the tendency to attribute benign bodily sensations to serious illnesses. This has been supported by empirical research in non-clinical samples, and samples of individuals diagnosed with Hypochondriasis. However, no study to date has explored symptom attribution styles of individuals with the DSM-5 diagnosis of Illness Anxiety Disorder.

Repurposing Licensed Drugs with Activity Against Epstein-Barr Virus for Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Approach.

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is implicated as a necessary factor in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) and may also be a driver of disease activity. Although it is not clear whether ongoing viral replication is the driver for MS pathology, MS researchers have considered the prospect of using drugs with potential efficacy against EBV in the treatment of MS. We have undertaken scientific and lived experience expert panel reviews to shortlist existing licensed therapies that could be used in later-stage clinical trials in MS.

Development of a brief screening measure of unmet supportive care needs (SCNS-P&C-6) in caregivers of people with high-grade glioma.

Purpose: Informal caregivers of people with high grade glioma (HGG) often have high levels of unmet support needs. Routine screening for unmet needs can facilitate appropriate and timely access to supportive care. We aimed to develop a brief screening tool for HGG caregiver unmet needs, based on the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Partners & Caregivers (SCNS-P&C).

Geochemical partitioning and leaching behaviour of geogenic contaminants from the partially weathered rocks in chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) endemic regions in Sri Lanka.

Studies regarding geochemical partitioning and leaching behavior of Hofmeister ions, which is considered as a risk/causative factor for chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu), are scarce. Therefore, Hofmeister ions' leaching behavior of partially weathered rocks from CKDu endemic (Girandurukotte) and non-endemic (Sewanagala) areas, Sri Lanka were compared. Rock mineralogy was analyzed using X-ray Diffraction, and total ion contents were determined using alkaline and acid digestions.

Slower swimming promotes chemotactic encounters between bacteria and small phytoplankton.

Chemotaxis enables marine bacteria to increase encounters with phytoplankton cells by reducing their search times, provided that bacteria detect noisy chemical gradients around phytoplankton. Gradient detection depends on bacterial phenotypes and phytoplankton size: large phytoplankton produce spatially extended but shallow gradients, whereas small phytoplankton produce steeper but spatially more confined gradients. To date, it has remained unclear how phytoplankton size and bacterial swimming speed affect bacteria's gradient detection ability and search times for phytoplankton.

Disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in the context of interferon-gamma autoantibody syndrome: A case report and review of the literature.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) autoantibody syndrome is an emerging clinical entity that has been associated with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection (dNTM) particularly in healthy young people, a population not previously thought to be at particular risk. A 29-year-old South-East Asian man presented with several weeks of fever, cough, lymphadenopathy, and constitutional symptoms while working on an international cargo ship, deteriorating rapidly with a sepsis-like syndrome. Eventually lymph node and sputum cultures revealed a diagnosis of dNTM infection with growth of both Mycobacterium persicum and Mycobacterium abscessus.

Testing the potential of zebularine to induce heritable changes in crop growth and development.

Zebularine-treated wheat uncovered a phenotype with characteristics of an epigenetically regulated trait, but major chromosomal aberrations, not DNA methylation changes, are the cause, making zebularine unsuitable for epigenetic breeding. Breeding to identify disease-resistant and climate-tolerant high-yielding wheats has led to yield increases over many years, but new hardy, higher yielding varieties are still needed to improve food security in the face of climate change. Traditional breeding to develop new cultivars of wheat is a lengthy process taking more than seven years from the initial cross to cultivar release.

Swimming induces a physiological cardioprotection associated with pro-growth anti-inflammatory influences in extra-cardiac organs.

Physical activity improves myocardial structure, function and resilience via complex, incompletely defined mechanisms. We explored effects of 1-2 wks swim training on cardiac and systemic phenotype in young male C57Bl/6 mice. Two wks forced swimming (90 min twice daily) resulted in cardiac hypertrophy (22% increase in heart:body weight, P<0.

Whole-genome phylogenetic analysis of complex from clinical respiratory samples.

Unlabelled: The complex (MAC) is a common causative agent causing nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary disease worldwide. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on a total of 203 retrospective MAC isolates from respiratory specimens. Phylogenomic analysis identified eight subspecies and species.

Preventative self-regulatory primary care leadership in urban China: impact on physician well-being and medical service quality.

Purpose: The study aims to address the gap between leaders' preventative self-regulatory focus and its impact on Chinese primary care physicians (PCPs) well-being, measured by work-family spillover stress and work exhaustion and on healthcare quality, measured by preventive service delivery and clinical guideline adherence.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper conducted a cross-sectional in-person survey with 38 leaders and 224 PCPs in 38 primary health centers (PHCs) in Jinan, Tianjin, Shenzhen and Shanghai. Guided by the regulatory focus theory, this paper built hierarchical linear regression models to examine the association between the leadership's regulatory focus and physician burnout, work-family conflict, clinic guideline adherence and preventive service delivery.

Closed genomes of commercial inoculant rhizobia provide a blueprint for management of legume inoculation.

Unlabelled: Rhizobia are soil bacteria capable of establishing symbiosis within legume root nodules, where they reduce atmospheric N into ammonia and supply it to the plant for growth. Australian soils often lack rhizobia compatible with introduced agricultural legumes, so inoculation with exotic strains has become a common practice for over 50 years. While extensive research has assessed the N-fixing capabilities of these inoculants, their genomics, taxonomy, and core and accessory gene phylogeny are poorly characterized.

Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts.

Carbon catalysts have shown promise as an alternative to the currently available energy-intensive approaches for nitrogen fixation (NF) to urea, NH, or related nitrogenous compounds. The primary challenges for NF are the natural inertia of nitrogenous molecules and the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Recently, carbon-based materials have made significant progress due to their tunable electronic structure and ease of defect formation.

The Estrogen-Immune Interface in Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a gynecologic condition characterized by the growth of endometrium-like stroma and glandular elements outside of the uterine cavity. The involvement of hormonal dysregulation, specifically estrogen, is well established in the initiation, progression, and maintenance of the condition. Evidence also highlights the association between endometriosis and altered immune states.

The Influence of Cell Isolation and Culturing on Natriuretic Peptide Receptors in Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) relaxation by guanylyl cyclases (GCs) and cGMP is mediated by NO and its receptor soluble GC (sGC) or natriuretic peptides (NPs) ANP/BNP and CNP with the receptors GC-A and GC-B, respectively. It is commonly accepted that cultured SMCs differ from those in intact vessels. Nevertheless, cell culture often remains the first step for signaling investigations and drug testing.

The Ivermectin Related Compound Moxidectin Can Target Apicomplexan Importin α and Limit Growth of Malarial Parasites.

Signal-dependent transport into and out of the nucleus mediated by members of the importin (IMP) superfamily is crucial for eukaryotic function, with inhibitors targeting IMPα being of key interest as anti-infectious agents, including against the apicomplexan species and , causative agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis, respectively. We recently showed that the FDA-approved macrocyclic lactone ivermectin, as well as several other different small molecule inhibitors, can specifically bind to and inhibit and IMPα functions, as well as limit parasite growth. Here we focus on the FDA-approved antiparasitic moxidectin, a structural analogue of ivermectin, for its IMPα-targeting and anti-apicomplexan properties for the first time.

Epigenetic Inhibitors Differentially Impact TGF-β1 Signaling Cascades in COPD Airway Smooth Muscle Cells.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive and incurable airflow obstruction and chronic inflammation. Both TGF-β1 and CXCL8 have been well described as fundamental to COPD progression. DNA methylation and histone acetylation, which are well-understood epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression, are associated with COPD progression.

Effects of Repeated Cisplatin and Monosodium Glutamate on Visceral Sensitivity in Rats.

Cisplatin, a chemotherapeutic drug, is known for causing gastrointestinal disorders and neuropathic pain, but its impact on visceral sensitivity is unclear. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been shown to improve gastrointestinal dysmotility and neuropathic pain induced by cisplatin in rats. This study aimed to determine if repeated cisplatin treatment alters visceral sensitivity and whether dietary MSG can prevent these changes.

Calcium Signalling in Neurological Disorders, with Insights from Miniature Fluorescence Microscopy.

Neurological disorders (NDs), such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and schizophrenia, represent a complex and multifaceted health challenge that affects millions of people around the world. Growing evidence suggests that disrupted neuronal calcium signalling contributes to the pathophysiology of NDs. Additionally, calcium functions as a ubiquitous second messenger involved in diverse cellular processes, from synaptic activity to intercellular communication, making it a potential therapeutic target.

The Beneficial Effects of Lactobacillus Strains on Gut Microbiome in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: Growing evidence suggests that the gut-brain axis influences brain function, particularly the role of intestinal microbiota in modulating cognitive processes. Probiotics may alter brain function and behavior by modulating gut microbiota, with implications for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this review is to systematically review the current literature exploring the effects of probiotic supplementation on gut microbiota and cognitive function in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Analytical Techniques for Supporting Hospital Case Mix Planning Encompassing Forced Adjustments, Comparisons, and Scoring.

: This article presents analytical techniques and a decision support tool to aid in hospital capacity assessment and case mix planning (CMP). To date, no similar techniques have been provided in the literature. : Initially, an optimization model is proposed to analyze the impact of making a specific change to an existing case mix, identifying how patient types should be adjusted proportionately to varying levels of hospital resource availability.