The Promising Biological Role of Postbiotics in Treating Human Infertility.

Infertility poses a global challenge that impacts a significant proportion of the populace. Presently, there is a substantial emphasis on investigating the potential of probiotics and their derivatives, called postbiotics, as an alternative therapeutic strategy for addressing infertility. The term of "postbiotics" refers to compounds including peptides, enzymes, teichoic acids, and muropeptides derived from peptidoglycans, polysaccharides, proteins, and organic acids that are excreted by living bacteria or released after bacterial lysis.

Identifying At-Risk Populations for Reoperations, Readmissions, and Interventions in MBSAQIP Using a Novel Inpatient Postoperative Care Metric.

Introduction: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is increasingly used for obesity and metabolic disease, with safety profiles showing it is among the safest major operations. The last 20 + years have noted significantly improved safety that has been accompanied by decreasing length of stay and select populations electing for outpatient surgery, leading to continued decreases in cost. Regardless, readmissions and complications still occur, requiring inpatient postoperative care (IP-POC).

Exploring melatonin's signalling pathways in the protection against age-related skin deterioration.

Melatonin, renowned for regulating sleep-wake cycles, also exhibits notable anti-aging properties for the skin. Synthesized in the pineal gland and various tissues including the skin, melatonin's efficacy arises from its capacity to combat oxidative stress and shield the skin from ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage. Moreover, it curbs melanin production, thereby potentially ameliorating hyperpigmentation.

Defense guard: strategies of plants in the fight against Cadmium stress.

Soil Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a worldwide problem with negative impacts on human health. Cultivating the Cd-Pollution Safety Cultivar (Cd-PSC) with lower Cd accumulation in edible parts of plants is an environmentally friendly approach to ensure food security with wide application prospects. Specialized mechanisms have been addressed for Cd accumulation in crops.

Psychometric properties and post-hoc CAT analysis of the pediatric PROMIS® item banks anxiety and depressive symptoms in a combined Swedish Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and School sample.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to assess the psychometric properties and reliability of the Swedish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) item banks for anxiety and depressive symptoms with item response theory analysis and post-hoc computerized adaptive testing in a combined Swedish Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) and school sample.

Methods: Participants (n = 928, age 12-20) were recruited from junior and high schools and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinics in the region of Västerbotten. Unidimensionality, local independence, and monotonicity was tested.

Real-world application of CCTA with CT-FFR for coronary assessment pre-TAVI: the CT2TAVI study.

This study aims to evaluate the implementation of concomitant CAD assessment on pre-TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation) planning CTA (CT angiography) aided by CT-FFR (CT-fractional flow reserve) [The CT2TAVI protocol] and investigates the incremental value of CT-FFR to coronary CT angiography (CCTA) alone in the evaluation of patients undergoing CT2TAVI. This is a prospective observational real-world cohort study at an academic health system on consecutive patients who underwent CTA for TAVI planning from 1/2021 to 6/2022. This represented a transition period in our health system, from not formally reporting CAD on pre-TAVI planning CTA (Group A) to routinely reporting CAD on pre-TAVI CTA (Group B; CT2TAVI protocol).

The modification of conventional liposomes for targeted antimicrobial delivery to treat infectious diseases.

Some of the most crucial turning points in the treatment strategies for some major infectious diseases including AIDS, malaria, and TB, have been reached with the introduction of antimicrobials and vaccines. Drug resistance and poor effectiveness are key limitations that need to be overcome. Conventional liposomes have been explored as a delivery system for infectious diseases bioactives to treat infectious diseases to provide an efficient approach to maximize the therapeutic outcomes, drug stability, targetability, to reduce the side-effects of antimicrobials, and enhance vaccine performance where necessary.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Healthcare Providers and Healthcare Experiences of Women Regarding Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): A Scoping Review of Evidence from Canada and the United States.

Healthcare providers (HCPs) play a critical role in the care of women with experience of FGM/C although there is limited research on knowledge about FGM/C among HCPs in Canada and USA. Research evidence suggests that many women with experience of FGM/C have negative care experiences. We sought to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Canadian and USA HCPs regarding FGM/C, along with women's healthcare experiences with FGM/C in both countries.

Experiences of Disclosure, Resilience and Viral Suppression among People Living with HIV in Ghana.

Support for people living with HIV (PLHIV) as they disclose their HIV status can impact continuity of HIV treatment and adherence to antiretrovirals. In the presence of multi-level adversities, resilience among PLHIV can promote health-seeking behaviors and better health outcomes. However, few studies have examined how disclosure experience and resilience work together to impact HIV treatment outcomes among PLHIV.

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Awareness and Engagement Among MSM at High Risk of HIV Infection in China: A Multi-City Cross-Sectional Survey.

This study aimed to explore the awareness, willingness, and engagement with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among high-risk Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) and to investigate the factors influencing its use. A cross-sectional survey of 1800 HIV-negative MSM was conducted in Chengdu, Suzhou, and Wuhan between June 2022 and February 2023 through in-person and online recruitment methods. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of PrEP use.

Brief Report: Preferences and Acceptability in Methods of Tenofovir Diphosphate in Dried Blood Spots Collection and Feedback in a Cohort of PLWH in Cape Town South Africa.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence is crucial for HIV viral suppression. Tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) concentrations in dried blood spots (DBS) offer a potential tool for monitoring and supporting adherence. We assessed acceptability and preferences of fingerstick-based DBS collection and drug-level feedback among 224 people living with HIV (PLWH) in South Africa.

Pathogenesis of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection at the extremes of age: decipher the ominous tales of immune vulnerability.

The co-circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 has led to co-infection events, primarily affecting children and older adults, who are at higher risk for severe disease. Although co-infection prevalence is relatively low, it is associated with worse outcomes compared to mono-infections. Previous studies have shown that the outcomes of co-infection depend on multiple factors, including viral interference, virus-host interaction and host response.

Clinical presentation, outcomes and risk of relapses of lupus podocytopathy in a multicentre Italian cohort.

Background: In an Italian cohort of lupus podocytopathy patients, we aimed to characterize the presenting features, therapy, and outcomes, and explore differences between relapsing and non-relapsing patients.

Methods: We identified 29 patients with lupus podocytopathy from 1994 to 2023 in 11 Italian Nephrology/Rheumatology Units, and divided them into two groups: relapsing and non-relapsing. Given the limited sample size, a p-value ≤ 0.

The impact of a secondary, rare, non-pathogenic PKD1 variant on disease progression in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is caused primarily by pathogenic variants in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes. Although the type of ADPKD variant can influence disease severity, rare, hypomorphic PKD1 variants have also been reported to modify disease severity or cause biallelic ADPKD. This study examines whether rare, additional, potentially protein-altering, non-pathogenic PKD1 variants contribute to ADPKD phenotypic outcomes.

Therapeutic gene correction of HBB frameshift CD41-42 (-TCTT) deletion in human hematopoietic stem cells.

Β-thalassemia is one of the global health burdens. The CD41-42 (-TCTT) mutation at HBB is the most prevalent pathogenic mutation of β-thalassemia in both China and Southeast Asia. Previous studies focused on repairing the HBB CD41-42 (-TCTT) mutation in β-thalassemia patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells, which were subsequently differentiated into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for transplantation.

Assessing blood metal levels in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across urban and rural habitats in Meknes.

This study investigates the concentration of heavy metals lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) in the blood of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across various urban habitats in Meknes, Morocco. Fifty adult sparrows were captured from five distinct sites, including industrial, high-traffic, and rural areas. Blood samples were specifically analyzed for Pb, Cd, and Zn using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES).

Cancers of the brain and central nervous system: global patterns and trends in incidence.

Background: Global comparisons of the burden and impact of cancers of the brain and central nervous system (CNS) are critical for developing effective control strategies and generating etiological hypotheses to drive future research.

Methods: National incidence estimates were obtained from GLOBOCAN 2022, and recorded incidence data from the Cancer in Five Continents series, both developed and compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. We examined the estimated age-standardized incidence rates in 185 countries, as well as time trends in recorded incidence in 35 countries, quantifying the direction and change in the magnitude of the rates using the estimated average percentage change (EAPC).

Preventive clipping versus coiling in unruptured intracranial aneurysms: A comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review to explore safety and efficacy.

Background: Surgical clipping and endovascular coiling are both effective in preventing aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, but the choice between these interventions remains controversial, leading to treatment disparities across medical centers.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, including relevant two-arm clinical trials up to September 2023, sourced from Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Our primary outcomes were complete occlusion rates during mid-term and long-term follow-ups.

Adenine base editor corrected ADPKD point mutations in hiPSCs and kidney organoids.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a dominant genetic disorder caused primarily by mutations in the PKD1 gene, resulting in the formation of numerous cysts and eventually kidney failure. However, there are currently no gene therapy studies aimed at correcting PKD1 gene mutations. In this study, we identified two mutation sites associated with ADPKD, c.

Mechanism of microbial action of the inoculated nitrogen-fixing bacterium for growth promotion and yield enhancement in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The use of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in agriculture is increasingly recognized as a sustainable method to boost crop yields, reduce chemical fertilizer use, and improve soil health. However, the microbial mechanisms by which inoculation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria enhance rice production remain unclear. In this study, rice seedlings were inoculated with the nitrogen-fixing bacterium R3 (Herbaspirillum) at the rhizosphere during the seedling stage in a pot experiment using paddy soil.

Evaluating key predictors of anatomical complexity in mandibular incisors: insights from CBCT analysis considering premolar anatomy, sex, and age.

Understanding the impact of premolar root anatomy, sex, and age on incisor complexity can aid in developing tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This study evaluated if the anatomical complexity of mandibular premolars, sex and age can predict the anatomical complexity in mandibular incisors. Using CBCT scans, 3944 mandibular incisors from 493 patients were analyzed.

Medical teleconsultation from the patient's perspective. A demographic segmentation.

Medical teleconsultation is a tool that is here to stay among the services offered by health systems. Therefore, it is important to understand the process of adopting this technology. However, most studies have endorsed the point of view of health professionals.