A comprehensive systemic review and meta-analysis of the association between lipid profile and hidradenitis suppurativa.

Background: While several studies have suggested a connection between Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), a definitive analysis confirming the association between lipid abnormalities and HS based on actual lipid values is lacking. Previous research, using odds ratios from ICD codes, indicates links between elevated triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein levels with HS. However, these findings may not fully represent real-life situations, as no comprehensive analysis using actual lipid measurements has been performed.

Does remote COVID infection in pregnancy affect the placenta and pregnancy outcomes? - Results from a prospective cohort study (PLACENTA IN COVID/ PIC study).

Objectives: To study the rates of abnormal placentae and associated adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnant women who had COVID 19 infection during pregnancy, remote from delivery. To study the histopathological findings associated with these abnormal placentae.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out, recruiting pregnant women with singleton gestation, who had COVID 19 infection during their pregnancy, remote from delivery between August 2021 to July 2022.

Real-Time Imaging of Platelet-Initiated Plasma Clot Formation and Lysis Unveils Distinct Impacts of Anticoagulants.

Background:  Fibrinolysis is spatiotemporally well-regulated and greatly influenced by activated platelets and coagulation activity. Our previous real-time imaging analyses revealed that clotting commences on activated platelet surfaces, resulting in uneven-density fibrin structures, and that fibrinolysis initiates in dense fibrin regions and extends to the periphery. Despite the widespread clinical use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), their impact on thrombin-dependent activation of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and fibrinolysis remains unclear.

Association of Postprocedure Ankle-Brachial Index With Outcomes Following Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty in Femoropopliteal Artery Disease.

Endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal artery (FPA) disease with drug-coated balloons (DCBs) may face complications such as arterial recoil, dissection, and residual stenosis. Angiography has limited accuracy for evaluating blood flow through revascularized target lesions. Thus, there is a need for postprocedure hemodynamic assessment in treated limbs.

Status of Sepsis Care in European Hospitals: Results from an International Cross-Sectional Survey.

Rationale: Early detection, standardized therapy, adequate infrastructure and strategies for quality improvement should constitute essential components of every hospital's sepsis plan.

Objectives: To investigate the extent to which recommendations from the sepsis guidelines are implemented and the availability of infrastructure for the care of patients with sepsis in acute hospitals.

Methods: A multidisciplinary cross-sectional questionnaire was used to investigate sepsis care in hospitals.

The Impact of Body Mass Index and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia on Bone Health of Middle-Aged and Older Men.

Objective: Osteoporosis significantly affects older adults by reducing bone mass and increasing fracture risk, thereby impacting morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD), body mass index (BMI), and trabecular bone score (TBS) among middle-aged and older men with or without benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using health examination data from male participants aged 50-98 years collected at a regional hospital in southern Taiwan.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy attenuates brain radiation-induced cognitive deficits in rats.

Effective therapies for cognitive impairments induced by brain irradiation are currently lacking. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for radiation-induced brain injury in a randomized controlled experimental model using adult male Wistar rats. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups: 0 Gy whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) with normal baric air (NBA) treatment, 0 Gy WBRT with HBOT, 10 Gy WBRT with NBA, and 10 Gy WBRT with HBOT.

Pathways to care for psychosis in rural Uganda: Mixed-methods study of individuals with psychosis, family members, and local leaders.

Background: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionate burden of mental illness, with limited access to biomedical care. This study examined pathways to care for psychosis in rural Uganda, exploring factors influencing treatment choices.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study in Buyende District, Uganda, involving 67 in-depth interviews and 4 focus group discussions (data collection continued until thematic saturation was reached) with individuals with psychotic disorders, family members, and local leaders.

2025 Expert Consensus Recommendations for the Diagnostic Requirements in Routine Practices of Transthoracic Echocardiography.

Transthoracic echocardiography plays a crucial role in clinical diagnosis and is increasingly being used around the world. Comprehensive echocardiographic examinations require accurate measurements and the operators to have excellent technical skills. Despite the availability of several published echocardiographic guidelines, the absence of recommended operational manuals in daily practice has resulted in significant variation in the content of echocardiography reports across different medical institutions.

Serum Levels of Heavy Metals in Patients with Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Prostate cancer (PC) is a common malignancy among men globally. Although genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors contribute to its development, the role of heavy metals remains unclear. This study evaluated serum levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel in PC patients compared to healthy controls.

Comparative assessment of chondral defect repair using human bone marrow- and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, adult and foetal articular cartilage-derived chondrocytes, and chondroprogenitors: an ex-vivo model.

Purpose: Cartilage repair necessitates adjunct therapies such as cell-based approaches, which commonly use MSCs and chondrocytes but is limited by the formation of fibro-hyaline cartilage. Articular cartilage-derived chondroprogenitors(CPs) offer promise in overcoming this, as they exhibit higher chondrogenic and lower hypertrophic phenotypes. The study aimed to compare the efficacy of various cell types derived from adult and foetal cartilage suspended in platelet-rich plasma(PRP) in repairing chondral defects in an Ex-vivo Osteochondral Unit(OCU) model.

The burden of generational harm due to alcohol use in Tanzania: A mixed method study of pregnant women.

Background: Rates of prenatal alcohol use in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are increasing despite regulatory bodies urging pregnant women to abstain from alcohol. Tanzania has minimal policies, interventions, and educational programs addressing prenatal alcohol exposure. Consequently, a considerable number of mothers and their fetuses are exposed to alcohol, leading to serious health consequences like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

"They are not HIV treatments drugs; they are preventive drugs (PrEP)". Experiences of PrEP uptake among vulnerable adolescent girls and young women in Tanzania.

Introduction: HIV poses a significant global health concern, affecting adolescents among other populations. This is attributed to various vulnerabilities including biological factors, gender inequalities and limited access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services in sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, adolescent girls, and young women (AGYW) face double the risk of HIV infection compared to their male counterparts.

Xalnesiran with or without an Immunomodulator in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background: Xalnesiran, a small interfering RNA molecule that targets a conserved region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome and silences multiple HBV transcripts, may have efficacy, with or without an immunomodulator, in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Methods: We conducted a phase 2, multicenter, randomized, controlled, adaptive, open-label platform trial that included the evaluation of 48 weeks of treatment with xalnesiran at a dose of 100 mg (group 1), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg (group 2), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 150 mg of ruzotolimod (group 3), xalnesiran at a dose of 200 mg plus 180 μg of pegylated interferon alfa-2a (group 4), or a nucleoside or nucleotide analogue (NA) alone (group 5) in participants with chronic HBV infection who had virologic suppression with NA therapy. The primary efficacy end point was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss (HBsAg level, <0.

Erinacine A-Enriched Mycelium Ethanol Extract Lessens Cellular Damage in Cell and Models of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 by Improvement of Nrf2 Activation.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), caused by the abnormal expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) in the ataxin-3 protein, is one of the inherited polyQ neurodegenerative diseases that share similar genetic and molecular features. Mutant polyQ-expanded ataxin-3 protein is prone to aggregation in affected neurons and is predominantly degraded by autophagy, which is beneficial for neurodegenerative disease treatment. Not only does mutant polyQ-expanded ataxin-3 increase susceptibility to oxidative cytotoxicity, but it also hampers antioxidant potency in neuronal cells.

Reducing Postoperative Neurological Complications in Uniportal Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Efficacy of the GUARD Technique Combined With Delayed Ligamentum Flavectomy.

Objective: Uniportal full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (FE-TLIF) carries a unique risk of nerve traction and abrasion injury during cage insertion. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the GUARD technique and delayed ligamentum flavectomy in reducing postoperative radicular pain and neurapraxia in patients undergoing uniportal FE-TLIF.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 45 patients with an average age of 53.

Innovative Nerve Root Protection in Full-Endoscopic Facet-Resecting Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Controlled Cage Glider Rotation Using the GUARD (Glider Used As a Rotary Device) Technique.

This video presents a case of L4-5 unstable spondylolisthesis treated with full-endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-TLIF), emphasizing the GUARD (Glider Used as a Rotary Device) technique for nerve root protection. This innovative approach involves controlled rotation of the cage glider before cage insertion to minimize the risk of nerve root injury, a significant complication in Endo-TLIF procedures. The GUARD technique, validated in previous cadaveric studies, provides enhanced safety during cage insertion by protecting the nerve root.

Status of and needs related to community-based practice in public healthcare institutions among Korean medical schools: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study analyzed the status of community-based practice in public healthcare institutions in Korean medical schools and identified related needs.

Methods: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey in which 32 of 40 medical schools (80.0%) participated between March and April 2023.

Emergency care knowledge, utilization, and barriers in Northern Tanzania: A community-based survey.

Background: Emergency care systems are critical to improving care for time-sensitive emergency conditions. The growth and development of these systems in Sub-Saharan Africa is becoming a priority. Layperson knowledge and recognition of emergency symptoms and subsequent care-seeking behavior are key to achieving timely access to care and appropriate treatment.

New Hydrogenated Phenanthrene Glycosides from the Edible Vegetable W.T.Wang with DPP-IV Inhibitory and Hepatoprotective Activity.

Based on molecular networking-guided isolation, 15 previously undescribed hydrogenated phenanthrene glycosides, including eight hexahydro-phenanthrenone glycosides, four tetrahydro-phenanthrenone glycosides, one dihydro-phenanthrenol glycoside, two dimers, and two known dihydrophenanthrene glycosides, were isolated from W.T.Wang, a popular regional edible vegetable at the northwest region of Vietnam.

Medical Students' Attitudes Toward the COVID-19 Vaccine and Medical School Vaccine Education: A Survey Study.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate how demographic factors influence medical students' attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and their perceptions of vaccine education in medical school curricula.

Methods: A 28-question anonymous online survey was distributed to 640 medical students at one academic medical institution. Individual attitudes toward vaccines were evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale.

Curriculum as Change Agent: Promoting Inclusivity through an Advanced Feedback Curriculum.

Feedback curricula in medical education typically cover only the uncontextualized basics of feedback. We created a self-paced, online course that covered advanced feedback techniques with intentional inclusion of social dynamics that can influence feedback processes. Results revealed significant improvements in participant feedback orientation, feedback-seeking behaviors, and perceptions of feedback environment.

Practice, Experiences, and Facilitators of Simulation-Based Training During One Year of Implementation in 30 Hospitals in Tanzania.

Introduction: Enhancing the proficiency of healthcare workers (HCWs) in handling birth-related complications is crucial for reducing maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. To achieve this, the Safer Births Bundle of Care offers a comprehensive set of innovative, simulation-based training interventions designed to strengthen the skills and competencies of HCWs working as skilled birth attendants.

Objective: To describe the use of low-dose, high-frequency simulation-based training, and the experiences of this usage among HCWs and stakeholders at facilities in Tanzania.

Potential of Nature-Derived Biopolymers for Oral Applications- A Review.

In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on the "back-to-nature" movement, which has brought biopolymers derived from natural sources into the spotlight. These biopolymers are gaining attention for their versatile surface-active properties, anti-adhesive capabilities, excellent biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability, and antimicrobial effectiveness against a wide range of oral microorganisms, including both bacteria and fungi. Researchers have been actively modifying these eco-friendly, nature-based biopolymers to enhance their interaction with surrounding cells and tissues, improving their performance in vivo.