Multi-dimensional oscillatory activity of mouse GnRH neurons in vivo.

The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons represent the key output cells of the neural network controlling mammalian fertility. We used GCaMP fiber photometry to record the population activity of the GnRH neuron distal projections in the ventral arcuate nucleus where they merge before entering the median eminence to release GnRH into the portal vasculature. Recordings in freely behaving intact male and female mice revealed abrupt ~8 min duration increases in activity that correlated perfectly with the appearance of a subsequent pulse of luteinizing hormone (LH).

Increased MASH-associated liver cancer in younger demographics.

Background: The incidence of cancer and the prevalence of metabolic disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is increasing in young adults. However, updated global data on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-associated primary liver cancer (PLC) in young adults remains scarce.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease study between 2000 and 2021 to assess the age-standardized incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years rates from MASH-associated PLC in young adults (15-49 y).

Construction of a 'civilised smoking environment': a novel strategy undermining tobacco control efforts in China.

Objective: In 2018, the Chinese tobacco industry initiated the nationwide 'civilised smoking environment' campaign via a 5-year action plan. The goal of this study was to analyse content of reports regarding this topic as evidence to policy-makers to prevent interference from the tobacco industry.

Methods: A search of WiseNews, a Chinese media information service provider, for reports regarding the 'civilised smoking environment' between January 2018 and December 2022.

Clinical validation of an artificial intelligence-based decision support system for diagnosis and risk stratification of heart failure (STRATIFYHF): a protocol for a prospective, multicentre longitudinal study.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome. Accurate risk stratification and early diagnosis of HF are challenging as its signs and symptoms are non-specific. We propose to address this global challenge by developing the STRATIFYHF artificial intelligence-driven decision support system (DSS), which uses novel analytical methods in determining the risk, diagnosis and prognosis of HF.

Multimorbidity clusters and their associations with health-related quality of life in two UK cohorts.

Background: Identifying clusters of multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs), also known as multimorbidity, and their associated burden may facilitate the development of effective and cost-effective targeted healthcare strategies. This study aimed to identify clusters of MLTCs and their associations with long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in two UK population-based cohorts.

Methods: Age-stratified clusters of MLTCs were identified at baseline in UK Biobank (n = 502,363, 54.

The Willingness of Doctors to Adopt Artificial Intelligence-Driven Clinical Decision Support Systems at Different Hospitals in China: Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Survey Data.

Background: Artificial intelligence-driven clinical decision support systems (AI-CDSSs) are pivotal tools for doctors to improve diagnostic and treatment processes, as well as improve the efficiency and quality of health care services. However, not all doctors trust artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and many remain skeptical and unwilling to adopt these systems.

Objective: This study aimed to explore in depth the factors influencing doctors' willingness to adopt AI-CDSSs and assess the causal relationships among these factors to gain a better understanding for promoting the clinical application and widespread implementation of these systems.

Primary care utilisation in different patients' profiles with cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: This study aimed to identify profiles of patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, based on their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and to analyse how their complexity is related to their frequency of visits in Primary Care.

Methods: Observational longitudinal study conducted in the Spanish CArdiovascular Risk factors for HEalth Services research (CARhES) cohort. Individuals older than 15 with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or dyslipidaemia in 2017 were selected and followed until 2021.

Examining associations between oral cancer mortality and economic development of 13 European countries: an ecological and correlational study.

Background: Cancer is a significant public health issue all over the world. The diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of cancer patients are a huge health, economic and social burden for societies. The link between the state of health of a country and its economic performance has been proven by numerous studies.

The Role of the Organization in Promoting Information Security-Related Behavior Among Resident Physicians in Hospitals in Germany: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Background: Nowadays, optimal patient care should be based on data-driven decisions. In the course of digitization, hospitals, in particular, are becoming complex organizations with an enormously high density of digital information. Ensuring information security is, therefore, essential and has become a major challenge.

SarkoLife: quality of life in patients undergoing multimodal soft tissue sarcoma treatment.

Objective: To assess the tolerability of multimodal therapy in soft tissue sarcoma patients, particularly with regard to their quality of life and level of distress.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study enrolled individuals receiving sarcoma therapy at the sarcoma center of the University of Tuebingen between 2017 and 2022. Participants completed an online survey that included the EORTC's questionnaire (QLQ-C30), coupled with the distress thermometer and demographic inquiries.

The costs and logistics of distributing 'forest packs' containing novel vector control tools to forest-exposed populations in Cambodia.

Background: Malaria incidence in the Greater Mekong Subregion has been on the decline, and most remaining malaria risk in the region is concentrated among hard-to-reach populations, especially those with exposure to forested areas. New vector control tools focused on outdoor protection in forest settings are needed for these populations.

Methods: The delivery of a 'forest pack' containing a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent (VPSR), a topical repellent, and pyrethroid treatment of clothing was evaluated in an operational study in Cambodia.

Global, regional, and national burden of anxiety disorders during the perimenopause (1990-2021) and projections to 2035.

Purpose: Perimenopause is associated with an increased risk of anxiety disorders, largely due to hormonal changes affecting the body's regulatory feedback mechanisms. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the global burden of anxiety disorders among perimenopausal women.

Methods: Data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database were utilized to assess disability-adjusted life years associated with anxiety disorders linked to perimenopause.

The impact of parental migration on left-behind children's tooth health in China.

Background: Parental migration plays a significant role in shaping the health outcomes of left-behind children. However, limited research has been conducted on how parental migration impacts the dental health of these children in China. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate the effects of parental migration on the dental health of left-behind children and explore the underlying mechanisms that contribute to these outcomes.

Environmental burden of disease resulting from long-term nitrogen dioxide exposure in Germany.

Background: Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, and other diseases and health outcomes. Although NO emissions have decreased in Germany, concentrations currently observed still pose a threat to population health. The aim of this study is to estimate the environmental burden of disease (EBD) resulting from long-term NO exposure in Germany from 2010 to 2021.

Trends in Prescription of Stimulants and Narcoleptic Drugs in Switzerland: Longitudinal Health Insurance Claims Analysis for the Years 2014-2021.

Background: Stimulants are potent treatments for central hypersomnolence disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders/attention deficit disorders but concerns have been raised about their potential negative consequences and their increasing prescription rates.

Objective: We aimed to describe stimulant prescription trends in Switzerland from 2014 to 2021. Second, we aimed to analyze the characteristics of individuals who received stimulant prescriptions in 2021 and investigate the link between stimulant prescriptions and hospitalization rates in 2021, using hospitalization as a potential indicator of adverse health outcomes.

More eggs are not more sires: long-term monogamy reduces fertility in a predatory ladybird.

Multiple mating is a behaviour observed across various polyandrous insect species. It is suggested that, in ladybirds, this strategy of multiple copulations is used to enhance fecundity and fertility through sperm replenishment. Studies on sperm depletion need to correlate fertility with the presence of spermatozoa in the spermatheca.

Commentary on "Social protection and the International Monetary Fund: promise versus performance" by Alexander Kentikelenis and Thomas Stubbs.

Background: The Covid pandemic and its aftermath have triggered new alarm and social unrest across the Global South over the deepening international debt crisis that now threatens to derail Universal Health Coverage (UHC), other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), future pandemic preparedness, and global warming mitigation. The recent Globalization and Health article by Alex Kentikelenis and Thomas Stubbs (May 2024), "Social protection and the International Monetary Fund: promise versus performance", offers a meticulously quantified rendering of the social costs imposed by the crisis and takes aim at IMF solutions. They advocate for a rejection of IMF austerity programs and offer a valuable prescription for change through the International Labor Organization's "Universal Social Protection" concept.

Cost effectiveness of obstructive sleep apnea therapies: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cost utility studies.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of nocturnal breathing cessation resulting from upper airway collapse. Given the absence of a comprehensive review of the cost-effectiveness of OSA treatments, we undertook an extensive systematic review and meta-analysis to calculate the pooled incremental net benefit (INBp).

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Tufts cost-effectiveness analysis registry was conducted.

Zuyderland Hip Inference for Survival and Lifetime Expectancy (ZHISLE) following hip fracture surgery: validation of the model that demonstrated good predictive power.

Purpose: Proximal femoral fractures are common within the elderly population and are associated with a high risk of mortality and reduced quality of life. Hemiarthroplasty or osteosynthesis (extramedullary or intramedullary) is the primary treatment option for these fractures. However, within this fragile patient population many comorbidities, among others dementia, are seen.

The Lebanese health economic evaluation guideline.

Background: Economic evaluation guidelines (EEGs) serve as a valuable tool to assist appraisers in making consistent and transparent recommendations, standardize EE studies, enhance their quality, and minimize methodological uncertainties. As other LMICs, Lebanon aims for UHC where EEG is a necessity. This paper aims to report on the Lebanese health EEG (LEEG) and its reference case, including the intermediate results leading to the final decisions.

Integrating Ambulatory Care Pharmacists Into Value-Based Primary Care: A Scalable Solution to Chronic Disease.

Introduction/objectives: Patients living with chronic diseases require more medical attention, including more visits to primary care. However, primary care providers are overburdened, and this specialty is attracting fewer new providers than before. Clinical pharmacists can augment these efforts by improving disease state control.

Funding rules that promote equity in climate adaptation outcomes.

Many climate policies adopt improving equity as a key objective. A key challenge is that policies often conceive of equity in terms of individuals but introduce strategies that focus on spatially coarse administrative areas. For example, the Justice40 Initiative in the United States requires 518 diverse federal programs to prioritize funds for "disadvantaged" census tracts.

Good Practices for Health Technology Assessment Guideline Development: A Report of the Health Technology Assessment International, HTAsiaLink, and ISPOR Special Task Force.

Objectives: Health technology assessment (HTA) guidelines are intended to support successful implementation of HTA by enhancing consistency and transparency in concepts, methods, process, and use, thereby enhancing the legitimacy of the decision-making process. This report lays out good practices and practical recommendations for developing or updating HTA guidelines to ensure successful implementation.

Methods: The task force was established in 2022 and comprised experts and academics from various geographical regions, each with substantial experience in developing HTA guidelines for national health policymaking.

The Epidemiology, Clinical, and Economic Burdens of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections Amongst Hospitalized Children Under 5 Years of Age in Jordan: A National Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as a highly important cause of morbidity and mortality among children and adults. A cross-sectional study at representative sites in Jordan was undertaken to provide an assessment of the epidemiology and health and economic burdens of RSV and influenza infections in Jordan amongst hospitalized children under 5 years old for the period between 15 November 2022 and 14 April 2023. This study involved 1000 patients with a mean age of 17.