Exploring the effects of gut microbiota on cholangiocarcinoma progression by patient-derived organoids.

Background: Recent research indicates a role of gut microbiota in development and progression of life-threatening diseases such as cancer. Carcinomas of the biliary ducts, the so-called cholangiocarcinomas, are known for their aggressive tumor biology, implying poor prognosis of affected patients. An impact of the gut microbiota on cholangiocarcinoma development and progression is plausible due to the enterohepatic circulation and is therefore the subject of scientific debate, however evidence is still lacking.

A Delphi study on health literacy competencies for health professionals.

Background: Health professionals play a key role in promoting health literacy, as they continue to be one of the main points of contact and most trusted source of information for healthcare users on questions and concerns regarding health and disease. To adequately support individuals in dealing with health information and services and to strengthen health literacy, health professionals need a corresponding set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, hence they need a wide range of health literacy competencies. Despite their crucial role in guiding and supporting patients and their relatives in terms of health-related information and services, in-depth studies on health literacy competencies of health professionals are still scarce.

Intervention strategies to prevent mental health problems and improve resilience in employed parents from conception until the child is 5 years of age: a scoping review.

Aim: To understand the extent and type of evidence in relation to the effectiveness of intervention strategies targeting working pregnant women, and their partners, for the prevention of mental health problems (depression, anxiety) and improving resilience, from conception until the child is 5 years of age.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted searching Pubmed (including Medline), Embase, Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were based on population (employed parents), context (from -9 months to 5 years postpartum) and concept (mental health problems, resilience and prevention/ preventative interventions).

Implementing a workplace participatory approach to support working caregivers in balancing their work, private life and informal care: results of a process evaluation.

Background: Many organizations are faced with growing numbers of employees who combine their jobs with informal caregiving responsibilities. To support working caregivers in maintaining a good balance between work, private life and informal care, a workplace participatory approach (PA) intervention was implemented in four Dutch organizations. This study's aims were to evaluate the degree of PA implementation, contextual factors influencing implementation, and stakeholder experiences with the PA.

Effectiveness of an 8-week neck exercise training on pain, jaw function, and oral health-related quality of life in women with chronic temporomandibular disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

To test the effectiveness of an 8-week exercise program targeted to the neck muscles compared to manual therapy, and placebo treatments on orofacial pain intensity, jaw function, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and jaw range of motion (ROM) in women with Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). In this randomized controlled trial, fifty-four women (between 18-45 years old) with a diagnosis of myofascial or mixed TMD according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) were randomized into three groups: Neck motor control training (NTG), Manual Therapy Group (MTG), and Placebo Group (PG). All patients were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale, Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire, Oral Health Impact Profile-14, and jaw Range of Motion (ROM) at baseline, immediately after treatment (after 8 weeks of treatment), one month, and three-month follow-up.

Comparison of Maximum Isometric Strength of the Hip Joint Abductor and Knee Joint Extensor Muscles between Knee Osteoarthritis Patients with and without Self-reported Instability.

Patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) often have impaired muscle function of the weight-bearing muscles, particularly in the knee and hip joints. This can lead to a significant loss of strength and power and may play a role in the perceived instability of the knee joint. The purpose of this study was to compare the maximum isometric strength of the hip abductor and knee extensor muscles between patients with KOA with and without perceived instability.

Physiological Responses of Elite Cheerleaders During Training and Simulated Competition Routines.

Purpose: Competitive cheerleading (cheersport) is a physically demanding sport; however, there is a lack of information regarding its acute physiological responses during training or competition in these athletes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate these responses during both training sessions and simulated cheerleading competition routines (full-outs) among elite cheersport athletes.

Methods: Six Coed and 10 All Girl elite cheerleaders were included in this study.

Experiences of nursing staff in Swiss-German nursing homes in with constipation management: A qualitative-descriptive study.

Despite existing guidelines for constipation management, constipation remains a prevalent issue among older individuals in long-term care facilities. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide an overview of nursing constipation management and the associated challenges in Swiss-German nursing homes. From September to December 2022, 51 nursing staff from 20 nursing homes were surveyed online, using literature-based open questions.

COping with Rheumatic Stressors (CORS) questionnaire: validated German translation and cross-cultural adaptation for patients with axSpA.

Background: Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, including axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), may suffer from stressors like pain and functional impairments leading to limitations in their self-perceived health status. The COping with Rheumatic Stressors (CORS) questionnaire was developed to analyze how patients cope with these stressors. The CORS is currently not available in German.

Simulation of the biocide distribution in soil using PELMO coupled with COMLEAM.

Biocides, applied in building materials as antimicrobial protectants, can be leached out by rain, presenting substantial environmental risks as confirmed by studies on aquatic environments. However, these biocides are consistently released throughout the year in a diluted form, posing unique challenges for the prediction of transport, transformation, and ecotoxicity assessment in soil. To address this challenge, we combined COMLEAM, which predicts leaching from facades into the soil, with the FOCUS PELMO pesticide model to predict biocide distribution in soil.

Biomarkers.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide, yet there are currently no reliable biomarkers for its diagnosis. Alpha-synuclein aggregation is a well-known hallmark of PD pathology, but the behavior and kinetics of these aggregates are poorly understood. To address this gap in knowledge, this study utilized several approaches to evaluate the potential of alpha-synuclein aggregates as potential biomarker for PD.

Biomarkers.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a prolonged asymptomatic phase, providing a significant timeframe for potential intervention. Leveraging this opportunity necessitates the early identification of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to detect Alzheimer's pathology during predementia stages. This enables the identification of individuals likely to progress to Alzheimer's-type dementia, allowing them to benefit from targeted disease-modifying therapies.

Public Health.

Background: The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) multimodal lifestyle intervention yielded cognitive and other health benefits in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. The two-year multinational randomized controlled LETHE trial evaluates the feasibility of a digitally supported, adapted FINGER intervention among at-risk older adults. Technology is used to complement in-person activities, for the intervention delivery, personalize recommendations, and collect digital biomarkers.

Biomarkers.

Background: Age represents the predominant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. Nevertheless, not every elderly individual undergoes age-related processes that inevitably lead to dementia. The aging process is characterized by cellular senescence, manifesting as morphological changes and the secretion of immune signaling mediators linked to systemic low-grade inflammation.

Exploring the Role of Sex and Gender in the Adoption of Assistive Technology in Dementia Care: A Scoping Review.

Given that women are disproportionately affected by dementia on several levels and assistive technology (AT) is increasingly used to manage the care of the growing number of people with dementia (PwD), there is an urgent need to understand the role of sex and gender regarding adoption of AT in dementia care. We conducted a scoping review following the framework of Arksey and O'Malley. All identified topics of sex and gender analysis (compatibility, attitude, usage, acceptance, access, usefulness, and well-being) were related to AT adoption, where the majority revealed sex and gender differences.

Associations between Insomnia Severity, Perceived Stress, Mental Toughness, Dark Triad Traits, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior among Cadets of the Swiss Armed Forces.

Background: Compared to the general population, military personnel are at increased risk for insomnia and poor psychological well-being. The present study: (1) compared categories of insomnia severity between cadets of the Swiss Armed Forces (SAF) and previously published norms and (2) investigated the associations between insomnia and psychological well-being related to perceived stress, mental toughness, dark triad traits, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).

Methods: A total of 216 cadets of the SAF (mean age: 20.

Developing Topics.

Background: T/S ratio represents the average telomere length per genome, and has been previously linked to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and biological sex [1], but there is a gap in our understanding of its interactions with sleep patterns. Towards filling this gap, we present a preliminary analysis exploring correlations between age, biological sex, T/S ratio and presence of a sleep disorder for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD against a "cognitively normal" (NL) baseline.

Method: Expanding on our previous work [2] we include the T/S ratio and the biological sex variables from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset (n = 1409).

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and its evaluation have been important nowadays as its prevalence in older ages after 60 years. Early identification of dementia can help the world to take preventive measures as most of them are treatable. The cellular Automata (CA) framework is a powerful tool in analyzing brain dynamics and modeling the prognosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Several studies have shown that financial capacity constitutes a vital component of instrumental activities of daily living. However, there is insufficient research investigating the relationship between financial impairment, brain volume changes and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we examine the association between brain volume changes and financial capacity in cognitively unimpaired (CU) and mild cognitively impaired (MCI) individuals.

Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Amyloid and tau pathologies are the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous research indicated notable connections between financial capacity and AD biomarkers. Here, we aimed to understand whether financial capacity is affected by the cerebral accumulation of tau and amyloid.

Benzimidazole Derivatives in Breast Cancer: Target-Specific Therapeutic Breakthroughs.

Despite ongoing advancements in drug design and developments, breast cancer remains a serious and devastating disease and is ranked as the second most common illness in women. Breast cancer rates have increased significantly during the last 40 years. This necessitates the development of novel treatment techniques.

Faster Acquisition and Improved Image Quality of T2-Weighted Dixon Breast MRI at 3T Using Deep Learning: A Prospective Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare image quality features and lesion characteristics between a faster deep learning (DL) reconstructed T2-weighted (T2-w) fast spin-echo (FSE) Dixon sequence with super-resolution (T2) and a conventional T2-w FSE Dixon sequence (T2) for breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: This prospective study was conducted between November 2022 and April 2023 using a 3T scanner. Both T2 and T2 sequences were acquired for each patient.

Reworking Nursing Expertise: Directors of Nursing's Tactics to (Re)Connect Knowledge and Power in Hospital Governance.

Shared governance in hospitals promotes the inclusion of nurses' expertise, knowledge and skills in organisational processes, and nurses increasingly fulfil positions in organisational hierarchies. However, incorporating nursing expertise in strategic governance structures might be complicated, as these structures are primarily linked to managerial and biomedical expertise. Drawing on a Foucauldian perspective on knowledge and power, intertwined and embedded in everyday (inter)actions, we study how newly appointed directors of nursing challenge these dominant 'modes of knowing'.

Families' opinions about their involvement in care during hospitalization: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Healthcare professionals in the hospital setting frequently assume primary caregiving responsibilities, which often leads family members to perceive this as standard practice during hospitalization. This dynamic may create a gap between actual and desired levels of family involvement. The aim of this study is to explore the opinions of families about their involvement in care during the hospitalization of a relative.

Development of a pandemic-related core set of quality indicators for quality and patient safety in University Hospitals in Germany.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic entailed a global health crisis, significantly affecting medical service delivery in Germany as well as elsewhere. While intensive care capacities were overloaded by COVID cases, not only elective cases but also non-COVID cases requiring urgent treatment unexpectedly decreased, potentially leading to a deterioration in health outcomes. However, these developments were only uncovered retrospectively.