Self-sampling and self-testing for HIV at a commercial and community-based test provider in the Netherlands: user preferences and usability.

HIV self-sampling and -testing (HIVSS/ST) reduces testing barriers and potentially reaches populations who may not test otherwise. In the Netherlands, at-home HIV tests became commercially available around 2016, but data on user experiences are limited. This study aimed to explore characteristics of users and their experiences with HIVSS/ST.

A participatory needs assessment to map the system dynamics of overweight related behaviours of 10-14-year-old adolescents living in an underserved neighbourhood in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: Developing interventions along with the population of interest using systems thinking is a promising method to address the underlying system dynamics of overweight. The purpose of this study is twofold: to gain insight into the perspectives of adolescents regarding: (1) the system dynamics of energy balance-related behaviours (EBRBs) (physical activity, screen use, sleep behaviour and dietary behaviour); and (2) underlying mechanisms and overarching drivers of unhealthy EBRBs.

Methods: We conducted Participatory Action Research (PAR) to map the system dynamics of EBRBs together with adolescents aged 10-14 years old living in a lower socioeconomic, ethnically diverse neighbourhood in Amsterdam East, the Netherlands.

Clinical characteristics, complications and satisfaction of megameatus intact prepuce (MIP) hypospadias variant: a 15 year retrospective study.

Background: To analyze the clinical characteristics, complications and patients satisfaction of MIP hypospadias variant.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for 31 patients with MIP admitted to our hospital from January 2008 to February 2023. All enrolled patients underwent telephone follow-up and a survey was conducted on the satisfaction of patients and their families.

Enhancing healthcare utilization and reducing preventable hospitalizations: exploring the healthcare-seeking propensity of patients with non-communicable diseases in Rural China.

Objective: Understanding healthcare-seeking propensity is crucial for optimizing healthcare utilization, especially for patients with chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes, given their substantial burden on healthcare systems globally. This study aims to evaluate hypertensive or diabetic patients' healthcare-seeking propensity based on the severity of symptoms, categorizing symptoms as either major or minor. It also explores factors influencing healthcare-seeking propensity and examines whether healthcare-seeking propensity affects healthcare utilization and preventable hospitalizations.

On the pursuit of reproducibility: the importance of large sample sizes in psychoimmunology.

Peripheral inflammatory markers (PIMs), such as C-reactive protein (CRP) or white blood cell count (WBC), have been associated with depression severity in meta-analyses and large cohort studies. However, in typically-sized psychoimmunology studies (N < 200) that explore associations between PIMs and neurobiological/psychosocial constructs related to depression and studies that examine less-studied PIMs (e.g.

Developmental deficits, synapse and dendritic abnormalities in a Clcn4 KO autism mice model: endophenotypic target for ASD.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is linked to ion channel dysfunction, including chloride voltage-gated channel-4 (CLCN4). We generated Clcn4 knockout (KO) mice by deleting exon 5 of chromosome 7 in the C57BL/6 mice. Clcn4 KO exhibited reduced social interaction and increased repetitive behaviors assessed using three-chamber and marble burying tests.

Dissociating social reward learning and behavior in alcohol use disorder.

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with deficits in social cognition and behavior, but why these deficits are acquired is unknown. We hypothesized that a reduced association between actions and outcomes for others, i.e.

Exploratory study of patients' and carers' preferences for postdischarge surgical wound monitoring using survey and interviews.

Objectives: To explore patients' and carers' preferences for postdischarge surgical wound monitoring.

Design: Explanatory mixed methods study with an online survey followed by online interviews.

Setting: The online survey was distributed via the Cardiothoracic Interdisciplinary Research Network and cardiac surgery patient and public involvement groups in London and Leicester, UK.

Predicting preventive self-care behaviours among type 2 diabetes based on the health belief model in Bandar Abbas city: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: It is essential to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through self-care behaviours and to ascertain the predictors of correct health training for the control of diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive role of the constructs of the health belief model in encouraging T2DM to adopt self-care behaviours in Bandar Abbas city.

Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 in Bandar Abbas.

Adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment in high compared to low TB burden countries: study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis with a qualitative meta-synthesis of themes.

Introduction: Non-adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment poses a significant challenge to effective TB management globally and is a major contributor to the emergence of multidrug-resistant TB. Although adherence to TB treatment has been widely studied, a comprehensive evaluation of the comparative levels of adherence in high- versus low-TB burden settings remains lacking. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the levels of adherence to TB treatment in high-TB burden countries compared to low-burden countries.

Classification of Fibro-osseous Tumors in the Craniofacial Bones using DNA Methylation and Copy Number Alterations.

Fibro-osseous tumors of the craniofacial bones are a heterogeneous group of lesions comprising cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD), cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF), juvenile trabecular ossifying fibroma (JTOF), psammomatoid ossifying fibroma (PsOF), fibrous dysplasia (FD), and low-grade osteosarcoma (LGOS) with overlapping clinicopathological features. However, their clinical behavior and treatment differ significantly, underlining the need for accurate diagnosis. Molecular diagnostic markers exist for subsets of these tumors, including GNAS mutations in FD, SATB2 fusions in PsOF, mutations involving the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway in COD, and MDM2 amplification in LGOS.

Depression and Anxiety Disorders among Persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Tertiary Hospital in Zaria, Nigeria.

Background: Depression and anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, leading to poor glycaemic control and quality of life through complex biopsychosocial mechanisms. A dual diagnosis of chronic medical and mental health conditions reduces the probability of early recognition and intervention for either. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and correlates of depression and anxiety disorders among persons with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a tertiary hospital in North-West Nigeria.

Exploring Nile Red Staining as an Analytical Tool for Surface-Oxidized Microplastics.

Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, have garnered considerable attention owing to their potential biological impact on human health. These particles exhibit a range of physicochemical properties, including size, shape, and surface oxidation. Nile Red is a prominent tool for detecting microplastics, enabling staining for dynamic analyses within biological systems.

Size-specific mediation of the physiological responses and degradation ability of microalgae to sulfamerazine by microplastics.

Antibiotics and microplastics (MPs) are two classes of emerging contaminants that are commonly found in various water environments. However, how different sized MPs affect the toxicity and biodegradation of antibiotics remains poorly understood. We investigated the effects of polystyrene (PS) MPs with different particle sizes (100 nm and 30 μm) on the physiological responses and degradation behavior of Phaeodactylum tricornutum to sulfamerazine (SMR).

Extracellular calreticulin regulates fibrogenic and immunogenic properties of hepatic stellate cells.

Liver fibrosis is a persistent damage repair response triggered by various etiological factors, resulting in an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Activated hepatic stellate cells (HpSCs) are the primary source of ECM proteins. Therefore, specifically targeting HpSCs has become a crucial approach for treating liver fibrosis.

Behind the software: The impact of Unobtrusiveness, Goal Setting and persuasive features on BMI.

Background: Studies have demonstrated that interventions targeting weight loss and body mass index (BMI) reduction can be successful, although the specific factors that influence their effectiveness are still unclear. Behavior change support systems (BCSS) are an approach that aims to help users in their efforts to modify their behavior. A useful tool for assessing BCSS is the Persuasive Systems Design model (PSD), where different features and postulates can be employed.

Evaluation of Patients' Satisfaction with Healthcare Services Provided at the National Health Insurance Authority Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in South-West, Nigeria.

Background: Patient satisfaction is an essential indicator used for measuring the quality of health care delivered to a patient and contributes to strategies for the improvement of healthcare delivery. This study assessed patients' satisfaction with the quality of care at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) clinic in a tertiary health facility.

Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional design with 320 respondents who completed a semi-structured questionnaire.

SERT-Deficient Mice Fed Western Diet Reveal Altered Metabolic and Pro-Inflammatory Responses of the Liver: A Link to Abnormal Behaviors.

Background: The inheritance of the short allele, encoding the serotonin transporter (SERT) in humans, increases susceptibility to neuropsychiatric and metabolic disorders, with aging and female sex further exacerbating these conditions. Both central and peripheral mechanisms of the compromised serotonin (5-HT) system play crucial roles in this context. Previous studies on SERT-deficient (Sert) mice, which model human SERT deficiency, have demonstrated emotional and metabolic disturbances, exacerbated by exposure to a high-fat Western diet (WD).

Application of the Omaha System-Based Continuous Care Model in Diabetes Health Management for Outpatients within the Framework of "Internet +".

Diabetes is a chronic lifelong condition that requires consistent self-care and daily lifestyle adjustments. Effective disease management involves regular blood glucose monitoring and ongoing nursing support. Inadequate education and poor self-management are key factors contributing to increased mortality among diabetic individuals.

The Application Value of an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Intestinal Image Recognition Model to Evaluate Intestinal Preparation before Colonoscopy.

Artificial intelligence (AI), with advantages such as automatic feature extraction and high data processing capacity and being unaffected by fatigue, can accurately analyze images obtained from colonoscopy, assess the quality of bowel preparation, and reduce the subjectivity of the operating physician, which may help to achieve standardization and normalization of colonoscopy. In this study, we aimed to explore the value of using an AI-driven intestinal image recognition model to evaluate intestinal preparation before colonoscopy. In this retrospective analysis, we analyzed the clinical data of 98 patients who underwent colonoscopy in Nantong First People's Hospital from May 2023 to October 2023.

Neural Correlates of Social Touch Processing: An fMRI Study on Brain Functional Connectivity.

Background: The significance of tactile stimulation in human social development and personal interaction is well documented; however, the underlying cerebral processes remain under-researched. This study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of social touch processing, with a particular focus on the functional connectivity associated with the aftereffects of touch.

Methods: A total of 27 experimental subjects were recruited for the study, all of whom underwent a 5-minute calf and foot massage prior to undergoing resting-state fMRI.

Effects of Electrical Stimulation on Activation of Mirror Neuron Network in Healthy Adults during Motor Execution and Imitation: An fNIRS Study.

Background: Observation, execution, and imitation of target actions based on mirror neuron network (MNN) have become common physiotherapy strategies. Electrical stimulation (ES) is a common intervention to improve muscle strength and motor control in rehabilitation treatments. It is possible to enhance MNN's activation by combining motor execution (ME) and motor imitation (MI) with ES simultaneously.

Population-Level SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Cycle Threshold Values and Their Relationships with COVID-19 Transmission and Outcome Metrics: A Time Series Analysis Across Pandemic Years.

This study investigates the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values and key COVID-19 transmission and outcome metrics across five years of the pandemic in Jalisco, Mexico. Utilizing a comprehensive time-series analysis, we evaluated weekly median Ct values as proxies for viral load and their temporal associations with positivity rates, reproduction numbers (Rt), hospitalizations, and mortality. Cross-correlation and lagged regression analyses revealed significant lead-lag relationships, with declining Ct values consistently preceding surges in positivity rates and hospitalizations, particularly during the early phases of the pandemic.