Association of age at menopause with type 2 diabetes mellitus in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The onset of menopause usually occurs between the ages of 48 and 52, leading to diverse symptoms in various body systems due to a decrease in estrogen level. Visceral obesity and diminished estrogen level during the menopausal phase are associated with unfavorable metabolic changes, resulting in insulin resistance and increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Owing to the increase in the incidence and prevalence of T2DM in recent decades, it is important to identify predisposing factor such as menopausal age to improve T2DM prevention and management.

Altered interactions between attentional networks in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Previous research using the Attention Network Test (ANT) paradigm has indicated that older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience declines in attentional performance across the three core networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control, primarily focusing on main effects. The present study sought to expand these findings by exploring whether interactions between these networks are also affected in the presence of MCI. To achieve this, we used the Revised Attention Network Test (ANT-R) to examine both the individual attentional networks and their interactions in 21 older adults with MCI and 27 healthy controls (HCs) matched on demographic variables.

Influence of age on biochemical serum parameters in female alpacas - A retrospective study.

The determination of biochemical parameters plays an important role in the veterinary care of alpacas, as it can provide an overview of the integrity and function of various organs and metabolic states. Various reference intervals are available for interpreting biochemical results in alpacas, but physiological variations due to age, sex or season should also be considered. Particularly, information on the influence of age is scarce.

Inducing apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia; mechanisms and limitations.

Acute myeloid leukemia is the expansion of leukemic stem cells which might originate from a stem cell or a progenitor which has acquired self-renewal capacity. An aggregation of leukemic blasts in bone marrow, peripheral blood, and extramedullary tissue will result in acute myeloid leukemia. The main difficulty in treating acute myeloid leukemia is multidrug resistance, leading to treatment failure.

Visual Acuity, Full-field Stimulus Thresholds, and Electroretinography for 4 Years in The Rate of Progression of USH2A-related Retinal Degeneration (RUSH2A) Study.

Purpose: To describe progression of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), full-field stimulus thresholds (FST), and electroretinography (ERG) over 4 years in the -related Retinal Degeneration study and to assess their suitability as clinical trial endpoints.

Design: Prospective natural history study.

Participants: Participants (n = 105) with biallelic disease-causing sequence variants in USH2A and BCVA letter scores of ≥54 were included.

Free vascularized fibula transfer in single- or double-barrel technique for reconstruction of segmental bone defects following oncological resection or posttraumatic bone loss.

Background: Significant osseous defects or osteonecrosis, precipitated by open fractures, infections, or neoplastic conditions, represent infrequent yet critical medical conditions. The free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG) is a challenging but straightforward, reliable surgical intervention for the reconstruction of defects across various anatomical regions. This study aims to compare, quantify, and demonstrate the FVFG's versatility.

Coronal Malalignment Is Infrequently Present in Patients With Aseptic Tibial Loosening.

Background: Coronal lower extremity malalignment and improper implant position have been described as risk factors for aseptic tibial loosening following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, several prior studies have shown no association between alignment and implant loosening. Meanwhile, there is increasing interest in kinematic alignment.

Expanding the Chemical Space of Reverse Fosmidomycin Analogs.

Multidrug-resistant pathogens pose a major threat to human health, necessitating the identification of new drug targets and lead compounds that are not susceptible to cross-resistance. This study demonstrates that novel reverse thia analogs of the phosphonohydroxamic acid antibiotic fosmidomycin inhibit 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR), an essential enzyme for , , and that is absent in humans. Some novel analogs with large α-phenyl substituents exhibited strong inhibition across these three DXR orthologues, surpassing the inhibitory activity of fosmidomycin.

Thermal Behavior of -Octanol and Related Ether Alcohols.

The thermal behavior of -octanol and related ether alcohols has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The melting point, heat of fusion, and isobaric heat capacities of -octanol obtained from the DSC measurements are in good agreement with literature values. The ether alcohols display kinetic barriers for forming a solid phase during cooldown.

Assessing community antibiotic usage and adherence as per standard treatment guidelines: A potential area to enhance awareness at community pharmacy settings.

Background: Antibiotic nonadherence significantly contributes to poor treatment outcomes and antimicrobial resistance. In Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, community pharmacies are crucial in primary healthcare, and are key sources of over-the-counter antibiotics. However, understanding of adherence to the full course of community-dispensed antibiotics is limited.

Effects of community action on animal vaccination uptake, antimicrobial usage, and farmers' wellbeing in Ghana: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Infectious animal diseases represent a major constraint to livestock productivity, food security and wellbeing in many developing countries. To mitigate these impacts, farmers frequently use antimicrobials without professional advice, potentially yielding drug residues in livestock products and the food chain, as well as resistant antimicrobial genes. Recent studies identified Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) as the diseases most negatively affecting ruminant livestock productivity and farmers' wellbeing in Ghana.

Dibenzyl isophthalates as versatile hosts in room temperature phosphorescence host-guest systems.

We report a series of dibenzyl isophthalates (DBIs) as novel hosts for room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) host-guest systems, achieving RTP quantum yields (QY) of up to 77% or lifetimes of up to 21.0 s with the guest coronene- . Furthermore, a 4,4'-Br substituted DBI was used to form host-guest RTP systems with 15 different aromatic guest molecules, to tune the phosphorescence emission color from blue to red and to demonstrate the versatility of the host.

Mechanistic insights into the visible-light-driven -arylation of carboxylic acids catalyzed by xanthine-based nickel complexes.

We present a photocatalytic protocol for the -arylation of carboxylic acids using nickel complexes bearing C8-pyridyl xanthines. Our studies suggest that the underlying mechanism operates independently of external photosensitizers. Stoichiometric experiments and crystallographic studies characterize the catalytically relevant Ni complexes.

Should a history of venous thromboembolism be considered a contraindication for scuba diving?

The question of whether scuba diving is safe for patients with a history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains unanswered. Cases of VTE have been reported after decompression accidents but not following properly conducted dives. However, the risk of VTE and bleeding on anticoagulant therapy during diving has yet to be defined.

Comparative analysis of antioxidant activity and content of (poly)phenolic compounds in cabernet sauvignon and merlot wines of Slovenian and Serbian vineyards.

The individual (poly)phenols of red wines cultivated in two different Western Balkan wine-growing regions were determined using the HPLC method, while the ABTS and DPPH tests were employed to investigate antioxidant activity. The reduction potential of antioxidants was determined by FRAP assay. Five distinct classes of phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, stilbenes, and anthocyanins, were identified.

Distinct functional cerebral hypersensitivity networks during incisional and inflammatory pain in rats.

Although the pathophysiology of pain has been investigated tremendously, there are still many open questions with regard to specific pain entities and their pain-related symptoms. To increase the translational impact of (preclinical) animal neuroimaging pain studies, the use of disease-specific pain models, as well as relevant stimulus modalities, are critical. We developed a comprehensive framework for brain network analysis combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with graph-theory (GT) and data classification by linear discriminant analysis.

Shaping Treatment Expectation to Optimize Efficacy of Interleukin 17A Antagonist Secukinumab in Psoriasis Patients.

Purpose: Patients' treatment expectations significantly influence the effectiveness of medical and pharmacological treatments. This clinical proof-of-concept study aimed to enhance treatment outcomes by targeting positive treatment expectations of psoriasis patients beginning systemic anti-psoriatic therapy with secukinumab, an interleukin (IL)-17A antagonist.

Patients And Methods: We randomly assigned patients to three groups: a treatment as usual (TAU) group receiving the standard 300mg dose of secukinumab, a dose-control (DC) group with 75% dose reduction and an experimental (EXP) group receiving the same reduced dose along with a "cover story" designed to positively influence treatment expectations.

Additional dorsal interspinous stabilisation has no advantage after decompression of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Introduction: Interspinous devices are an alternative to instrumented fusion for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with radiological instability or deformity. The devices claim to improve clinical symptoms by indirect foraminal decompression with fewer complications and similar functional outcomes compared to conventional fusion techniques, and by avoiding a (further) deterioration of the anatomy of the spine while being less invasive than instrumented fusion.

Research Question: Do interspinous devices provide a benefit in combination with a decompression of degenerative LSS?

Material And Methods: In this observational study, 117 patients were treated by decompression surgery alone (n = 37), decompression plus instrumented spinal screw fixation and anterior cage support (n = 41) or decompression plus stabilisation with interspinous devices (n = 39).

Current state and future perspectives of spinal navigation and robotics-an AO spine survey.

Introduction: The use of robotics in spine surgery has gained popularity. This study aims to assess the current state of robotics and raise awareness of its educational implications.

Research Question: What are the current adoption trends and barriers to the implementation of robotic assistance in spine surgery?

Material And Methods: An online questionnaire comprising 27 questions was distributed to AO spine members between October 25th and November 13th, 2023, using the SurveyMonkey platform (https://www.

Achieving room air quality of room class Ib in the aseptic area using a mobile sterile ventilation unit in a room class II surgical unit.

Introduction: Room air class (RC) Ib may be necessary for surgical procedures in aseptic working areas. The aim of the study was to examine whether a mobile, three-stage sterile ventilation unit (MSVU) can replace a room ventilation system (RVS) with turbulent mixed flow (TMF) in the area of the operating field and on the instrument table from hygienic-microbiological point of view.

Method: During 26 surgeries (varicose vein stripping or treatment of umbilical and inguinal hernias), the microbial load was recorded at 4 measuring points (M1-M4) during regular operations by setting up sedimentation plates and measuring the particle concentration.

Investigation of the efficiency of different reprocessing methods on disposable laryngeal masks contaminated with HBV DNA.

Background: The use of laryngeal masks (LM) has increased widely today, both in anesthesia and in emergency cases. LM are available as reusable and disposable. Although reuse of disposable LM is not recommended, they are reused again after decontamination with different methods in anesthesia units in some countries.

Equivalent reduction of Escherichia coli by rinsing hands with cold and warm water.

Objective: Hand washing is considered an important public health intervention to reduce the burden of communicable diseases such as gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections. Washbasins in public restrooms are often only equipped with cold water and it can be observed that people only rinse their hands briefly after using the toilet instead of washing them properly with soap. As there are no recommendations on the optimal water temperature for efficacy, we measured the efficacy of simple hand rinsing with cold (4°C) and warm (40°C) water for 10 and 20 seconds compared to the European Norm EN 1499 reference hand wash.

Online survey on barriers and drivers to flu vaccination among staff at a German university hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic 2022 (flu-vaccination motive study).

Introduction: The success of flu vaccination depends primarily on the willingness of health care workers (HCWs) to be vaccinated. To identify barriers and drivers to vaccination, an online survey among employees and students of a university hospital was performed to develop a local strategy to increase the vaccination willingness in line with the WHO recommendation.

Method: A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered online survey was performed among HCWs, other staff, trainees and students of the Greifswald University Hospital between 17.

Targeting the Type I Interferon Pathway in Glomerular Kidney Disease: Rationale and Therapeutic Opportunities.

Type I interferons (IFNs) are immunostimulatory molecules that can activate the innate and adaptive immune systems. In cases of immune dysfunction, prolonged activation of the type I IFN pathway has been correlated with kidney tissue damage in a wide range of kidney disorders, such as lupus nephritis (LN) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Genetic mutations, such as risk variants in conjunction with elevated type I IFN expression, are also associated with higher rates of chronic kidney disease in patients with LN and collapsing FSGS.