Emerging Role of Natriuretic Peptides in Diabetes Care: A Brief Review of Pertinent Recent Literature.

Diabetes markedly increases susceptibility to adverse cardiovascular events, including heart failure (HF), leading to heightened morbidity and mortality rates. Elevated levels of natriuretic peptides (NPs), notably B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-proBNP (NT-proBNP), correlate with cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, aiding in risk stratification and treatment strategies in individuals with diabetes. This article reviews the intricate relationship between diabetes and HF, emphasizing the role of NPs in risk assessment and guiding therapeutic strategies, particularly in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Effects of Oral Nutritional Supplement with β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on Biochemical and Hematological Indices in Community-Dwelling Older Adults at Risk of Malnutrition: Findings from the SHIELD Study.

Malnutrition may result in abnormal biochemical and hematological indices. This planned prespecified analysis investigated the effects of a specialized oral nutritional supplement (ONS) on biochemical and hematological indices in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition. In the Strengthening Health in ELDerly through nutrition (SHIELD) study, 811 older adults aged 65 years and above took part in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study.

Optimizing the Clinical Use of High-Sensitivity Troponin Assays: A Review.

Ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) remain a global health concern. Many IHD cases go undiagnosed due to challenges in the initial diagnostic process, particularly in cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays have revolutionized myocardial injury assessment, but variations in diagnostic cut-off values and population differences have raised challenges.

Evaluation of the Abbott Alinity i Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Receptor Antibody (TRAb) Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA).

We evaluated the performance of the Abbott thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) on the Alinity i. Verification studies for precision, linearity, analytical measuring range, diagnostic cut offs for Graves' disease were performed. We compared the Abbott CMIA to an established TRAb assay (Roche electrochemiluminescence immunoassay).

A Chatbot to Engage Parents of Preterm and Term Infants on Parental Stress, Parental Sleep, and Infant Feeding: Usability and Feasibility Study.

Background: Parents commonly experience anxiety, worry, and psychological distress in caring for newborn infants, particularly those born preterm. Web-based therapist services may offer greater accessibility and timely psychological support for parents but are nevertheless labor intensive due to their interactive nature. Chatbots that simulate humanlike conversations show promise for such interactive applications.

Investigating the Role of PPARβ/δ in Retinal Vascular Remodeling Using /-Deficient Mice.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)β/δ is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors, which plays fundamental roles in cell proliferation and differentiation, inflammation, adipogenesis, and energy homeostasis. Previous studies demonstrated a reduced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in /-deficient mice. However, PPARβ/δ's role in physiological blood vessel formation and vessel remodeling in the retina has yet to be established.

Lipid efflux mechanisms, relation to disease and potential therapeutic aspects.

Lipids are hydrophobic and amphiphilic molecules involved in diverse functions such as membrane structure, energy metabolism, immunity, and signaling. However, altered intra-cellular lipid levels or composition can lead to metabolic and inflammatory dysfunction, as well as lipotoxicity. Thus, intra-cellular lipid homeostasis is tightly regulated by multiple mechanisms.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in children.

Aim: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is an important cause of lymphadenitis in children. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of children with KFD and to assess the recurrence of this disease.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients younger than 18 years old, who were diagnosed with KFD from January 2000 to September 2017 at KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Sustained delivery of anti-VEGFs from thermogel depots inhibits angiogenesis without the need for multiple injections.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) proteins are the gold-standard treatment for posterior eye segment proliferative vascular diseases such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). However, the standard of care requires inconvenient monthly intravitreal injections. This underlies an unmet clinical need to develop alternative solutions for sustained delivery of biologics.

Tracheal Intubation Practice and Safety Across International PICUs: A Report From National Emergency Airway Registry for Children.

Objectives: It is unknown if variation in tracheal intubation practice and outcomes exist across PICUs in different geographical regions. We hypothesized there would be differences in the process of care and adverse outcomes for tracheal intubation across PICUs in six different geographical regions (New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Germany, India, and North America).

Design: Prospective multicenter pediatric tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children) SETTING:: Six non-North American (International) and 36 North American PICUs.

"I wouldn't really believe statistics" - Challenges with influenza vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers in Singapore.

Background: Influenza vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers (HCWs) is a worldwide problem, but relatively little research has focussed on Asia, including Singapore. Despite widespread access and recommendations from public health authorities, influenza vaccine uptake remains suboptimal among HCWs.

Methods: Our qualitative study used focus group discussions to identify and explain factors limiting influenza vaccine acceptance among HCWs in Singapore.

The thalamo-habenula projection revisited.

The thalamus is one of the most highly connected hubs of the vertebrate brain, with roles in perception, arousal, navigation, memory and consciousness. One connection that is missing from contemporary maps is a link to the habenula. This link was reported in the early part of the last century, but appears to have slipped into obscurity.

Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Blindness in Indonesian Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose: To report the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and DR-related blindness in an Indonesian population with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Design: Population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting: Community health centers.

Imaging voltage in zebrafish as a route to characterizing a vertebrate functional connectome: promises and pitfalls of genetically encoded indicators.

Neural circuits are non-linear dynamical systems that transform information based on the pattern of input, current state and functional connectivity. To understand how a given stimulus is processed, one would ideally record neural activity across the entire brain of a behaving animal, at cellular or even subcellular resolution, in addition to characterizing anatomical connectivity. Given their transparency and relatively small size, larval zebrafish provide a powerful system for brain-wide monitoring of neural activity.

State of the art transoral robotic surgery for obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

Objective: To review the existing literature on the role of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for tongue base reduction in the management of adult obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, and Scopus databases from the first literature report of this surgical technique to July 30, 2015 for studies investigating the use of TORS for tongue base reduction in treating adult OSAHS. Our primary outcome measures were Apnea- Hypopnea Index (AHI), lowest oxygen saturation (LSAT), Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS), and the rates of surgical cure (AHI<5) and success (50% reduction in AHI accompanied by a postoperative AHI<20).

Intramyocardial Hematoma After Ebstein Anomaly Repair.

Intramyocardial hematoma is a rare condition and is an incomplete form of myocardial rupture, which may occur after myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery, trauma, percutaneous coronary intervention, or spontaneously. We describe a case of a 16-year-old girl with intramyocardial hematoma mimicking an intracavitary thrombus following repair of Ebstein anomaly. The intramyocardial hematoma was incorrectly diagnosed on echocardiography as a right ventricular thrombus, and the true nature of the lesion was only realized during repeat surgical intervention for severe tricuspid regurgitation.

Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Update on Management Strategies and Long-Term Outcomes.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be deployed to support patients with severe cardiorespiratory failure unresponsive to conventional medical interventions. Neonatal trials have demonstrated that ECMO is an effective treatment of severe respiratory failure, with acceptable cognitive and functional outcomes. Technological advances in ECMO have resulted in improved safety and accessibility, contributing to decreased morbidity and improved survival of increasingly complex patients requiring ECMO support.

Targeted DNA Sequencing from Autism Spectrum Disorder Brains Implicates Multiple Genetic Mechanisms.

Single nucleotide variants (SNVs), particularly loss-of-function mutations, are significant contributors to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk. Here we report the first systematic deep sequencing study of 55 postmortem ASD brains for SNVs in 78 known ASD candidate genes. Remarkably, even without parental samples, we find more ASD brains with mutations that are protein-altering (26/55 cases versus 12/50 controls, p = 0.

Successful Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Neonate With Arterial pH Less Than 6.6.

Challenges in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support include defining appropriate patient selection criteria and prognostic factors. Severe acidosis prior to ECMO deployment is often considered a relative contraindication and an independent predictor of mortality. We present a case of a term infant, with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn with severe pre-ECMO acidosis (arterial blood pH 6.

Nutrition Support for Children Undergoing Congenital Heart Surgeries: A Narrative Review.

Energy imbalance in infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is common and influenced by age, underlying cardiac diagnoses, and presence or absence of congestive heart failure. During the surgical hospitalization period, these children are prone to nutritional deterioration due to stress of surgery, anesthetic/perfusion techniques, and postoperative care. Poor nutrition is associated with increased perioperative morbidity and mortality.