Prediction of intravenous immunoglobulin retreatment in children with Kawasaki disease using models combining lymphocyte subset and cytokine profile in an East Asian cohort.

Objectives: For children with Kawasaki disease (KD) at high risk of developing coronary artery lesions and requiring retreatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), the availability of accurate prediction models remains limited because of inconsistent variables and unsatisfactory prediction results. We aimed to construct models to predict patient's probability of IVIG retreatment combining children's individual inflammatory characteristics.

Methods: Clinical manifestations and laboratory examinations of 266 children with KD were retrospectively analysed to build a development cohort data set (DC) and a validation cohort data set (VC).

Diffusion tensor imaging within the healthy cervical spinal cord: Within- participants reliability and measurement error.

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a promising technique for the visualization of the cervical spinal cord (CSC) in vivo. It provides information about the tissue structure of axonal white matter, and it is thought to be more sensitive than other MR imaging techniques for the evaluation of damage to tracts in the spinal cord.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the within-participants reliability and error magnitude of measurements of DTI metrics in healthy human CSC.

Remote Ischemic Conditioning With Medical Management or Reperfusion Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a low-cost, accessible, and noninvasive neuroprotective treatment strategy, but its efficacy and safety in acute ischemic stroke are controversial. With the publication of several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the recent results of the RESIST trial, it may be possible to identify the patient population that may (or may not) benefit from RIC. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of RIC in patients with ischemic stroke receiving different treatments by pooling data of all randomized controlled studies to date.

Prior Exposure to Experimental Preeclampsia Increases Atherosclerotic Plaque Inflammation in Atherogenic Mice-Brief Report.

Background: Women with a history of preeclampsia have evidence of premature atherosclerosis and increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke compared with women who had a normotensive pregnancy. Whether this is due to common risk factors or a direct impact of prior preeclampsia exposure has never been tested in a mouse atherosclerosis model.

Methods: Pregnant LDLR-KO (low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout; n=35) female mice were randomized in midgestation to sFlt1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1)-expressing adenovirus or identical control adenovirus.

Non-sweep DC component estimation method for a virtual-carrier assisted Kramers-Kronig receiver.

The Kramers-Kronig (KK) receiver has attracted much attention in short-range optical interconnection because of its ability to recover the phase of the signal from the intensity information through KK algorithm. In high-speed KK systems, such as virtual-carrier (VC) assisted ones, an alternating current (AC) coupled photo-detector (PD) is preferred due to relaxing the requirements of analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and electronic amplifier by filtering direct current (DC) component. However, the loss of the DC component will cause the KK algorithm to break down, so it is necessary to accurately recover DC value in the digital domain with multiple-sweep.

Antithrombotic Treatment for Stroke Prevention in Cervical Artery Dissection: The STOP-CAD Study.

Background: Small, randomized trials of patients with cervical artery dissection showed conflicting results regarding optimal stroke prevention strategies. We aimed to compare outcomes in patients with cervical artery dissection treated with antiplatelets versus anticoagulation.

Methods: This is a multicenter observational retrospective international study (16 countries, 63 sites) that included patients with cervical artery dissection without major trauma.

A high-throughput target-based screening approach for the identification and assessment of mycothione reductase inhibitors.

Unlabelled: The World Health Organization's goal to combat tuberculosis (TB) is hindered by the emergence of anti-microbial resistance, therefore necessitating the exploration of new drug targets. Multidrug regimens are indispensable in TB therapy as they provide synergetic bactericidal effects, shorten treatment duration, and reduce the risk of resistance development. The research within our European RespiriTB consortium explores energy metabolism to identify new drug candidates that synergize with bedaquiline, with the aim of discovering more efficient combination drug regimens.

Defining and Improving Outcomes Measurement for Virtual Care: Report from the VHA State-of-the-Art Conference on Virtual Care.

Virtual care, including synchronous and asynchronous telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and the collection and interpretation of patient-generated health data (PGHD), has the potential to transform healthcare delivery and increase access to care. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) convened a State-of-the-Art (SOTA) Conference on Virtual Care to identify future virtual care research priorities. Participants were divided into three workgroups focused on virtual care access, engagement, and outcomes.

Evaluation of the Time Difference Method in Identifying Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Current CEUS LR-M Category Nodules.

Objective: The aim of the work described here was to explore a potential method for improving the diagnostic detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) Version 2017.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 585 liver nodules in 427 patients at risk for HCC from December 2020 to March 2023. The nodules were categorized as LR-1 to LR-M based on CEUS LI-RADS Version 2017 and were randomly subclassified into a developmental cohort (DC) and a validation cohort (VC) at 3:1.

Visual Tooth Color Determination with Different Reference Scales as an Exercise in Dental Students' Education.

Visual color determination (VCD) requires color competence and individual training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the deviations in students' VCD with two different reference scales. The research hypothesis was that none of the color references would provide a better result.

Fingolimod exerts neuroprotection by regulating S1PR1 mediated BNIP3-PINK1-Parkin dependent mitophagy in rotenone induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

The motor impairments brought on by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra are the most well-known symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is believed that dopaminergic neurons are especially vulnerable to mitochondrial malfunction. For the maintenance of mitochondrial integrity, selective autophagic removal of dysfunctional mitochondria via mitophagy primarily regulated by PINK1/Parkin pathway is essential.

The effect of different angle kappa on higher-order aberrations after small incision lenticule extraction.

This study aimed to compare higher-order aberrations (HOAs) after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) in patients with different angle kappa. This is a retrospective report in which 341 right eyes of 341 patients who were subjected to SMILE, which used coaxially sighted corneal light reflex (CSCLR) as the treatment zone centered, treated by the same experienced surgeon (LHB) for correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism, preoperative and postoperative spherical equivalent (SE), angle kappa, total higher-order aberrations (total HOA), spherical aberration (SA), vertical coma (VC), horizontal coma (HC), oblique trefoil (OT), and horizontal trefoil (HT), were compared. SMILE showed outstanding performance in terms of safety, efficacy, and predictability.

Usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography-reformatted epidurography in percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis: A pilot study.

Background: Conventional epidurography (CE) is thought to have insufficient usefulness on percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis (PEA). We aimed to evaluate the association between the outcome of PEA and cone-beam computed tomography-reformatted epidurography (CBCT-RE).

Methods: After ethics board approval and written informed consent were obtained, we performed 30 PEA in 26 participants, and evaluated their post-PEA image findings.

IRAK4 degrader in hidradenitis suppurativa and atopic dermatitis: a phase 1 trial.

Toll-like receptor-driven and interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor-driven inflammation mediated by IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) is involved in the pathophysiology of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and atopic dermatitis (AD). KT-474 (SAR444656), an IRAK4 degrader, was studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 trial where the primary objective was safety and tolerability. Secondary objectives included pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and clinical activity in patients with moderate to severe HS and in patients with moderate to severe AD.

Functional-structural decoupling in visual network is associated with cognitive decline in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: evidence from a multimodal MRI analysis.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cognitive dysfunction are highly prevalent disorders worldwide. Although visual network (VN) alteration and functional-structural coupling are potential warning factors for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in T2DM patients, the relationship between the three in T2DM without MCI is unclear. Thirty T2DM patients without MCI and twenty-nine healthy controls (HC) were prospectively enrolled.

Adjunctive Dexamethasone for Tuberculous Meningitis in HIV-Positive Adults.

Background: Adjunctive glucocorticoids are widely used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculous meningitis despite limited data supporting their safety and efficacy.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving HIV-positive adults (≥18 years of age) with tuberculous meningitis in Vietnam and Indonesia. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a 6-to-8-week tapering course of either dexamethasone or placebo in addition to 12 months of antituberculosis chemotherapy.

Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Diversity Among Academic Surgical Leaders in the US.

Importance: Surgical department chairs remain conspicuously nondiverse despite the recognized importance of diverse physician workforces. However, the extent of diversity among non-chair leadership remains underexplored.

Objective: To evaluate racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of surgical department chairs, vice chairs (VCs), and division chiefs (DCs) in the US.

Field induced single ion magnet behavior in Co complexes in a distorted square pyramidal geometry.

We report three Co-based complexes with the general formula [Co(L)(X)] by changing the halide/pseudo-halide ions [X = NCSe (1SeCN); Cl (2Cl) and Br (3Br)]. The obtained and values confirm a distorted square pyramidal geometry around the Co ion in all these complexes. In these three complexes, the central Co ion is situated above the basal plane of the square pyramidal geometry.

The barriers, facilitators and association of vaccine certificates on COVID-19 vaccine uptake: a scoping review.

Background: Globally, COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be instrumental for promoting population health by reducing illness from SARS-CoV-2. Vaccine certificates emerged as a potentially promising solution for encouraging vaccination and facilitating the safe reopening of society, however, they were controversial due to criticisms of infringing upon individual rights. While there is extensive literature describing the ethical, legal, and public health implications of vaccine certificates, there is currently a gap in knowledge about the association of vaccine certificates on vaccine uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic and barriers and facilitators to their use.

Recommendations on data sharing in HIV drug resistance research.

 • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug resistance has implications for antiretroviral treatment strategies and for containing the HIV pandemic because the development of HIV drug resistance leads to the requirement for antiretroviral drugs that may be less effective, less well-tolerated, and more expensive than those used in first-line regimens.  • HIV drug resistance studies are designed to determine which HIV mutations are selected by antiretroviral drugs and, in turn, how these mutations affect antiretroviral drug susceptibility and response to future antiretroviral treatment regimens.  • Such studies collectively form a vital knowledge base essential for monitoring global HIV drug resistance trends, interpreting HIV genotypic tests, and updating HIV treatment guidelines.

Potential cost-effectiveness of community availability of tenofovir, lamivudine, and dolutegravir for HIV prevention and treatment in east, central, southern, and west Africa: a modelling analysis.

Background: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) offers protection from HIV after condomless sex, but is not widely available in a timely manner in east, central, southern, and west Africa. To inform the potential pilot implementation of such an approach, we modelled the effect and cost-effectiveness of making PEP consisting of tenofovir, lamivudine, and dolutegravir (TLD) freely and locally available in communities without prescription, with the aim of enabling PEP use within 24 h of condomless sex. Free community availability of TLD (referred to as community TLD) might also result in some use of TLD as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and as antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV.

Neutralization, effector function and immune imprinting of Omicron variants.

Currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants have acquired convergent mutations at hot spots in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. The effects of these mutations on viral infection and transmission and the efficacy of vaccines and therapies remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that recently emerged BQ.