Coronary artery calcification progression and renal involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a longitudinal cohort study.

To investigate if progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with renal and traditional cardiovascular risk factors as well as incidence of myocardial infarctions. CAC progression was evaluated by cardiac computed tomography (CT) at baseline and after 5 years. Multivariable Poisson regression was applied to investigate associations between CAC progression and baseline values for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, CAC, SLE disease duration, lupus nephritis, and renal function.

High-coverage whole-genome sequencing of a Jakun individual from the "Orang Asli" Proto-Malay subtribe from Peninsular Malaysia.

Jakun, a Proto-Malay subtribe from Peninsular Malaysia, is believed to have inhabited the Malay Archipelago during the period of agricultural expansion approximately 4 thousand years ago (kya). However, their genetic structure and population history remain inconclusive. In this study, we report the genome structure of a Jakun female, based on whole-genome sequencing, which yielded an average coverage of 35.

The Nonsyndromic Ascending Thoracic Aorta in a Population-Based Setting: A 5-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Prospective data on the clinical course of the ascending thoracic aorta are lacking.

Objectives: This study sought to estimate growth rates of the ascending aorta and to evaluate occurrences of adverse aortic events (AAEs)-that is, thoracic aortic ruptures, type A aortic dissections, and thoracic aortic-related deaths.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study from the population-based, multicenter, randomized DANCAVAS (Danish Cardiovascular Screening trials) I and II, participants underwent cardiovascular risk assessments including electrocardiogram-gated, noncontrast computed tomography (CT) scans.

The Effectiveness of Video Animations as a Tool to Improve Health Information Recall for Patients: Systematic Review.

Background: Access to clear and comprehensible health information is crucial for patient empowerment, leading to improved self-care, adherence to treatment plans, and overall health outcomes. Traditional methods of information delivery, such as written documents and oral communication, often result in poor memorization and comprehension. Recent innovations, such as animation videos, have shown promise in enhancing patient understanding, but comprehensive investigations into their effectiveness across various health care settings are lacking.

Regional patterns and climatic predictors of viruses in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies over time.

Honey bee viruses are serious pathogens that can cause poor colony health and productivity. We analyzed a multi-year longitudinal dataset of abundances of nine honey bee viruses (deformed wing virus A, deformed wing virus B, black queen cell virus, sacbrood virus, Lake Sinai virus, Kashmir bee virus, acute bee paralysis virus, chronic bee paralysis virus, and Israeli acute paralysis virus) in colonies located across Canada to describe broad trends in virus intensity and occurrence among regions and years. We also tested climatic variables (temperature, wind speed, and precipitation) as predictors in an effort to understand possible drivers underlying seasonal patterns in viral prevalence.

Gene Polymorphisms in Greek Primary Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with distinct clinical subtypes, categorized by hormone receptor status, which exhibits different prognoses and requires personalized treatment approaches. These subtypes included luminal A and luminal B, which have different prognoses. Breast cancer development and progression involve many factors, including interferon-gamma ().

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiling of Pathogens from Cooked Donkey Meat Products in Beijing Area in One Health Context.

The prevalence of foodborne diseases has raised concerns due to the potential transmission of zoonotic bacterial pathogens through meat products. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of pathogenic bacteria in cooked donkey meat products from Beijing. Twenty-one cooked donkey meat samples were collected from different delis, subjected to homogenization, and analyzed for bacterial contamination.

Association between cardiac autonomic regulation, visceral adipose tissue, cardiorespiratory fitness and ambient air pollution: 4HAIE study (Program-4).

Background: The main objective of the present cross-sectional cohort study was to determine whether there is an association between cardiac autonomic regulation, as expressed through heart rate variability (HRV), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and over the long-term living in areas with low or high air pollution.

Methods: The study sample included 1036 (487 females) healthy runners (603) and inactive participants (age 18-65 years) who had lived for at least 5 years in an area with high (Moravian-Silesian; MS) or low (South Bohemian; SB) air pollution in the Czech Republic. A multivariable regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations between multiple independent variables (CRF (peak oxygen consumption), VAT, sex, socioeconomic status (education level), and region (MS region vs.

Efflux and uptake transport and gut microbial reactivation of raloxifene glucuronides.

Raloxifene has low bioavailability due to extensive glucuronidation in the intestine and the liver, and its pharmacokinetics is associated with high intra- and interindividual variability. Some of this variability could be explained by the enterohepatic recycling of raloxifene, which is driven by transporter-mediated uptake and efflux and gut microbial deglucuronidation of raloxifene glucuronides. These individual processes involved in raloxifene disposition, however, have not been characterized in full detail.

A Standardized Extract Improves Knee Joint Function and Cartilage Morphology in Human Volunteers with Mild to Moderate Osteoarthritis in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study.

Background And Objective: Roxb. ex Colebr. (Family: Burseraceae; Genus: Boswellia) gum resin (Salai guggul) has profound therapeutic value in Ayurvedic and Unani medicines in alleviating several chronic inflammatory illnesses, including arthritis, asthma, skin and blood diseases, fever, etc.

Variation in initial biopsy technique for primary melanoma diagnosis: A population-based cohort study in New South Wales, Australia.

Background: Factors associated with nonadherence to guideline-recommended complete excision of suspicious cutaneous lesions are unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze patient, melanoma, and clinician factors associated with initial diagnostic biopsy type and determine whether unwarranted variation from guidelines occurred.

Methods: This population-based, cohort study involved the analysis of data from questionnaires completed by clinicians who managed patients with newly diagnosed, histopathologically confirmed primary invasive cutaneous melanomas reported to the New South Wales Cancer Registry between 2006 and 2007.

Short-Term Effectiveness of a Stepped-Care Model to Address Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Patients With Early-Stage Melanoma.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of the Melanoma Care Programme when implemented into routine clinical practice coupled with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) screening and a stepped-care model of intervention delivery.

Methods: Using a Type-I hybrid effectiveness-implementation design, individuals with stage 0-II melanoma and a Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory FCR severity score of ≥ 13 were offered the Melanoma Care Programme. The programme included a psychoeducational booklet and 3 to 5 psychotherapeutic telehealth sessions with a clinical psychologist, timed around routine dermatological appointments.

Diagnosing missed cases of spinal muscular atrophy in genome, exome, and panel sequencing datasets.

Purpose: We set out to develop a publicly available tool that could accurately diagnose spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in exome, genome or panel sequencing datasets aligned to a GRCh37, GRCh38, or T2T reference genome.

Methods: The SMA Finder algorithm detects the most common genetic causes of SMA by evaluating reads that overlap the c.840 position of the SMN1 and SMN2 paralogs.

Artificial intelligence aided serum protein electrophoresis analysis of Finnish patient samples: Retrospective validation.

Background And Aims: Serum protein electrophoresis interpretation requires a substantial amount of manual work. In 2020, Chabrun et al. created a machine learning method called SPECTR for the task.

The impact of lower respiratory tract sample cultures on outcomes in community-acquired pneumonia: a propensity score matched cohort study.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether collecting a lower respiratory tract sample (LRTS) for bacterial microscopy, culture, and resistance (MCR) testing affects outcomes in patients with CAP.

Methods: A cohort study including adults admitted to hospital with CAP. The primary outcome was the duration of narrow-spectrum antibiotic treatment.

Understanding the socioeconomic dimensions of antibiotic resistance: a critical marketting perspective of healthcare stakeholders.

Objective: To explore the socioeconomic dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, emphasising the risks associated with imprudent use of antibiotics and the consequent emergence of drug-resistant "superbugs."

Methods: The study employed constructivist grounded theory to investigate the perspectives of stakeholders, including physicians, patients, pharmacists, sales managers, and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) employees. In-depth interviews were conducted with these stakeholders at their workplaces in 2022 and 2023, and transcripts were meticulously transcribed for analysis.

Enhancing radiography education: The roles and challenges of preceptors in the clinical supervision and training of student radiographers.

Introduction: Clinical training is an essential component of radiography education. However, the increasing number of radiography educational institutions and students in Ghana exposes preceptors to challenges in the performance of their preceptorship roles.

Aim: To investigate the roles and challenges of preceptors in the clinical supervision and training of radiography students in Ghana and provide recommendations for addressing these challenges.

Effect of kinematics on ground reaction force during single-leg jump landing in children: a causal decomposition approach in jumpers and non-jumpers.

Background: The interaction between joint kinematics and kinetics is usually assessed by linear correlation analysis, which does not imply causality. Understanding the causal links between these variables may help develop landing interventions to improve technique and create joint-specific strengthening programs to reduce reaction forces and injury risk.

Objective: Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the causal interaction between lower limb sagittal kinematics and vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) during single-leg jump landing in children who are jumpers (volleyball and gymnastics) and non-jumpers, using the causal empirical decomposition method.

Effect of very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet and high-intensity interval training on mental health-related indicators in individuals with excessive weight or obesity.

Very low carbohydrate high fat (VLCHF) diet and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are widely utilized for weight reduction and cardiorespiratory fitness improvement, respectively. To assess the acceptability of these approaches, it is essential to examine mental health-related indicators. This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial investigated the isolated and synergistic effects of VLCHF and HIIT on mental health-related indicators in individuals with excessive weight or obesity.

Uplift of genetic diagnosis of rare respiratory disease using airway epithelium transcriptome analysis.

Rare genetic respiratory disease has an incidence rate of more than 1:2500 live births in Northern Europe and carries significant disease burden. Early diagnosis improves outcomes, but many individuals remain without a confident genetic diagnosis. Improved and expanded molecular testing methods are required to improve genetic diagnosis rates and thereby improve clinical outcomes.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the self evaluation of breathing questionnaire (SEBQ) into Danish.

Background And Purpose: Dysfunctional breathing (DB) with or without an underlying medical condition is associated with impaired quality of life. DB-related symptoms can be measured with the 25-item Self Evaluation of Breathing Questionnaire (SEBQ). However, the SEBQ is not available in Danish.

In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy role for early to advanced lentigo maligna melanoma spectrum: A systematic review and pooled analysis.

Lentigo maligna (LM) is a growing problem worldwide and the main type of melanoma in situ in some Caucasian populations. It presents as a spectrum from atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferation (AIMP) to invasive lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM). Accurate diagnosis and staging are crucial for determining appropriate management strategies.