Bariatric surgery for treatment of morbid obesity in adults.

Morbid obesity requires active intervention, with treatment options including lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise in Korea, it is crucial for specialists and general practitioners to have a comprehensive understanding of obesity and its management. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment modality for obesity, leading to significant weight loss and metabolic benefits.

Long-term tumor suppression in cholangiocarcinoma using cytokine-induced killer cell therapy and high-dose vitamin C: a case report.

This case study explores the effectiveness of autologous cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell-based immunotherapy in a 49-year-old male patient with inoperable stage IIIb cholangiocarcinoma, characterized by high levels of the sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-2 (SVCT2) in immune cells. Despite an initial lack of tumor reduction following chemotherapy, the patient showed a significant decrease in tumor markers and stabilization of the tumor after undergoing radiation and proton therapy. Subsequently, CIK cell therapy, combined with high-dose vitamin C, was administered 52 times over 6 years.

A comprehensive analysis of serotype-specific invasive capacity, clinical presentations, and mortality trends of invasive pneumococcal disease.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) reduced invasive disease, but the overall prevalence of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonization among children has not changed significantly. Our knowledge of which serotypes, once colonized, hold a higher likelihood to cause invasive disease is limited.

Methods: Serotype-specific invasive capacity (IC) of Streptococcus pneumoniae was estimated using an enhanced population-based invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) surveillance in children <7 years of age in Massachusetts and surveillance of nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization in selected Massachusetts communities in corresponding respiratory seasons.

Impact of normocapnia vs. mild hypercapnia on prognosis after cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To explore the impact of mild hypercapnia or normocapnia on the prognosis of patients after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) following cardiac arrest (CA).

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the guidelines in the PROSPERO report. Information was retrieved in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science to collect all publications in English from January 1, 2000, to March 1, 2024, involving post-CA with mild hypercapnia.

Exploring social determinants of healthcare and cognition levels among diverse older adults.

Background: The purpose was to investigate the impact of social determinants of health on healthcare utilization among older adults in two cognition groups: normal and dementia/impaired cognition.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 16,339) to assess healthcare utilization: hospital stay, nursing home stay, hospice care, and doctor visits. The respondents were classified into two cognition groups using the Langa-Weir approach.

Computational advances in discovering cryptic pockets for drug discovery.

A number of promising therapeutic target proteins have been considered "undruggable" due to the lack of well-defined ligandable pockets. Substantial research in protein dynamics has elucidated the existence of "cryptic" pockets that only exist transiently and become favorable for binding in the presence of a ligand. These pockets provide an avenue to target challenging proteins, inspiring the development of multiple computational methods.

Neuromodulation Strategies in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome: Practical Clinical Guidance from the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium.

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by multiple drug-resistant seizure types, cognitive impairment, and distinctive electroencephalographic patterns. Neuromodulation techniques, including vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), and responsive neurostimulation (RNS), have emerged as important treatment options for patients with LGS who do not respond adequately to antiseizure medications. This review, developed with input from the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC) LGS Special Interest Group, provides practical guidance for clinicians on the use of these neuromodulation approaches in patients with LGS.

Impact of urban trees on carbon dioxide exchange: Mechanistic pathways, environmental controls, and feedback.

The increase of carbon dioxide (CO) concentration in the atmosphere is held responsible for global climate changes. To meet the objective of achieving carbon neutrality and keeping global warming in check, many cities, as hotspots of CO emissions, have been promoting the use of urban greenery, urban trees in particular, to mitigate carbon emissions from the built environment. However, there remain large uncertainty and divergence of the potential of urban trees for carbon mitigation, with the underlying mechanisms poorly understood.

Chlamydial infections in free-ranging raptors presenting to a university veterinary medical teaching hospital (1993-2022).

Objective: To describe the prevalence, clinical findings, lesions, and risk factors associated with chlamydial infections in free-ranging raptors presented to a university veterinary medical teaching hospital.

Methods: Medical records retrospectively searched for raptors admitted from January 1993 through April 2022 were tested for Chlamydia spp infections using quantitative PCR (qPCR), immunohistochemistry, culture, and sequencing. Findings were collected and analyzed.

REBOA in patients with high-grade liver injury may be associated with worse outcomes.

Background: Although controversial, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been used to manage liver injuries. This matched cohort study evaluated outcomes in severe liver injuries treated with REBOA or without REBOA.

Methods: Trauma Quality Improvement Program database study.

Outcomes and prognostic indicators in daratumumab-refractory multiple myeloma: a multicenter real-world study of elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone in 247 patients.

Background: Daratumumab-refractory multiple myeloma (Dara-R MM) presents a significant treatment challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and survival outcomes of elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (EloPd) in a large, real-world cohort of patients with Dara-R MM, with particular focus on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis included 247 Dara-R MM patients treated with EloPd.

Social capital and vaccination compliance: Evidence from Italy.

Exploiting high-frequency vaccination data for COVID-19 and social capital measures at the municipal level in Italy between January and October 2021, this paper estimates the effect of social capital on vaccination compliance. We find that weekly vaccination coverage increased up to 1.60 percentage points more in municipalities with higher social capital.

Arsenic and the placenta: A review with emphasis on the immune system.

Chronic arsenic exposure affects over 140 million people globally. While arsenic easily crosses the placenta, the specific mechanisms impacting placental immune cell populations and fetal health are unclear. Maternal arsenic exposure is epidemiologically linked to increased infection risk, mortality, and cancer susceptibility in offspring, emphasizing the importance of understanding placentally-mediated immune effects.

Comparing sewage sludge vs. digested sludge for starting-up thermophilic two-stage anaerobic digesters: Operational and economic insights.

Despite advances in anaerobic digestion (AD), full-scale implementation faces significant challenges, particularly during the start-up phase, where inoculum selection is crucial. This study examines the impact of inoculum choice on the operational and economic performance of thermophilic digesters during the start-up phase. Methanogenic reactors R3 and R4 were inoculated with digested sludge (DiS) and diluted sewage sludge (DSS), respectively, and fed with hydrolyzed source-sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste (SS-OFMSW) and thickened sewage sludge, which were processed in R1 and R2, serving as acidogenic reactors.

Adapting the Technology Acceptance Model to Examine the Use of Information Communication Technologies and Loneliness Among Low-Income, Older Asian Americans: Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis.

Background: Loneliness is a significant issue among older Asian Americans, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Older age, lower income, limited education, and immigrant status heighten loneliness risk. Information communication technologies (ICTs) have been associated with decreased loneliness among older adults.

Current evidence around key underrepresented women's health topics in pregnancy and postpartum nutrition: a narrative review.

Adequate nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum is critical to maternal and child health, but there is often a missing focus around health outcomes specifically for women. Women's health includes sex-specific biological attributes and socially constructed gender roles framing behaviours and practices. This narrative review aims to highlight key areas where women's health has been underrepresented in pregnancy and postpartum nutrition research.

Sex-Related Differences in Motor Unit Firing Rate and Pennation Angle.

Motor unit firing rate (MUFR) and pennation angle were measured concurrently in males and females from submaximal to maximal intensities. Thirty participants, (16F and 14M) performed isometric dorsiflexion contractions at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). During each contraction, measures of MUFR were obtained via surface electromyography decomposition, and muscle fiber pennation angle and fascicle length were obtained via ultrasound.

What do Canadian universities suggest on their webpages as future career and educational pathways following completion of a kinesiology or exercise science undergraduate program?

Kinesiology undergraduate programs are multidisciplinary, and graduates may navigate several post-graduate education and career pathways. This study summarized the pathways currently listed online by Canadian undergraduate programs following completion of a kinesiology or 'exercise science' degree. An environmental scan was completed by reviewing Canadian undergraduate program (n= 59) webpages and their list of future pathways (n=845).

Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma: ASCO Guideline Update.

Purpose: To provide evidence-based recommendations to practicing physicians and others on the management of pleural mesothelioma (PM).

Methods: ASCO convened an Expert Panel of medical oncology, thoracic surgery, radiation oncology, pathology, cancer genetics, and advocacy experts to conduct an updated literature search, which included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and prospective and retrospective comparative observational studies published from 2016 through 2024. Outcomes of interest included survival, disease-free or recurrence-free survival, and quality of life.

Incomplete Toxicity Reporting and Use of Toxicity-Minimizing Language in Phase III Oncology Trials.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine complete toxicity reporting (CTR), and the use of subjective toxicity-minimizing language (TML) among phase III oncology trials.

Methods: Two-arm superiority-design phase III oncology trials published from 2002 to 2020 were reviewed for toxicity data. CTR was defined as reporting total adverse events (TAEs), total serious adverse events (SAEs), total deaths, and study therapy discontinuations because of toxicity.

Efficacy and Safety of Sirolimus-Coated Balloon Angioplasty in De Novo Lesions in Large Coronary Vessels: A Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Background: Evidence regarding drug-coated balloon (DCB)-only angioplasty in de novo lesions of large vessels is still limited and mainly focused on paclitaxel-coated balloon. We aimed to analyze the safety and efficacy of sirolimus-coated balloon (SCB)-only angioplasty in de novo lesions in large vessels compared to drug-eluting stent (DES).

Methods: In this retrospective, dual-center, case-control study, we enrolled all consecutive patients treated between January 2022 and January 2024 with SCB-only angioplasty in de novo lesion in large vessel (> 2.

Seeing in the Future - a Perspective on Combining Light with Chemical Biology Approaches to Treat Retinal Pathologies.

New concepts to treat eye diseases have emerged that elegantly combine unnatural light exposure with chemical biology approaches to achieve superior cellular specificity and, as a result, improvement of visual function. Historically, light exposure without further molecular eye treatment has offered limited success including photocoagulation to halt pathological blood vessel growth or low light exposure to stimulate retinal cell viability. To add cellular specificity to such treatments, researchers have introduced various biological or chemical light-sensing molecules and combined those with light exposure.

Boosting the Performance of Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer with Vanadium-Doped NiFeO.

Developing efficient, economical, and stable catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction is pivotal for producing large-scale green hydrogen in the future. Herein, a vanadium-doped nickel-iron oxide supported on nickel foam (V-NiFeO/NF) is introduced, and synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for water electrolysis. X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopies reveal a synergistic interaction between the vanadium dopant and nickel/iron in the host material, which tunes the electronic structure of NiFeO to increase the number of electrochemically active sites.