Spotlight on the 2024 ESC/EACTS management of atrial fibrillation guidelines: 10 novel key aspects.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) have recently released the 2024 guidelines for the management of AF. This review highlights 10 novel aspects of the ESC/EACTS 2024 Guidelines.

Advancing the network theory of mental disorders: A computational model of panic disorder.

The network theory of psychopathology posits that mental disorders are systems of mutually reinforcing symptoms. This framework has proven highly generative but does not specify precisely how any specific mental disorder operates as such a system. Cognitive behavioral theories of mental disorders provide considerable insight into how these systems may operate.

Country-Specific Roadmaps for Scaling Up Integrated Care in Belgium, Slovenia, and Cambodia - Lessons Learned from the SCUBY Project.

Introduction: The SCUBY project aimed to provide knowledge on the scaling-up of an Integrated Care Package (ICP) for type 2 diabetes and hypertension across three distinct health systems (Cambodia, Slovenia, and Belgium). Here, we analyse the different elements of the country-specific scale-up roadmaps to identify similarities and differences, and share lessons learned.

Methods: Thematic analysis was used to derive crucial roadmap elements from key SCUBY documents (n = 20), including policy briefs, interim reports, research outputs, and consortium meeting notes.

Built-in selection or confounder bias? Dynamic Landmarking in matched propensity score analyses.

Background: Propensity score matching has become a popular method for estimating causal treatment effects in non-randomized studies. However, for time-to-event outcomes, the estimation of hazard ratios based on propensity scores can be challenging if omitted or unobserved covariates are present. Not accounting for such covariates could lead to treatment estimates, differing from the estimate of interest.

The Multifaceted Roles of Myrrha in the Treatment of Breast Cancer: Potential Therapeutic Targets and Promises.

Background: Breast cancer is a critical threat to human health, and effective targeted agents showing lower systemic toxicity are still lacking. Therefore, exploring new potent therapeutic candidates with a broader safety margin is warranted. Alternative medicine, which has historically been used in traditional Chinese medicine, has played an increasingly prominent role in this area of research.

Accelerated Infant Brain Rhythm Maturation in Autism.

Electroencephalography (EEG) captures characteristic oscillatory shifts in infant brain rhythms over the first year of life, offering unique insights into early functional brain development and potential markers for detecting neural differences associated with autism. This study used functional principal component analysis (FPCA) to derive dynamic markers of spectral maturation from task-free EEG recordings collected at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from 87 infants, 51 of whom were at higher likelihood of developing autism due to an older sibling diagnosed with the condition. FPCA revealed three principal components explaining over 96% of the variance in infant power spectra, with power increases between 6 and 9 Hz (FPC1) representing the most significant age-related trend, accounting for more than 71% of the variance.

Cyberbullying Victimization among Transgender and Gender-Questioning Early Adolescents.

Objective: To determine the association between transgender or gender-questioning identity and cyberbullying victimization in a diverse national sample of early adolescents in the US.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N=9,989, Year 3, 2019-2021, 11-14 years old, 48.8% female, 47.

The Need for a Cancer Exposome Atlas: A Scoping Review.

Background: Despite advances in understanding genetic susceptibility to cancer, much of cancer heritability remains unidentified. At the same time, the makeup of industrial chemicals in our environment only grows more complex. This gap in knowledge on cancer risk has prompted calls to expand cancer research to the comprehensive, discovery-based study of non-genetic environmental influences, conceptualized as the "exposome.

Combination of gallium citrate and levofloxacin induces a distinct metabolome profile and enhances growth inhibition of multidrug-resistant compared to linezolid.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) treatment typically involves a tailored combination of four antibiotics based on the drug resistance profile of the infecting strain. The increasing drug resistance of () requires the development of novel antibiotics to ensure effective treatment regimens. Gallium (Ga) is being explored as a repurposed drug against TB due to its ability to inhibit growth and disrupt iron metabolism.

Validation of prognostic models predicting mortality or ICU admission in patients with COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries: a global individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: We evaluated the performance of prognostic models for predicting mortality or ICU admission in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Clinical Platform, a repository of individual-level clinical data of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: We identified eligible multivariable prognostic models for predicting overall mortality and ICU admission during hospital stay in patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from a living review of COVID-19 prediction models. These models were evaluated using data contributed to the WHO Global Clinical Platform for COVID-19 from nine LMICs (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, India, Niger, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe).

Differential effects of air pollution on ischemic stroke and ischemic heart disease by ethnicity in a nationwide cohort in the Netherlands.

Background: Air pollution is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and contributes to health disparities, particularly among minority ethnic groups, who often face higher exposure levels. Knowledge on whether the effect of air pollution on cardiovascular diseases differs between ethnic groups is crucial for identifying mechanisms underlying health disparities, ultimately informing targeted public health strategies and interventions. We explored differences in associations between air pollution and ischemic stroke and ischemic heart disease (IHD) for the six largest ethnic groups in the Netherlands.

Exploring the association of metabolic factors and chronic musculoskeletal pain over a period of 10 years - the Doetinchem Cohort Study.

Objective: To examine (a) the association between metabolic factors and chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP), (b) metabolic predictors of CMP 10 years later, and (c) the association and evolution of metabolic factors across different CMP trajectory groups.

Design: Data from the longitudinal Doetinchem Cohort Study were used. We used round 4 (2003-2007), with 4519 participants aged 36-75 years, as the baseline for the present study, with follow-up measurements in round 5 (2008-2012), and 6 (2013-2017), including self-reported pain and metabolic factors, which were measured either via self-report or physical assessment.

Metastatic breast cancer patients' preferences for exercise programs: a latent class analysis using data from a survey in five European countries.

Purpose: We aimed to identify metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients' preferences for exercise programs and identify patients' characteristics associated with these preferences, to facilitate implementation of exercise programs for MBC patients.

Methods: We used data from a multinational cross-sectional survey conducted among MBC patients. Patients reported their preferred exercise frequency, intensity, type, session duration, and supervision mode.

OPtimal TIming of antenatal COrticosteroid administration in pregnancies complicated by early-onset fetal growth REstriction: results of a large, multicenter cohort study (the OPTICORE study).

Background: Early-onset fetal growth restriction as consequence of placental insufficiency frequently requires iatrogenic, preterm birth. Administration of antenatal corticosteroids reduces risks of neonatal morbidity and mortality following preterm birth and is most beneficial if the neonate is delivered within two weeks following treatment. International guidelines on fetal growth restriction pregnancies do not provide directives regarding the timing of antenatal corticosteroids, resulting in practice variation.

Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Dilated Fundus Examinations by Metropolitan Status from 2017-2021: An Assessment of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Purpose: Diabetic eye disease, namely diabetic retinopathy (DR), remains a leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Research has shown that treatment for diabetes and eye care was disrupted during the pandemic - with disparities between urban and rural populations being unknown. Thus, we aimed to assess the prevalence of reported rates of DR and dilated fundus exams from 2017 to 2021.

Impact of prolactin treatment on enhancing the cellular responses of MCF7 breast cancer cells to tamoxifen treatment.

Breast cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases to treat due to its heterogeneity, propensity to recur, capacity to spread to distant vital organs, and, ultimately, patient death. Estrogen receptor-positive illness comprises the most common breast cancer subtype. Preclinical progress is hampered by the scarcity of medication-naïve estrogen receptor-positive tumour models that recapitulate metastatic development and treatment resistance.

Effects of periodontal disease on the reproductive performance and offspring of Wistar rats.

Background: Periodontitis can induce systemic inflammation, and it may affect the testicles and male reproductive performance. This study investigated the effects of periodontitis on the testicles, reproductive performance, and offspring development in male rats.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were induced with periodontitis by ligating their first molars.

Isoproterenol mechanisms in inducing myocardial fibrosis and its application as an experimental model for the evaluation of therapeutic potential of phytochemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Cardiac injury initiates repair mechanisms and results in cardiac remodeling and fibrosis, which appears to be a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, mainly collagen in the cardiac interstitium. Many experimental studies have demonstrated that fibrotic injury in the heart is reversible; therefore, it is vital to understand different molecular mechanisms that are involved in the initiation, progression, and resolution of cardiac fibrosis to enable the development of antifibrotic agents.

The concentration of selected organophosphorus pesticides associated with PM10 in agricultural ambient air in Iran: Health risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulation.

Organophosphate pesticides, widely utilized for pest management globally, are associated with various adverse health effects upon exposure. This study aimed to investigate the presence of organophosphate pesticides in particulate matter (PM10) and evaluate the potential risks to human health using both deterministic and probabilistic approaches in urban and suburban areas of Yasuj City, Iran. A total of 32 air samples were collected during the study period.

How accurate is high-resolution computed tomography of the chest in differentiating between pulmonary invasive fungal infections and other pulmonary infections in children with cancer?

Background: Pulmonary invasive fungal infections pose a serious risk for immunocompromised patients. Although diagnostic imaging plays an important role in the early detection of pulmonary invasive fungal infections, radiological differentiation between invasive fungal infection and other pulmonary infections is challenging.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the differentiation between pulmonary invasive fungal infections and other pulmonary infections in paediatric cancer patients.

Low income, being without employment, and living alone: how they are associated with cognitive functioning-Results from the German national cohort (NAKO).

Aim was to investigate to what extent cognitive functioning differs by three socioeconomic conditions: low income, being without employment, and living alone. A total of N = 158,144 participants of the population-based German National Cohort (NAKO) provided data on socioeconomic conditions and completed cognitive tests. Multivariable confounder-adjusted regression analyses indicated that cognitive functioning was lower in those with low income (b = -0.

Advancing Cardiac Amyloidosis Care Through Insights from Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.

Cardiac amyloidosis, encompassing both transthyretin (ATTR) and light-chain (AL) types, poses considerable challenges in patient management due to its intricate pathophysiology and progressive course. This narrative review elucidates the pivotal role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in the assessment of these patients. CPET is essential for evaluating disease progression by measuring cardio-respiratory performance and providing prognostic insights.

A Real-Time Web-Based Intervention with a Multicomponent Group-Based Program for Older Adults: Single-Arm Feasibility Study.

Frailty is a growing public health challenge in Japan's rapidly aging population, where 28.8% are aged ≥ 65. While multicomponent interventions have shown potential in preventing frailty, traditional face-to-face programs face accessibility challenges.