The prevalence of obesity in children with CHD: what has changed over the past decade in Southwestern Ontario?

Objective: To assess the prevalence of obesity and investigate any changes in body mass index in children with CHD compared to age-matched healthy controls, in Southwestern Ontario.

Methods: The body mass index z-scores of 1259 children (aged 2-18) with CHD were compared with 2037 healthy controls. The body mass index z-scores of children who presented to our paediatric cardiology outpatient clinic from 2018 to 2021 were compared with previously collected data from 2008 to 2010.

Analysis of different strains of the turquoise killifish identify transcriptomic signatures associated with heritable lifespan differences.

The African turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri represents an emerging short-lived model for aging research. Captive strains of this species are characterized by large differences in lifespan. To identify the gene expression correlates of this lifespan differences, we analyzed a public transcriptomic dataset consisting of four different tissues in addition to embryos.

Access to HIV prevention, testing and care among people with a migration background in Euregio Meuse-Rhine: a needs and assets assessment.

This study addresses disparities among people with a migration background (PMB) and those in less-urban regions, across the HIV prevention and care continuum (HIVPCC). We conducted a needs assessment and assets assessment to identify gaps between existing initiatives and persisting barriers. The research was conducted in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR), encompassing bordering regions in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, and involved in-depth interviews with fifteen first-generation PMB, including nine with HIV.

FAP-Targeted SPECT/CT and PET/CT Imaging for Breast Cancer Patients.

Breast cancer presents a significant global health challenge, necessitating continued innovation in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Recent advances have led to the identification of cancer-associated fibroblasts, which are highly prevalent in breast cancers and express fibroblast activation proteins (FAPs), as critical targets. FAP-specific radiotracers, when used with PET/CT and SPECT/CT, have significant potential for improving early breast cancer detection, staging, treatment response monitoring, and therapeutic intervention.

The properties of solids: 'If you want to understand function, study structure'.

The importance of the structure-function relationship in molecular biology was confirmed dramatically by the recent award of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry 'for computational protein design' and 'for protein structure prediction'. The relationship is also important in chemistry and condensed matter physics, and we survey here structural concepts that have been developed over the past century, particularly in chemistry. As an example we take structural phase transitions in phase-change materials (PCM), which can be switched rapidly and reversibly between amorphous and crystalline states.

Effectiveness of the AF-EduCare and AF-EduApp approach to improve atrial fibrillation knowledge and risk factor awareness in patients with atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Developing an integrated care pathway for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is of pivotal importance, given the different treatment strategies. Moreover, knowledge about the condition is an important factor in engaging patients in their care. Patient education formed the core of the integrated AF-EduCare/AF-EduApp approach.

Screening for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport: Detection of Clinical Indicators in Female Endurance Athletes.

Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the individual and combined use of the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and the Brief Eating Disorder in Athletes Questionnaire (BEDA-Q) to detect clinical indicators associated with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 50 female endurance athletes training ≥4x/week completed the LEAF-Q and BEDA-Q and were assessed for presence of selected REDs indicators. Athletes meeting the criteria for mild or more severe REDs severity/risk according to the International Olympic Committee REDs Clinical Assessment Tool Version 2 (IOC REDs CAT2) were classified as REDs cases.

Manipulating stomatal aperture by silencing StSLAC1 affects potato plant-herbivore-parasitoid tritrophic interactions under drought stress.

The effects of drought stress on stomatal opening dynamics, plant volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and plant-insect interactions have been well-documented individually, but how they interact mechanistically remains poorly studied. Here, we studied how drought-triggered stomatal closure affects VOC emission and plant-trophic interactions by combining RNAi silencing, molecular biological and chemical analyses (GC-MS) of a potato-tuber moth-egg parasitoid tritrophic system. Drought stress attenuated stomatal apertures and VOC emissions, which made the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.

The impact of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on anterior cingulate cortex activity in a cognitive control task.

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) offers a non-invasive method to enhance noradrenergic neurotransmission in the human brain, thereby increasing cognitive control. Here, we investigate if changes in cognitive control induced by tVNS are mediated through locus coeruleus-induced modifications of neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Young healthy participants engaged in a simple cognitive control task focusing on response inhibition and a more complex task that involved both response inhibition and working memory, inside a magnetic resonance imaging scanner.

Identifying clusters of raters with a common notion of diagnosing erosive tooth wear: a step towards improving the accuracy of diagnostic procedures.

Background: Heterogeneous results are to be expected when multiple raters diagnose whether the dentine of a tooth with erosive tooth wear (ETW) is exposed or not. Identification of notions (fundamental concepts and understanding) about the diagnostic problem shared by groups of raters can be helpful to develop guidelines and to optimize teaching and calibration procedures. We aim to illustrate how clusters of raters with a common notion can be identified and how first insights about the notions can be obtained.

Development of a non-specialist worker delivered psychological intervention to address alcohol use disorders and psychological distress among conflict-affected populations in Uganda and Ukraine.

Background: Despite the significant burden of alcohol use disorders (AUD), there is a large treatment gap, especially in settings and populations affected by armed conflict. A key barrier to care is the lack of contextually relevant interventions and adequately skilled human resources to deliver them. This paper describes the systematic development of the CHANGE intervention, a potentially scalable psychological intervention for people with co-existing AUD and psychological distress in conflict-affected populations, delivered by non-specialist workers (NSWs).

The role of the left primary motor cortex in apraxia.

Background: Apraxia is a motor-cognitive disorder that primary sensorimotor deficits cannot solely explain. Previous research in stroke patients has focused on damage to the fronto-parietal praxis networks in the left hemisphere (LH) as the cause of apraxic deficits. In contrast, the potential role of the (left) primary motor cortex (M1) has largely been neglected.

Reliability generalization meta-analysis of the internal consistency of the Big Five Inventory (BFI) by comparing BFI (44 items) and BFI-2 (60 items) versions controlling for age, sex, language factors.

Introduction: The Big Five Inventory (BFI) is a popular measure that evaluates personality on the Big-Five model. Apart from its utilization across cultures, the literature did not reveal any meta-analysis for the reliability of the different versions of the BFI and its translations. The current study carried out a reliability generalization meta-analysis (REGEMA) to establish the reliability of the BFI across cultures and languages.

Effectiveness of digital health applications on the quality of life in patients with overweight or obesity: a systematic review.

Background: Globally, more than half of the adult population is overweight, including those who are obese, which increases the risk of premature death and reduces quality of life (QoL). Technologies such as digital health applications (DiHA) can potentially improve clinical outcomes (e.g.

The Venus score for the assessment of the quality and trustworthiness of biomedical datasets.

Biomedical datasets are the mainstays of computational biology and health informatics projects, and can be found on multiple data platforms online or obtained from wet-lab biologists and physicians. The quality and the trustworthiness of these datasets, however, can sometimes be poor, producing bad results in turn, which can harm patients and data subjects. To address this problem, policy-makers, researchers, and consortia have proposed diverse regulations, guidelines, and scores to assess the quality and increase the reliability of datasets.

The influence of sintering of osteoporotic vertebral fractures on the sagittal lumbar profile and degenerative changes.

Background: Osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder affecting nearly 20% of the global population, poses a significant health concern, with osteoporotic vertebral body fractures (VBF) representing a common clinical manifestation. The impact of osteoporotic sintering fractures in the thoracolumbar spine on the sagittal lumbar profile is incompletely understood and may lead to the onset of clinical symptoms in previously asymptomatic patients.

Methods: This retrospective single-center study analyzed data from patients presenting with osteoporotic spine fractures between 2017 and 2022.

Awareness and knowledge regarding female genital schistosomiasis among European healthcare workers: a cross-sectional online survey.

Background: Adequate knowledge and awareness regarding diseases are essential for appropriate, high-quality healthcare. Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) is a non-sexually transmitted gynaecological disease that is caused by the presence of Schistosoma haematobium eggs in the female genital tract and the resulting immune response that causes tissue damage. It is estimated to affect 56 million women, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where healthcare workers (HCWs) have limited awareness and knowledge of FGS.

Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers.

Background: Regeneration is the replacement of lost or damaged tissue with a functional copy. In axolotls and zebrafish, regeneration involves stem cells produced by de-differentiation. These cells form a growth zone which expresses developmental patterning genes at its apex.

Pyopericardium with cardiac tamponade caused by pyogenic liver abscess: a case report.

Introduction: Purulent bacterial pericarditis is a potentially fatal disease with mortality rates reaching 100% if left untreated.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 33-year-old Caucasian male patient who developed cardiac tamponade, most likely caused by a pyogenic liver abscess communicating with the pericardium. Treatment with antibiotics, extended sepsis therapy, and drainage of the abscess led to a full recovery.

Evaluation of One Step Nucleic Acid Amplification for detection of lymph node metastases compared to histopathological ultrastaging in women with endometrial cancer: a protocol for a diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: This is a multicentre, European, prospective trial evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of One Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) compared to sentinel lymph nodes histopathological ultrastaging in endometrial cancer patients.

Methods: Centres with expertise in sentinel lymph node mapping in endometrial cancer patients in Europe will be invited to participate in the study. Participating units will be trained on the correct usage of the OSNA RD-210 analyser and nucleic acid amplification reagent kit LYNOAMP CK19 E for rapid detection of metastatic nodal involvement, based on the cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA detection.

Development of a pandemic-related core set of quality indicators for quality and patient safety in University Hospitals in Germany.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic entailed a global health crisis, significantly affecting medical service delivery in Germany as well as elsewhere. While intensive care capacities were overloaded by COVID cases, not only elective cases but also non-COVID cases requiring urgent treatment unexpectedly decreased, potentially leading to a deterioration in health outcomes. However, these developments were only uncovered retrospectively.

Psychological interventions for refugees with depression: a systematic literature review.

Background: Ongoing global crises are forcing an increasing number of people to seek refuge in other countries. Refugees have often experienced multiple potentially traumatic events before and during their flight and are burdened by psychosocial problems in exile. Epidemiological research suggests that many refugees suffer from depression and need psychological care.

HCV and HBV genotypes: vital in the progression of HCV/ HBV co-infection.

Background: Viral hepatitis is the major contributor to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Studies indicated that the co-infection of hepatitis C and hepatitis B virus also prompts liver damage progression. Therefore, in the present study, the prevalence of HCV-HBV co-infection and the impact of HCV-HBV co-infection on the progression of liver damage was evaluated amongst the HCV-infected patients in Pakistan.

Course of Mental Disorders in Early Cancer Survivorship in Relation to Socioeconomic Status: A Multi-Center Prospective Longitudinal Study (LUPE).

Objective: Individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES) exhibit higher rates of mental disorders; however, data in oncological populations are insufficient. This study investigated the course of DSM-5 mental disorders in cancer patients, stratified by SES, over a period of 1.5 years following initial cancer diagnosis.