Search for surrogate markers to predict end stage kidney disease in long term lithium users.

Background: A surrogate marker (a substitute indicator of the true outcome) is needed to predict subgroups of long-term lithium users at risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). In this narrative review the aim is to determine the optimal surrogate endpoint for ESKD in long-term lithium users in a scientific context. MAIN: In a literature search in long-term lithium users, no studies on surrogate measurements on ESKD were identified.

Insights of prostate diseases risk among patients with male pattern baldness: a mendelian randomized study.

Background: Male pattern baldness (MPB) is commonly associated with prostate diseases, both of which can significantly impact men's quality of life. However, the relationship and causality between them remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the causal relationship between the two.

Relationship between bullous pemphigoid and metabolic syndrome and its relevant traits: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a chronic autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease, affecting mostly the elderly. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a set of metabolic disorders including obesity, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidemia. Observational studies have revealed a correlation between BP and MetS with controversial results and the causal relationship needs to be clarified.

Perceptions of sarcopenia in patients, health and care professionals, and the public: a scoping review of studies from different countries.

Rationale And Objective: Perceptions of sarcopenia have rarely been explored, yet understanding these will be key for successful translation of sarcopenia research findings into meaningful benefits for patients and the public. This scoping review aimed to explore how sarcopenia is perceived amongst patients, health and care professionals (HCP), and the public in different countries.

Methods: Seven electronic databases were searched from inception up to December 2023 with no geographical or language limitations.

Digital cognitive training for functionality in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Digital cognitive training may improve cognition in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI); however, the effect on functionality remains poorly defined. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) is a valid and consistent instrument for evaluating the performance of activities of daily living in this population. This study used the COPM to investigate the effects of digital cognitive training on functionality in individuals with MCI.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients with COVID-19: A Review.

Purpose Of The Review: Mounting evidence indicates that individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face a heightened risk of severe outcomes upon contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Current medications for COVID-19 often carry side effects, necessitating alternative therapies with improved tolerance. This review explores the biological mechanisms rendering COPD patients more susceptible to severe COVID-19 and investigates the potential of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) in mitigating the severity of COVID-19 in COPD patients.

ALG5 downregulation inhibits osteogenesis and promotes adipogenesis by regulating the N-glycosylation of SLC6A9 in osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone mass and accumulation of adipocytes in the bone marrow. The mechanism underlying the imbalance between osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) remains unclear. We found that ALG5 was significantly downregulated in BMSCs from osteoporotic specimens.

Proposal for novel definition of radiologically less-invasive clinical stage IA solid predominant lung adenocarcinoma using the maximum standardized uptake value.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of defining new imaging criteria to predict less-invasive clinical (c)-stage IA2-IA3 solid predominant lung adenocarcinoma using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) as the cutoff value.

Methods: Consecutive 364 patients who underwent anatomical resection with mediastinal lymphadenectomy and positron emission tomography for c-stage IA2-IA3 solid predominant lung adenocarcinoma with a tumor diameter < 3 cm were retrospectively evaluated. Less-invasive cancer was defined as the absence of nodal involvement, lymphovascular or pleural invasion, or spread through air spaces.

Ultrasound-guided vs. laparoscopic-guided transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Postoperative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a major concern. The transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) is one of the anesthetic techniques that has been developed to address this issue. The TAPB can be delivered by the guidance of either ultrasound (UTAPB) or laparoscopic (LTAPB).

Dose effect of corticosteroids on peripheral lymphocyte profiles in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To investigate the dose effect of methylprednisolone (MP) on peripheral lymphocyte profiles in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study investigated the impact of varied MP doses on peripheral lymphocyte subtypes in SLE patients.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study involving 51 SLE patients, categorized into four groups (40 mg/day, 80 mg/day, 500 mg/day, and 1000 mg/day) based on the administered MP dosage during hospitalization.

An accelerated deep learning model can accurately identify clinically important humeral and scapular landmarks on plain radiographs obtained before and after anatomic arthroplasty.

Purpose: Accurate identification of radiographic landmarks is fundamental to characterizing glenohumeral relationships before and sequentially after shoulder arthroplasty, but manual annotation of these radiographs is laborious. We report on the use of artificial intelligence, specifically computer vision and deep learning models (DLMs), in determining the accuracy of DLM-identified and surgeon identified (SI) landmarks before and after anatomic shoulder arthroplasty.

Materials & Methods: 240 true anteroposterior radiographs were annotated using 11 standard osseous landmarks to train a deep learning model.

Metabolomics analyses and comparative insight to neuroprotective potential of unripe fruits and leaves of Citrus aurantium ethanolic extracts against cadmium-induced rat brain dysfunction: involvement of oxidative stress and akt-mediated CREB/BDNF and GSK3β/NF-κB signaling pathways.

Serious neurological disorders were associated with cadmium toxicity. Hence, this research aimed to investigate the potential neuroprotective impacts of the ethanolic extracts of Citrus aurantium unripe fruits and leaves (CAF and CAL, respectively) at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg against cadmium chloride-provoked brain dysfunction in rats for 30 consecutive days. HPLC for natural pigment content revealed that CAF implied higher contents of Chlorophyll B, while the CAL has a high yield of chlorophyll A and total carotenoid.

Effect of post-processing on the surface, optical, mechanical, and dimensional properties of 3D-printed orthodontic clear retainers.

Objectives: To address the high surface roughness and poor optical properties of three-dimensional (3D) printed orthodontic clear retainers, an alternative post-processing protocol was investigated with the goal of achieving improved surface, optical, and mechanical properties while preserving dimensional accuracy.

Materials And Methods: Samples were prepared from two biocompatible methacrylate-based 3D-printing resins (Formlabs Dental LT Clear V2, NextDent OrthoFlex) and one thermoplastic material (Duran). For the 3D-printed resins, one group was post-processed by rinsing in isopropyl alcohol, while another group was centrifuged before post-curing in glycerine.

Impact of leadless pacemaker implantation site on cardiac synchronization and tricuspid regurgitation.

Background: To investigate the optimization of leadless pacemaker placement and to assess its impact on heart synchronization and tricuspid regurgitation.

Results: A clinical trial was conducted involving 53 patients who underwent leadless pacemaker implantation at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Hangzhou First People's Hospital between March 2022 and February 2023. Implantation site localization was determined using the 18-segment method under RAO 30° imaging.

Dental arch dimensional changes in deep bite adults treated with orthodontic fixed appliances in conjunction with maxillary incisor vs. canine bite turbos during the levelling and aligning phase: a randomized clinical trial.

Introduction: This randomized clinical trial compared arch dimensional changes, dentoskeletal changes, and the rate of overbite correction in deep bite adults treated with fixed appliances and either maxillary incisor bite turbos (IBT) or canine bite turbos (CBT).

Materials And Methods: Forty-six deep bite subjects treated with fixed appliances were randomized into IBT (n = 23) and CBT (n = 23) groups. Changes in intercanine width (ICW), arch height (AH), and Little's Irregularity Index (LII) were analyzed from before treatment (T) to 3 months after aligning with 0.

Effects of immune cells in mediating the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease and pyoderma gangrenosum: a two-sample, two-step mendelian randomization study.

Background: Although the precise cause of the co-occurrence of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is still unknown, prior research has shown that the two conditions coexist. Moreover, it is currently unknown how immune cells function in influencing the relationship between IBD and PG.

Methods: In order to choose independent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) as instrumental variables, we were provided with genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of European populations from the IEU OpenGWAS project (for IBD) and a the FinnGen database (for PG) publically available.

[Which diagnostic tests are indicated in the emergency department after trauma to the cervical spine?].

Injuries to the cervical spine are a diagnostic challenge as, although they are rare in relation to the overall population, they should not be overlooked under any circumstances. This article presents the diagnostic procedure in the emergency department, starting with the patient's medical history and subsequently clinical and neurological examinations. As a result, the clinical decision tools national emergency X‑radiography utilization study (NEXUS) criteria and the Canadian C‑spine rule (CCR) are discussed.

Practical approach to quantitative liver and pancreas MRI in children.

Quantitative abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers non-invasive, objective assessment of diseases in the liver, pancreas, and other organs and is increasingly being used in the pediatric population. Certain quantitative MRI techniques, such as liver proton density fat fraction (PDFF), R2* mapping, and MR elastography, are already in wide clinical use. Other techniques, such as liver T1 mapping and pancreas quantitative imaging methods, are emerging and show promise for enhancing diagnostic sensitivity and treatment monitoring.

Adolescents and Young Adults with Germline CDH1 Variants and the Risk of Overtreatment.

Background: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with germline CDH1 variants are at risk of overtreatment when precancer lesions are detected with endoscopic screening. We characterize diffuse-type gastric cancer prevalence and survival in AYA managed with prophylactic total gastrectomy (PTG) or endoscopic surveillance.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of 188 individuals aged 39 and younger enrolled from January 27, 2017, to May 1, 2023.

Development and Content Validity of a Questionnaire on Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Maintenance and Knowledge of Nursing Professionals Regarding Best Practices.

The aims of this study were to develop a questionnaire on peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) maintenance, evaluate its content validity, and assess factors influencing the level of knowledge of nursing professionals regarding best practices.The study was conducted in 3 stages: (1) development of a questionnaire on PIVC maintenance; (2) content validity assessment by experts with assessment of comprehensiveness, relevance, and clarity; and (3) application of the questionnaire to 1493 nursing professionals. Relationships between personal characteristics and knowledge levels were evaluated.

Intravenous Pump Flow Accuracy: A Systematic Review.

Intravenous pumps (IVPs) deliver IV medications to millions of acute care patients each year and result in many adverse events reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although the use of IVPs has improved overall safety, there are still high rates of error that risk the safety of all patients, especially those of advanced age and those suffering from critical illness. Most of the documented errors are based on clinician reports, although there is reason to believe that errors due to flow rate inaccuracy go undetected and unreported.

Development and Testing of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Evaluating Nurses in Infusion Therapy.

This study aimed to develop, assess, and test an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to evaluate nurses' competency in planning and managing infusion therapy. The study adopted a methodological approach with a quantitative design and was conducted from December 2020 to August 2021 at a university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Data collection occurred in 3 stages: development of scenarios and assessment checklists, evaluation of expert consensus, and testing scenarios with the target audience.