Minimising inhaled corticosteroids for COPD.

This Therapeutic Letter considers the evidence for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as a treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Drug therapy aims to alleviate symptoms, enhance functional capacity and prevent exacerbations, but has not consistently shown to reduce mortality or improve quality of life based on randomised trials.Inhaled corticosteroids have shown limited benefits for COPD symptoms and exacerbations but increased risks of serious harms.

Minimising harms of tight glycaemic control in older patients with type 2 diabetes.

In older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), tight glycaemic control (HbA1c 7%) can result in more harm than benefit, especially when using insulin or sulfonylureas. Older adults are at higher risk for adverse drug events, especially hypoglycaemia, which may cause falls, confusion and hospitalisations. This Therapeutic Letter evaluates the risks of tight glycaemic control in older adults with T2DM, focusing on deprescribing diabetes medications in those over 65, especially those with multimorbidity and polypharmacy.

Association between alkaline phosphatase levels and mortality in Chinese patients with colorectal cancer with liver metastases: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a potential cancer biomarker. However, its prognostic value in patients with colorectal liver metastasis remains unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between ALP levels and mortality risk in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), providing insights for enhancing prognostic assessments.

Wristwatch pulse wave monitoring: assessing daily activity post-catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) leads to impaired exercise capacity, and catheter ablation (CA) for AF improves exercise capacity. However, the precise changes in daily activities after CA for AF remain unclear. The authors aimed to evaluate the changes in daily activities following CA for AF using a wristwatch-type pulse wave monitor (PWM), which tracks steps and exercise time, estimates burnt daily calories, and records sleep duration, in addition to establishing the rhythm diagnosis of AF or non-AF.

Effect of blindfolding the lead resuscitator on frequency of closed-loop communication during veterinary cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training: a randomized, controlled pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of blindfolding the lead resuscitator during veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) simulation training sessions on frequency of completed closed-loop communication statements (CLC).

Design: Ten groups of staff volunteers were recruited for a prospective, randomized, blinded, observational pilot study over a 6-month period. Additionally, two associated online questionnaires were completed by participants.

Impact of Surgical Margin Status and Tumor Volume on Mortality After Robotic Radical Prostatectomy.

Background And Objective: Positive surgical margins (PSMs) following radical prostatectomy (RP) have been seen as inherently unfavorable. However, a large international multi-institutional study recently revealed that unifocal PSMs (UPSMs) had no impact on prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), whereas multifocal PSMs (MPSMs) did. Our aim was to assess the relative impact of PSMs versus percentage tumor volume (PTV) on PCSM.

Identify biological Alzheimer's disease using a novel nucleic acid-linked protein immunoassay.

Blood-based biomarkers have been revolutionizing the detection, diagnosis and screening of Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, phosphorylated-tau variants (p-tau, p-tau and p-tau) are promising biomarkers for identifying Alzheimer's disease pathology. Antibody-based assays such as single molecule arrays immunoassays are powerful tools to investigate pathological changes indicated by blood-based biomarkers and have been studied extensively in the Alzheimer's disease research field.

Brain microstructure alterations in subjective cognitive decline: a multi-component T2 relaxometry study.

Previous research has revealed patterns of brain atrophy in subjective cognitive decline, a potential preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease. However, the involvement of myelin content and microstructural alterations in subjective cognitive decline has not previously been investigated. This study included three groups of participants recruited from the Compostela Aging Study project: 53 cognitively unimpaired adults, 16 individuals with subjective cognitive decline and hippocampal atrophy and 70 with subjective cognitive decline and no hippocampal atrophy.

Illusory implications: incidental exposure to ideas can induce beliefs.

Numerous psychological findings have shown that incidental exposure to ideas makes those ideas seem more true, a finding commonly referred to as the 'illusory truth' effect. Under many accounts of the illusory truth effect, initial exposure to a statement provides a metacognitive feeling of 'fluency' or familiarity that, upon subsequent exposure, leads people to infer that the statement is more likely to be true. However, genuine beliefs do not only affect truth judgements about individual statements, they also imply other beliefs and drive decision-making.

Validation framework for digital measures.

The adoption of digital measures in pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) presents an opportunity to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of discovering and developing new therapeutics. For clinical measures, the Digital Medicine Society's (DiMe) V3 Framework is a comprehensive validation framework that encompasses verification, analytical validation, and clinical validation. This manuscript describes collaborative efforts to adapt this framework to ensure the reliability and relevance of digital measures for a preclinical context.

Validity and reliability of local endemic language version of the SARI Sigma Scale questionnaire for assessing stigma in leprosy patients.

Introduction: The Stigma Assessment and Reduction of Impact (SARI) Stigma Scale is an instrument developed to evaluate stigma in Leprosy patients. Despite existing versions in Indonesian, the absence of an endemic area language version of a reliable assessment tool presents a barrier to effective interventions in regions like Ambon. This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Ambonese-Malay Language of SARI Stigma Scale questionnaire.

Vanishing twins, selection , and infant mortality in the United States.

Background And Objectives: Research to identify fetal predictors of infant mortality among singletons born in the United States (US) concludes that poorly understood and unmeasured "confounders" produce a spurious association between fetal size and infant death. We argue that these confounders include Vanishing Twin Syndrome (VTS)-the clinical manifestation of selection against frail male twins . We test our argument in 276 monthly conception cohorts conceived in the US from January 1995 through December 2017.

Urethra-sparing prostate cancer radiotherapy: Current practices and future insights from an international survey.

Purpose: In prostate cancer patients, high radiation doses to the urethra have been associated with an increased risk of severe genitourinary toxicity following dose-escalated radiotherapy. Urethra-sparing techniques have emerged as a promising approach to reduce urinary toxicity. This international survey aims to evaluate current global practices in urethra-sparing and explore future directions for the implementation of this technique in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer.

Testing the relationships of hope and negotiable fate with sleep quality among university students in Hong Kong.

For university students, who are often under significant stress to perform well, sleep is particularly important, playing roles in learning and academic performance. Research demonstrates a relationship between hope and sleep quality. However, most work concerns Western samples, and the hope construct has been criticized for a Western bias.

Principal investigator gender and clinical trial success: analysis of over 3000 obstetrics and gynecology trials.

Background: In obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) research, gender disparities permeate through leadership, funding, promotion, mentorship, publishing, compensation, and publicity. Few studies have investigated OBGYN clinical trial leadership as it relates to investigator gender. Thus, we undertook an investigation of principal investigator (PI) gender and clinical trial success.

Comprehensive prediction of potential spatiotemporal distribution patterns, priority planting regions, and introduction adaptability of in the Chinese region.

The natural grassland in China is facing increasingly serious degradation. L., as an important native alpine grass, is widely used in the restoration and improvement of natural grassland.

Achieving reliable patient reported outcomes collection to measure health care improvement in a learning health network: lessons from pediatric rheumatology care and outcomes improvement network.

Introduction: Data from the Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network (PR-COIN) registry suggests that reliable collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) varies across sites. The objective of this study was to better understand the practices of collecting PROs at PR-COIN sites.

Methods: A REDCap survey was sent to the lead representative for each PR-COIN site.

Cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis: A critical review of knowledge gaps and opportunities.

Cardiovascular complications are observed in up to one-third of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Early identification and management of SSc-associated primary cardiac disease is often challenging, given the complex disease pathophysiology, significant variability in clinical presentation, and scarce disease-modifying therapeutics. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms involved in SSc-associated cardiac disease pathogenesis, novel diagnostic tools and emerging therapies.

The Effect of Wing-Flashing Behavior on Prey Capture Performance of San Clemente Loggerhead Shrikes.

Loggerhead shrikes () are medium-sized predatory songbirds that feed on arthropods and vertebrates. Prior to attacking their prey, shrikes have been observed performing "wing-flashing" behavior, consisting of rapid fluttering of the wings that seems to emphasize the white patches on their dorsal surfaces. We sought to quantify this behavior by analyzing videos of San Clemente loggerhead shrikes attacking insect and vertebrate prey, to understand whether and how wing-flashing affects prey capture performance.

Gene model for the ortholog of in .

Gene model for the ortholog of glycogen synthase ( ) in the May 2017 (Princeton ASM75419v2/DsimGB2) Genome Assembly (GenBank Accession: GCA_000754195.3 ). This ortholog was characterized as part of a developing dataset to study the evolution of the Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) across the genus using the Genomics Education Partnership gene annotation protocol for Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences.

Peritoneal Tuberculosis Mimicking Ovarian Malignancy: A Case Report.

Peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) is a rare extrapulmonary form of TB that often mimics ovarian malignancy, posing diagnostic challenges. This report presents a 16-year-old Jordanian female with abdominal distension, weakness, anorexia, and night sweats. Initial imaging, including contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), revealed compartmentalized ascites, peritoneal thickening, and enlarged ovaries with masses, suggesting possible ovarian malignancy.

Viscoelastic hydrogel combined with dynamic compression promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and bone repair in rats.

A biomechanical environment constructed exploiting the mechanical property of the extracellular matrix and external loading is essential for cell behaviour. Building suitable mechanical stimuli using feasible scaffold material and moderate mechanical loading is critical in bone tissue engineering for bone repair. However, the detailed mechanism of the mechanical regulation remains ambiguous.

The prevalence and burden of musculoskeletal disorders amongst Indigenous people in Pimicikamak, northern Manitoba, Canada: A community health survey.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of spine symptoms and spine disability, self-care and care seeking behaviors in a random sample of Indigenous adults residing in Cross Lake, northern Manitoba, Canada.

Study Design And Setting: Orally administered survey in Cree or English to a representative sample of Pimicikamak citizens from the treaty ( = 150/1931 houses) and non-treaty ( = 20/92 houses) land, between May and July 2023. Questions ( = 154) were derived from the 2018 First Nations Regional Health Survey, 2020 Canadian Community Health Survey, and 2021 The Global Burden of Disease study, covering demographics, spine symptoms, chronic conditions, activity limitations, general health, self-care, medication, and satisfaction with care.

Accelerating computational fluid dynamics simulation of post-combustion carbon capture modeling with MeshGraphNets.

Packed columns are commonly used in post-combustion processes to capture CO emissions by providing enhanced contact area between a CO-laden gas and CO-absorbing solvent. To study and optimize solvent-based post-combustion carbon capture systems (CCSs), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to model the liquid-gas countercurrent flow hydrodynamics in these columns and derive key determinants of CO-capture efficiency. However, the large design space of these systems hinders the application of CFD for design optimization due to its high computational cost.

Factors associated with mortality in thoracic trauma patients in Cameroon.

Background: Thoracic trauma is the third most common cause of death after abdominal injury and head trauma in polytrauma patients. The identification of a patient at risk of thoracic trauma mortality is necessary to avoid delays that may lead to morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the objective was to assess the factors associated with mortality among thoracic trauma patients in Cameroon.