A randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of standardized tai chi in prefrail older adults with immunosenescence: design and protocol.

Background: Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome worldwide, and its early identification and intervention have important clinical significance. Resistance training has been recommended as an efficient means to combat loss of muscle strength and mass; however, it is often not a prioritized option for older adults. Tai chi is a well-known traditional Chinese exercise that has a beneficial impact on physical performance, balance ability, metabolism, and immune function.

Analysis and prediction of subarachnoid hemorrhage burden in global, China, and Japan.

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains a serious public health problem worldwide, especially in economically developed regions/countries. This study intends to thoroughly analyze the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate of SAH at the global, regional, and national levels. This study focused on the differences in SAH incidence between China and Japan from 1990 to 2019, and projected global, Chinese, and Japanese SAH incidence rates until 2030.

Single immunization with genetically attenuated Pf∆mei2 (GA2) parasites by mosquito bite in controlled human malaria infection: a placebo-controlled randomized trial.

Malaria vaccines consisting of metabolically active Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites can offer improved protection compared with currently deployed subunit vaccines. In a previous study, we demonstrated the superior protective efficacy of a three-dose regimen of late-arresting genetically attenuated parasites administered by mosquito bite (GA2-MB) compared with early-arresting counterparts (GA1-MB) against a homologous controlled human malaria infection. Encouraged by these results, we explored the potency of a single GA2-MB immunization in a placebo-controlled randomized trial.

Exposure to childhood maltreatment is associated with specific epigenetic patterns in sperm.

Childhood maltreatment exposure (CME) increases the risk of adverse long-term health consequences for the exposed individual. Animal studies suggest that CME may also influence the health and behaviour in the next generation offspring through CME-driven epigenetic changes in the germ line. Here we investigated the associated between early life stress on the epigenome of sperm in humans with history of CME.

Identification of important genes related to ferroptosis in early missed abortion based on WGCNA.

Early missed abortion is defined as a pregnancy of ≤ 12 weeks in which there is a cessation of life in the developing embryo or fetus, leading to its retention within the uterine cavity without being spontaneously expelled promptly. This condition is commonly observed and significantly impacts human reproductive health. This study aimed to identify key genes related to ferroptosis that could serve as novel biomarkers for early missed abortion.

Nuclear Cardiology Surrogate Biomarkers in Clinical Trials.

Nuclear cardiology offers a diverse range of imaging tools that provide valuable insights into myocardial perfusion, inflammation, metabolism, neuroregulation, thrombosis, and microcalcification. These techniques are crucial not only for diagnosing and managing cardiovascular conditions but also for gaining pathophysiologic insights. Surrogate biomarkers in nuclear cardiology, represented by detectable imaging changes, correlate with disease processes or therapeutic responses and can serve as endpoints in clinical trials when they demonstrate a clear link with these processes.

Construction of exosome non-coding RNA feature for non-invasive, early detection of gastric cancer patients by machine learning: a multi-cohort study.

Background And Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a prevalent and preventable disease, yet accurate early diagnostic methods are lacking. Exosome non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a type of liquid biopsy, have emerged as promising diagnostic biomarkers for various tumours. This study aimed to identify a serum exosome ncRNA feature for enhancing GC diagnosis.

EDENT1FI Master Protocol for screening of presymptomatic early-stage type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents.

Introduction: The identification of type 1 diabetes at an early presymptomatic stage has clinical benefits. These include a reduced risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the clinical manifestation of the disease and a significant reduction in clinical symptoms. The European action for the Diagnosis of Early Non-clinical Type 1 diabetes For disease Interception (EDENT1FI) represents a pioneering effort to advance early detection of type 1 diabetes through public health screening.

EEFSEC deficiency: A selenopathy with early-onset neurodegeneration.

Inborn errors of selenoprotein expression arise from deleterious variants in genes encoding selenoproteins or selenoprotein biosynthetic factors, some of which are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. This study shows that bi-allelic selenocysteine tRNA-specific eukaryotic elongation factor (EEFSEC) variants cause selenoprotein deficiency, leading to progressive neurodegeneration. EEFSEC deficiency, an autosomal recessive disorder, manifests with global developmental delay, progressive spasticity, ataxia, and seizures.

Preliminary findings on the association between maternal salivary and hair cortisol and the mother-infant-interaction during the early postpartum period.

Maternal capabilities to engage in sensitive caregiving are important for infant development and mother-infant-interaction, however, can be negatively affected by cortisol due to a stress response. Previous research suggested that cortisol possibly impairs cognitive functions important for caregiving behavior, which potentially leads to less maternal sensitivity. However, studies investigating the influence of cortisol using endocrine parameters on the mother-infant-interaction during the early postpartum are lacking.

Assessing the risk of TB progression: Advances in blood-based biomarker research.

This review addresses the significant advancements in the identification of blood-based prognostic biomarkers for tuberculosis (TB), highlighting the importance of early detection to prevent disease progression. The manuscript discusses various biomarker categories, including transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, immune cell-based, cytokine-based, and antibody response-based markers, emphasizing their potential in predicting TB incidence. Despite promising results, practical application is hindered by high costs, technical complexities, and the need for extensive validation across diverse populations.

Increasing and maintaining rates of standardized depression screening in youth with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in a pediatric rheumatology clinic.

Background: Depression adversely affects health outcomes in patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematous (cSLE). By identifying patients with depressive symptoms, we can intervene early with referrals to mental health resources and improve outcomes. The aim of our quality improvement project was to increase and maintain rates of standardized depression screening for youth with cSLE seen within our pediatric rheumatology clinic.

Development of a digital memory and learning test for elderly individuals.

Background: Population aging and the increase in memory-related diseases have motivated the search for accessible cognitive screening instruments. To develop a digital memory and learning test (DMLT) based on Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) principles to assess cognition in the elderly and identify early cognitive decline.

Methods: The research was divided into two phases: developing the digital test and the experimental phase of comparison with a reference test.

Treatment advances across the cervical cancer spectrum.

Cervical cancer is preventable with screening and vaccination approaches; however, access to these preventative measures is limited both nationally and globally and thus many women will still develop cervical cancer. Novel treatments and practice-changing research have improved cervical cancer outcomes over the past few decades. In this Review, we discuss clinical trials that have refined or redefined the treatment of cervical cancers across the early stage, locally advanced, persistent, recurrent and/or metastatic disease settings.

Epithelial stem cells from human small bronchi offer a potential for therapy of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrosing interstitial pneumonia with restrictive ventilation. Recently, the structural and functional defects of small airways have received attention in the early pathogenesis of IPF. This study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of small airway epithelial dysfunction in patients with IPF and explore novel therapeutic interventions to impede IPF progression by targeting the dysfunctional small airways.

A rare variant in the UQCRC1 gene, p.(Gly405Val) in three Austrian Parkinson's patients.

Background: Variants in the UQCRC1 gene have been proposed to cause autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease with neuropathy. However, definitive confirmation of UQCRC1 as an authentic Parkinson's gene remains elusive, as follow-up studies have not yet provided conclusive evidence.

Methods: 382 Austrian Parkinson's patients, particularly selected for familial and/or early onset cases, were Exome sequenced.

Pathways, development needs, and clinical connections for midwifery faculty in low- and middle-income settings of the Asia Pacific region: A qualitative study.

Introduction: The development and strengthening of midwifery education requires a focus on midwifery faculty as an important strategy to improve quality of care provision. Despite the need for high-quality midwifery educators in all-countries, preparation and development of faculty is challenging, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Aim: The aim was to explore the experiences of midwifery faculty in low- and middle-income countries in the Asia Pacific region regarding their pathway to being a faculty member, programs of development and/or factors that supported their transition to faculty.

Nursing Practices for Preventing Delirium in Patients with Cancer with Prognoses of Months and Weeks: A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Study in Japan.

Background: Delirium is a condition characterized by an acute and transient disturbance in attention, cognition, and consciousness. It is increasingly prevalent at the end of life in patients with cancer. While non-pharmacological nursing interventions are essential for delirium prevention, their effectiveness in terminally ill patients with cancer remains unclear.

Zero-Crosstalk Tumor-Targeting Ratiometric Near-Infrared γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase Probe for Fluorescent-Guided Surgical Resection of Orthotopic Hepatic Tumor.

The challenge of "false positive" signals significantly complicates tumor localization and surgical resection, which are pivotal for successful tumor surgeries. Therefore, the development of a method for preoperative tumor localization and intraoperative margin determination holds considerable promise for improving surgical outcomes. In this study, a zero-crosstalk ratiometric tumor-targeting near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe was developed for precise cancer diagnosis and intraoperative navigation via NIR fluorescence imaging.

The ultrasound competency assessment tool for evaluation of early pregnancy with POCUS.

Objectives: POCUS is a core emergency medicine skill and mainstay of early pregnancy assessment. The ultrasound competency assessment tool was developed as an entrustment-based assessment tool for use by content experts evaluating trainees performing multiple POCUS study types. The objective of this study was to evaluate the scoring and extrapolation inferences of the tool within Kane's validity framework when used to assess trainees performing an early pregnancy POCUS.

Bone Disease Associated with Inactivating Aromatase Mutations and its Management.

Aromatase deficiency (ORPHA:91; OMIM: 613,546) is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder due to loss of function mutations in the CYP19A1 gene, described in both genders with an estimated incidence below 1/1000000. While in female the clinical manifestations generally occur at birth or in early infancy, and mainly involve sexual characteristics, in men clinical signs of aromatase deficiency mostly occur in puberty and especially in late puberty, so that diagnosis is generally established after the second decade due to tall stature, unfused epiphyses and reduced bone mass. Here we review the available information concerning the skeletal and extraskeletal phenotype and the clinical management of bone health in patients with aromatase CYP19A1 gene mutations.

Spatiotemperal Dynamics of Osteoarthritis: Bridging Insights from Bench to Bedside.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifaceted degenerative joint disorder affected by various risk factors such as age, mechanical stress, inflammation, and metabolic influences. These elements contribute to its diverse phenotypes and endotypes, underscoring the disease's inherent complexity. The involvement of multiple tissues and their interplay further complicates OA's investigation.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Heterogeneity in the progression of clinical dementia poses a significant challenge, impeding the effectiveness of current therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD). To decipher the molecular mechanisms governing heterogeneity in AD progression that remains a critical knowledge gap precluding rational therapeutic design, we investigated the biochemical and biophysical properties of tau present in the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) brain regions of AD patients who had varying disease progression rates. To explore gene expression changes in the ITG which are associated with tau pathology and cognitive decline, we used RNA sequencing for molecular characterization of patients displaying tau and clinical heterogeneity.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Stress is a common modifiable risk factor for AD, which increases dementia risk 2-fold. During the stress response, the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is activated which stimulates the release of stress hormones called glucocorticoids into the blood stream. Studies on early-life stress have shown a glucocorticoid dependent vulnerability towards late-life inflammation.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: The term rapidly progressive dementia (RPD) may be applied to patients with precipitous declines in cognitive function resulting in dementia within one year or complete incapacitation within two-years of symptom onset. Although most patients present with subacute, progressive declines, selected patients develop complete incapacitation within seven days of symptom onset. The differential diagnosis and clinical characteristics of patients with abrupt-onset dementia are not known.