Health checks for autistic adults: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Autistic people commonly have physical and mental health conditions. They also frequently experience barriers to accessing healthcare, contributing to problems identifying and treating health conditions. These factors may lead to increased and earlier morbidity and lower average life expectancy for autistic people.

GRK6 palmitoylation dictates triple-negative breast cancer metastasis via recruiting the β-Arrestin 2/MAPKs/NF-κB signaling axis.

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) belongs to the worst prognosis of breast cancer subtype probably because of distant metastasis to other organs, e.g. lungs.

An evaluation of the effectiveness of an updated pre-service midwifery curriculum integrated with emergency obstetric and newborn care in Kenya: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Quality midwifery education is central to improving midwifery service delivery and maternal and newborn health outcomes. In many settings, midwifery educators insufficiently prepared for their teaching role and deficient curriculum compared to international standards affect the quality of healthcare provided by the midwifery graduates. This study assessed the effectiveness of an EmONC enhanced midwifery curriculum delivered by trained and mentored midwifery educators on the quality of education and student performance in Kenya.

Zinc finger proteins facilitate adaptation of a global insect pest to climate change.

Background: Global climate change significantly impacts ecosystems, particularly through temperature fluctuations that affect insect physiology and behavior. As poikilotherms, insect pests such as the globally devastating diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, are especially vulnerable to rising temperatures and extreme heat events, necessitating effective adaptive mechanisms.

Results: Here we demonstrate the roles of zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) in mediating thermal adaptability in DBM.

Nanopore sequencing as a novel method of characterising anorexia nervosa risk loci.

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a polygenic, severe metabopsychiatric disorder with poorly understood aetiology. Eight significant loci have been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability was estimated to be ~ 11-17, yet causal variants remain elusive. It is therefore important to define the full spectrum of genetic variants in the wider regions surrounding these significantly associated loci.

Adaptive deep feature representation learning for cross-subject EEG decoding.

Background: The collection of substantial amounts of electroencephalogram (EEG) data is typically time-consuming and labor-intensive, which adversely impacts the development of decoding models with strong generalizability, particularly when the available data is limited. Utilizing sufficient EEG data from other subjects to aid in modeling the target subject presents a potential solution, commonly referred to as domain adaptation. Most current domain adaptation techniques for EEG decoding primarily focus on learning shared feature representations through domain alignment strategies.

Research Hotspots and Thematic Trends in the Management of Preeclampsia: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2000 to 2022.

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the serious complications of pregnancy, and the management of PE remains an important problem for obstetricians. This study aims to identify the characteristics and trends of published articles on PE management through bibliometric analysis. We searched the Web of Science database for articles related to PE management from 2000 to 2022.

Understanding the coupled relationship between regional longevity and physical geographical environment in Hechi, Guangxi, China.

Healthy ageing plays an important role in ageing societies in many countries, and centenarians are a sign of longevity. Longevity and its determinants have become issues of global concern and also a focus of research. Although many disciplines have conducted out a series of studies on longevity phenomena, few studies have systematically considered the impact of geographical environmental factors.

Healthcare burden of public hospital gout admissions in New South Wales, Australia.

Background And Aims: In New Zealand, the Māori and Pacific Islander population has a higher rate of hospital admissions for gout; however, we lack data for these population groups who reside in Australia. This study examined the pattern of hospital gout admissions in New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state of Australia, with a particular focus on the Māori and Pacific Islander population.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study exploring the pattern of gout admissions in NSW public hospitals in the financial years 2017/2018 to 2019/2020.

Bionic Hollow Porous Carbon Nanofibers for Energy-Dense and Rapid Zinc Ion Storage.

Suboptimal spatial utilization and inefficient access to internal porosity preclude porous carbon cathodes from delivering high energy density in zinc-ion hybrid capacitors (ZIHCs). Inspired by the function of capillaries in biological systems, this study proposes a facile coordination-pyrolysis method to fabricate thin-walled hollow carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with optimized pore structure and surface functional groups for ZHICs. The capillary-like CNFs maximize the electrode/electrolyte interface area, facilitating the optimal utilization of energy storage sites.

Prevalence and correlates of child labour in five low-income countries: a descriptive study based on UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys 6 (MICS6).

Background: The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children need to be protected from 'any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development'. We aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of child labour in five low-income African countries using the sixth wave of UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS6).

Methods: Data on child labour, reported by the household respondent for a randomly selected child (5-17 years), were extracted from MICS6 reports from Chad, Guinea Bissau, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Togo.

DREAM: an adaptive, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of duloxetine for reducing leg pain in people with chronic sciatica-trial protocol.

Introduction: Sciatica is a debilitating condition that often becomes chronic, and for which there are few effective treatment options. Treatments such as the anti-depressant duloxetine have shown promise, but the evidence is inconclusive. We are describing a high quality, definitive trial to investigate the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of duloxetine in chronic sciatica.

Mathematical modelling and analysis for the co-infection of viral and bacterial diseases: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Breaking the chain of transmission of an infectious disease pathogen is a major public health priority. The challenges of understanding, describing and predicting the transmission dynamics of infections have led to a wide range of mathematical, statistical and biological research problems. Advances in diagnostic laboratory procedures with the ability to test multiple pathogens simultaneously mean that co-infections are increasingly being detected, yet little is known about the impact of co-infections in shaping the course of an infection, infectivity, and pathogen replication rate.

Identification of a T2-hyperintense Perivascular Space in Brain Arteriovenous Malformations.

Background/aim: Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are vascular malformations characterized by dysmorphic, aberrant vasculature. During previous surgeries of compact nidus brain AVMs (representing the majority of cases), we have observed a "shiny" plane between nidal and perinidal AVM vessels and the surrounding grey and white matter and hypothesized that preoperative neuroimaging of brain AVMs may show a neuroradiological correlate of these intraoperative observations.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed multiplanar and multisequence 3-Tesla magnetic resonance (3T MR) imaging in five consecutive brain AVMs with special attention on imaging characteristics of the brain-AVM interface, i.

Correlation of Preclinical Imaging Modalities and Immunohistochemistry for Tumor Hypoxia and Vasculature.

Background/aim: Tumors exhibit impaired blood flow and hypoxic areas, which can reduce the effectiveness of treatments. Characterizing these tumor features can inform treatment decisions, including the use of vasculature modulation therapies. Imaging provides insight into these characteristics, with techniques varying between clinical and preclinical settings.

Mutations of the CEACAM5 Gene PELPK Motif in Patients With Appendiceal or Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

Background/aim: The study examines whether DNA level mutations in the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 (CEACAM5) gene Pro-Glu-Leu-Pro-Lys (PELPK) motif differ between patients with appendiceal or colorectal adenocarcinoma. Significant differences between these two groups in correlation with development of metachronous liver metastases could help in the development of targeted therapies and preventative treatment approaches.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective comparative trial analysed 18 patients, 9 with appendiceal adenocarcinoma and 9 with colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Cystic fibrosis carrier screening in Australia: comparing sequencing and targeted panels across diverse ancestries.

Background: Targeted cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening panels may lack sensitivity in non-European ancestry groups. This study aims to evaluate the sensitivity of various panels in Australian CF carriers identified through sequencing.

Methods: The following panels were evaluated in 869 CF carriers: Asuragen, Elucigene, Devyser, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and Victorian Clinical Genetics Services.

Diagnosis of Schizophrenia and Its Subtypes Using MRI and Machine Learning.

Purpose: The neurobiological heterogeneity present in schizophrenia remains poorly understood. This likely contributes to the limited success of existing treatments and the observed variability in treatment responses. Our objective was to employ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms to improve the classification of schizophrenia and its subtypes.

The Health-Related Quality of Life Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People Living with Multiple Sclerosis and the General Population: A Comparative Study Utilizing the EQ-5D-5L with Psychosocial Bolt-Ons.

Objectives: Studies have shown that people living with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) were substantially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, no study has compared the overall health-related quality of life impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PwMS and the general population. Differences would have implications for crises/pandemic management policies.

Moderating Effects of Coping Styles on the Relationship Between Nursing Stress and Mental Health Among NICU Nurses.

Objective: To examine whether coping styles moderate the relationship between nursing stress and mental health in NICU nurses.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: Four Level 3 and 4 NICUs in New South Wales, Australia.

Altering phosphorylation of dystrophin S3059 to attenuate cancer cachexia.

Aims: Cancer cachexia affects up to 80 % of patients with advanced cancer and accounts for >20 % of all cancer-related deaths. Sarcolemmal localization of dystrophin, a key protein within the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC), is perturbed in multiple muscle wasting conditions, including cancer cachexia, indicating a potential role for dystrophin in the maintenance of muscle mass. Strategies to preserve dystrophin expression at the sarcolemma might therefore combat muscle wasting.

The association between cytokines and cognitive function in patients with major depressive disorder and controls.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction is a symptom of depression (MDD). While the involvement of the immune system has long been suggested to contribute to the biological underpinnings of depression, less is known about the underpinnings of cognitive dysfunction. A recent genome-wide association study pointed to genes related to immune function to be relevant for cognitive processes in depression.

Mindfulness interventions and quality of life in anxiety-related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) effectively treat anxiety symptoms across different anxiety and related disorders (ARDs), including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigate whether MBIs also lead to improvements in the quality of life (QoL) of patients with ARDs. A systematic review was performed through electronic search in PUBMED, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, and Clinical Trials databases.