A critical review on effects of artificial sweeteners on gut microbiota and gastrointestinal health.

Artificial sweeteners have emerged as popular alternatives to traditional sweeteners, driven by the growing concern over sugar consumption and its associated rise in obesity and metabolic disorders. Despite their widespread use, the safety and health implications of artificial sweeteners remain a topic of debate, with conflicting evidence contributing to uncertainty about their long-term effects. This review synthesizes current scientific evidence regarding the impact of artificial sweeteners on gut microbiota and gastrointestinal health.

Supervised Toothbrushing Programmes: Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation.

Objectives: Supervised toothbrushing programmes (STPs), whereby children brush their teeth at nursery or school with a fluoride toothpaste under staff supervision, are a clinically and cost-effective intervention to reduce dental caries. However, uptake is varied, and the reasons unknown. The aim was to use an implementation science approach to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders on the barriers and facilitators at each level of implementation of STPs.

Best evidence summary for the management of exercise in patients with central venous access devices.

Background: Central venous access devices (CVAD) are widely used in patient care, providing an essential, reliable pathway for patients to receive chemotherapy, long-term infusions, and nutritional support. However, a system of exercise management has not been developed in patients with CVAD.

Purpose: To evaluate and summarize the evidence for management exercise in patients with CVAD and provide guidance for clinical practice.

Success Rate of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in Children Younger Than 1 Year With Idiopathic Congenital Aqueductal Stenosis and Long-term Follow-up.

Introduction: The indication for endoscopic third ventriculostomy is often contested in children younger than 1 year. This study aims to establish the benefits of this modality in children with idiopathic congenital aqueductal stenosis.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on patients <1 year old with idiopathic congenital aqueductal stenosis undergoing endoscopic third ventriculostomy between 2004 and 2020.

Pediatric Sleep Quality and Parental Stress in Neuromuscular Disorders: Descriptive Analytical Study.

Background: Neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) constitute a heterogeneous group of disorders that affect motor neurons, neuromuscular junctions, and muscle fibers, resulting in symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, and reduced mobility. These conditions significantly affect patients' quality of life and impose a substantial burden on caregivers. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a relatively common NMD in children that presents in various types with varying degrees of severity.

Bots in white coats: are large language models the future of patient education? a multi-center cross-sectional analysis.

Objectives: Every year, around 300 million surgeries are conducted worldwide, with an estimated 4.2 million deaths occurring within 30 days after surgery. Adequate patient education is crucial, but often falls short due to the stress patients experience before surgery.

Could less be enough: sublobar resection vs lobectomy for clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer patients with visceral pleural invasion or spread through air spaces.

Background: While recent randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that sublobar resection is non-inferior to lobectomy, the comparative efficacy of these procedures remains uncertain for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; ≤ 3 cm) exhibiting invasive features postoperatively, such as visceral pleural invasion (VPI) or spread through air spaces (STAS).

Materials And Methods: To identify eligible studies, a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was conducted through 25 July 2024. Studies were screened according to predefined criteria in accordance with PRISMA guidelines.

A Novel Technique for rapid localization of pulmonary nodules on-site in Operating Room Followed by Lung Resection: a Case Series.

Background: The localization of pulmonary nodules is crucial for surgical intervention. However, a safe, simple, and efficient method remains elusive. This study aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a newly developed preoperative localization method for pulmonary nodules called Rapid Localization of Pulmonary Nodules On-Site (RLPN-OS).

Non-enhanced abbreviated MRI as a periodic surveillance protocol for colorectal liver metastases compared with contrast-enhanced CT: a prospective observational study.

Background: Adopting appropriate noninvasive radiological method is crucial for periodic surveillance of liver metastases in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients after surgery, which is closely related to clinical management and prognosis. This study aimed to prospectively enroll stage II-III CRC patients for the surveillance of liver metastases, and compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) and non-enhanced abbreviated MRI (NE-AMRI) during this process.

Methods: 587 CRC patients undergoing radical resection of the primary tumor were evaluated by 1 to 3 rounds of surveillance tests, consisting of abdominal CE-CT and contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) within 7 days at 6-month intervals.

Determining the optimal antibiotic duration for skin and soft tissue infections.

Purpose Of Review: Optimal duration of therapy in SSTIs - a heterogeneous group of infections - remains unknown. The advances in knowledge of antibiotic duration of treatment in selected SSTIs that can impact clinical practice and published in the last 18 months are reviewed.

Recent Findings: Recent evidence indicates that few patients receive guideline concordant empiric antibiotics and appropriate duration in the United States, although this likely can be extrapolated to other countries.

A Belgian physician-initiated trial investigating the LifeStream peripheral stent graft system for the treatment of complex TASC C and D iliac lesions.

Background: Due to the heterogeneity of literature findings, stent type selection for the endovascular treatment of complex aorto-iliac occlusive disease remains challenging. The BELSTREAM study, a physician-initiated, prospective, multicenter, single-arm study, aims to report the safety and efficacy of the balloon expandable LifeStream Peripheral Stent Graft System (BD, Tempe, Arizona, USA) for the treatment of complex TASC C and D aorto-iliac artery lesions.

Methods: Seventy patients and 133 lesions were included at six Belgian institutions.

Optimizing the life of vascular access during follow-up.

Optimizing the longevity of vascular access in hemodialysis patients remains a critical aspect of patient care, given the significant role of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) and arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) in enabling effective dialysis. Vascular access complications, such as stenosis, thrombosis, and cannulation-related damage, continue to challenge both the functionality and the sustainability of these access points. Recent advancements underscore the importance of a robust follow-up strategy, integrating clinical evaluations with diagnostic tools like color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) and emerging interventional approaches such as drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for Management of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Objectives: Complex regional pain syndrome remains a challenging condition characterized by severe, persistent pain and a variety of inflammatory and trophic symptoms. This study aimed to analyze the current literature to evaluate hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)'s efficacy in treating complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), focusing on both sympathetically-maintained pain (SMP) and sympathetically-independent pain (SIP) subtypes.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries using the MeSH term "Complex Regional Pain Syndromes" OR the keyword "CRPS" AND "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy" OR the keyword "HBOT".

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Subjective Cognitive Decline Among Transgender Adults.

Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with an increased risk of developing chronic health conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD), self-reported confusion/memory loss, and an early clinical manifestation of ADRD. While ACEs and SCD have both been individually studied in transgender and nonbinary (TGN) adults, no study has examined the relationship between the two among this population. This study sought to establish the prevalence of ACEs and their association with SCD among TGN adults.

Headache in infections.

Purpose Of Review: This review explores the phenomenology, pathogenesis, and nosology of headaches associated with infections, an often-overlooked yet clinically significant symptom. With the increasing recognition of secondary headaches in infections, understanding their clinical patterns, mechanisms, and classifications is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.

Recent Findings: Headaches in infections are ubiquitous but vary in presentation, severity, and underlying mechanisms depending on the causative pathogen.

Sophoricoside Inhibited Glioblastoma Cell Progression Through Activated AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK).

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, with a mean survival of less than 2 years. Unique brain structures and the microenvironment, including blood-brain barriers, put great challenges on clinical drug development. Sophoricoside (Sop), an isoflavone glycoside isolated from seeds of Sophora japonica L.

Cannabinoids for Acute Postoperative Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.

Background: Poor acute postoperative pain control, coupled with the use of intravenous medications with a limited and unsafety efficacy spectrum, has led to new therapeutic alternative explorations to reduce adverse events while increasing its analgesic efficacy. There cannabinoids have been proposed as a useful control agent in post-surgical pain. Nevertheless, to date, there is no solid evidence to evaluate them.

The diagnostic accuracy of plasma and serum calprotectin is inferior to C-reactive protein in patients with suspected Crohn's disease.

Background And Aims: Prior studies indicate that serum calprotectin (SC) and plasma calprotectin (PC) can be used as biomarkers in Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of SC and PC in patients with a clinical suspicion of CD.

Method: This biobank study included patients from a prospective, blinded, multicenter study examining minimally invasive modalities for diagnosing CD.

Comprehensive Hematological and molecular Characterization of hemoglobin Hekinan [α27(B8)Glu→Asp(α1), :c.84G > T] in a Large Thai cohort.

Background: Hemoglobin (Hb) Hekinan is a prevalent α-globin variant frequently missed in thalassemia screening centers using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or capillary electrophoresis. This study aims to investigate the hematological and molecular characteristics of Hb Hekinan in a large cohort.

Methods: Hb variants were identified using isoelectric focusing (IEF) and HPLC.

Treatment of Cutaneous Adnexal Carcinoma With Radiotherapy: A 20-Year, Single-Institution Experience in 49 Patients.

Objectives: Cutaneous adnexal carcinomas (CACs) are rare skin cancers with no established treatment guidelines. Given the limited data, this study aims to explore the characteristics and outcomes of patients with CAC treated with radiation therapy (RT).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with CAC between 2000 and 2020 who received RT were included.

Refractory and Resistant Herpes Simplex Virus Mucocutaneous Infections in Immunocompromised Patients: Literature Review and Proposed Definitions for Use in Clinical Trials.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most prevalent viral infections worldwide. In general, host immunity is sufficient to clear viral shedding and recurrences, although it is insufficient to prevent subsequent virologic reactivations. In immunocompromised patients, prolonged and difficult-to-treat HSV infections may develop.

Thigh Injections of Cabotegravir + Rilpivirine in Virally Suppressed Adults With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1: A Substudy of the Phase 3b ATLAS-2M Study.

Background: Cabotegravir + rilpivirine (CAB + RPV) administered via intramuscular gluteal injections is the first complete long-acting regimen for maintaining human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virologic suppression. We present substudy results on short-term repeat intramuscular CAB + RPV long-acting thigh injections in participants with ≥3 years of experience with gluteal administration during the ATLAS-2M study.

Methods: Substudy phases included screening, thigh injection (day 1-week 16), and return to gluteal injection (week 16-week 24).

Flaxseed powder supplementation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a growing public health problem worldwide, and dietary interventions have important potential in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Moreover, previous animal studies have shown that flaxseed has a good improvement effect in animal NAFLD models. : Assess whether flaxseed powder could improve the liver lipid content in patients with NAFLD.