Effectiveness of dissemination strategies of maternal clinical guidelines: A narrative review.

Background:  Maternal clinical guidelines (MCGs) provide evidence-based recommendations for skilled birth professionals (SBPs) at the point of care. The dissemination strategies and use of MCGs are inconsistent among skilled birth providers despite their potential to improve the maternal care outcomes.

Aim:  This study examined the effectiveness of dissemination strategies of MCGs by SBPs in a primary care setting.

Minimising inhaled corticosteroids for COPD.

This Therapeutic Letter considers the evidence for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as a treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Drug therapy aims to alleviate symptoms, enhance functional capacity and prevent exacerbations, but has not consistently shown to reduce mortality or improve quality of life based on randomised trials.Inhaled corticosteroids have shown limited benefits for COPD symptoms and exacerbations but increased risks of serious harms.

An audit of completeness of Road to Health Booklet at a community health centre in South Africa.

Background:  For continuity and quality of care, accurate record-keeping is crucial. Complete care is facilitated by completing a child's Road to Health Booklet (RTHB) as well as prompt interpretation and appropriate action. This could result in a decrease in child morbidity and mortality.

Graduate perceptions of their interprofessional practice: Lessons for undergraduate training.

Background:  Interprofessional education (IPE) during undergraduate training (UGT) is considered important for new graduates to collaborate inter-professionally. There are, however, well-documented workplace challenges that hinder their involvement in interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) such as professional hierarchy, poor role clarification and communication challenges.

Aim:  This article explores graduates' perceptions of the value rural undergraduate IPE had on their IPCP during their first year of work.

Minimising harms of tight glycaemic control in older patients with type 2 diabetes.

In older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), tight glycaemic control (HbA1c 7%) can result in more harm than benefit, especially when using insulin or sulfonylureas. Older adults are at higher risk for adverse drug events, especially hypoglycaemia, which may cause falls, confusion and hospitalisations. This Therapeutic Letter evaluates the risks of tight glycaemic control in older adults with T2DM, focusing on deprescribing diabetes medications in those over 65, especially those with multimorbidity and polypharmacy.

[Gastroenterology and hepatology : what's new in 2024].

The year 2024 was rich in developments in the field of hepatology, gastroenterology, and interventional endoscopy. New molecules have been developed for the treatment of metabolic steatohepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Technological progress now makes it possible to perform screening measurements for portal hypertension directly under echo-endoscopic guidance and to extend the use of intraluminal stents to surgically modified anatomies.

Identification of promising dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors from selected terpenoids through molecular modeling.

Motivation: Investigating novel drug-target interactions is crucial for expanding the chemical space of emerging therapeutic targets in human diseases. Herein, we explored the interactions of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B with selected terpenoids from African antidiabetic plants.

Results: Using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation-free energy, and density functional theory analyses, the study revealed dipeptidyl peptidase-4 as a promising target.

Machine learning approaches for risk prediction after percutaneous coronary intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Accurate prediction of clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is essential for mitigating risk and peri-procedural planning. Traditional risk models have demonstrated a modest predictive value. Machine learning (ML) models offer an alternative risk stratification that may provide improved predictive accuracy.

An eHealth intervention for patients with a low socioeconomic position during their waiting period preceding cardiac rehabilitation: a randomized feasibility study.

Aims: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) shows lower effectiveness and higher dropouts among people with a low socioeconomic position (SEP) compared to those with a high SEP. This study evaluated an eHealth intervention aimed at supporting patients with a low SEP during their waiting period preceding CR.

Methods And Results: Participants with a low SEP in their waiting period before CR were randomized into an intervention group, receiving guidance videos, patient narratives, and practical tips, or into a control group.

A 3D decoupling Alzheimer's disease prediction network based on structural MRI.

Purpose: This paper aims to develop a three-dimensional (3D) Alzheimer's disease (AD) prediction method, thereby bettering current predictive methods, which struggle to fully harness the potential of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) data.

Methods: Traditional convolutional neural networks encounter pressing difficulties in accurately focusing on the AD lesion structure. To address this issue, a 3D decoupling, self-attention network for AD prediction is proposed.

Determinants of physical function, as measured using PROMIS PF-10a, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the international COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) study.

Objectives: Physical function in RA is largely influenced by multiple clinical factors, however, there is a growing body of evidence that psychological state and other comorbidities also play an essential role. Using data obtained in the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases study, an international self-reported e-survey, we aimed to explore the predictive ability of sociodemographic and clinical variables on Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function Short Form 10a (PROMIS PF-10a) in RA and to investigate variation in disease activity and functional outcomes based on country-level socio-economic parameters.

Methods: Patient demographics, disease characteristics including current symptom status, functional status and treatment variables, as well as income level of the country of residence, were extracted from survey responses.

Understanding Hip Contact Stress Based on Types of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review.

Background And Aims: High contact stresses involving the hip have been shown to increase the risk of developing hip osteoarthritis (OA). Although several risk factors have been identified for OA, a holistic approach to predicting contributed factors toward increased hip contact stresses have not been explored. This study was conducted to comprehensively understand the effects of physical activity on high hip contact stress as predisposing factors of OA.

Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Epilepsy Detection: Balancing Effectiveness With Ethical Considerations for Welfare.

Background And Aim: Epilepsy is a major neurological challenge, especially for pediatric populations. It profoundly impacts both developmental progress and quality of life in affected children. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), there's a growing interest in leveraging its capabilities to improve the diagnosis and management of pediatric epilepsy.

Pectus Carinatum Repair Using the Sandwiched Bars and Screw Fixation System: A Retrospective Cohort Study of a Single Center Experience.

Background And Aims: Pectus carinatum (PC) is the second most common deformity of the anterior chest wall, resulting in detrimental effects on body image and quality of life. This study evaluated the safety, effectiveness, and factors associated with the treatment of PC using a sandwiched bar and screw fixation system, first performed in Vietnam at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City in 2016.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from March 2016 to February 2023 in patients with PC and PC-mixed pectus excavatum (PE) deformities.

Long-term ultrasonographic changes of the canine prostate gland after castration.

Introduction: Ultrasound imaging (US) is the method of choice to assess the canine prostate gland. Whilst recent studies have documented the role of castration in the development of prostatic neoplasia, little is known about parenchymal and perfusion features of the normal and abnormal prostate in neutered dogs. No data are available concerning prostatic changes after the first 90 days following castration.

Stressors contributing to burnout among acute care and trauma surgery care teams: a systems-analysis approach.

Background: Burnout negatively impacts healthcare professionals' well-being, leading to an increased risk of human errors and patient harm. There are limited assessments of burnout and associated stressors among acute care and trauma surgery teams.

Methods: Acute care and trauma surgery team members at a US academic medical center were administered a survey that included a 2-item Maslach Burnout Inventory and 21 workplace stressors based on the National Academy of Medicine's systems model of clinician burnout and professional well-being.

Alternative splicing of modulatory immune receptors in T lymphocytes: a newly identified and targetable mechanism for anticancer immunotherapy.

Alternative splicing (AS) is a mechanism that generates translational diversity within a genome. Equally important is the dynamic adaptability of the splicing machinery, which can give preference to one isoform over others encoded by a single gene. These isoform preferences change in response to the cell's state and function.

Mycophenolate mofetil: an update on its mechanism of action and effect on lymphoid tissue.

Introduction: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an immunosuppressive drug administered in the management of both autoimmune diseases and organ transplantation. The main aims of the study were: (a) to obtain information regarding the safety of using MMF in respect of its effect on normal T and B cells in lymphoid tissues; (b) to investigate whether the generation of inducible Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells (Treg) might constitute additional mechanisms underlying the immunosuppressive properties of MMF.

Methods: The effect of MMF ( studies) and its active metabolite, mycophenolic acid, ( studies) on murine CD4 and CD8 T cells as well as B cells was determined, regarding: (a) absolute count, proliferation and apoptosis of these cells ( studies); (b) absolute count of these cells in the head and neck lymph nodes, mesenteric lymph nodes and the spleen ( studies).

Is the freezing index a valid outcome to assess freezing of gait during turning in Parkinson's disease?

Introduction: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a disabling symptom for people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD). Turning on the spot for one minute in alternating directions (360 turn) while performing a cognitive dual-task (DT) is a fast and sensitive way to provoke FOG. The FOG-index is a widely used wearable sensor-based algorithm to quantify FOG severity during turning.

The PI3K/Akt pathway: a target for curcumin's therapeutic effects.

Purpose: The purpose of this review study is to investigate the effect of curcumin on the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway in various diseases. Curcumin, the main compound found in turmeric, has attracted a lot of attention for its diverse pharmacological properties. These properties have increased the therapeutic potential of curcumin in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Neutrophil heterogeneity and plasticity: unveiling the multifaceted roles in health and disease.

Neutrophils, the most abundant circulating leukocytes, have long been recognized as key players in innate immunity and inflammation. However, recent discoveries unveil their remarkable heterogeneity and plasticity, challenging the traditional view of neutrophils as a homogeneous population with a limited functional repertoire. Advances in single-cell technologies and functional assays have revealed distinct neutrophil subsets with diverse phenotypes and functions and their ability to adapt to microenvironmental cues.

Oxytocin ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute orchitis model: interplay of oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways.

Introduction: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a constituent of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is a powerful inducer of systemic inflammation and has been extensively utilized in experimental models to simulate inflammatory responses and septic disorders. Recent research indicates that oxytocin (OXY), a neuropeptide typically linked to social bonding and reproductive functions, may influence inflammatory processes. This work examines the impact of OXY on LPS-induced testicular damage, aiming to elucidate its therapeutic potential in addressing inflammatory disorders and broadening the comprehension of its functions beyond conventional neuroendocrine roles.

Natural pigments: innovative extraction technologies and their potential application in health and food industries.

Natural pigments, or natural colorants, are frequently utilized in the food industry due to their diverse functional and nutritional attributes. Beyond their color properties, these pigments possess several biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and neuroprotective effects, as well as benefits for eye health. This review aims to provide a timely overview of the potential of natural pigments in the pharmaceutical, medical, and food industries.