Operating on the Oldest-Old: Vaginal Prolapse Surgery Outcomes in Women Over 90.

Importance: Women aged 90 years and older ("oldest-old") represent a small but growing population who may experience bothersome pelvic organ prolapse and opt for surgical repair.

Objective: This study aimed to compare perioperative adverse events (AEs) within 8 weeks of prolapse surgery between women ≥90 years and younger patients.

Study Design: We performed a secondary analysis of a dual-center retrospective cohort study of women ≥61 years old undergoing major prolapse surgery from January 2016 to May 2023.

Regulatory T Cell Phenotype Related to Cytokine Expression Patterns in Post-COVID-19 Pulmonary Fibrosis and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Post-coronavirus disease 19 lung fibrosis (PCLF) shares common immunological abnormalities with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), characterized by an unbalanced cytokine profile being associated with the development of lung fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to analyze and compare the different subsets of CD4- and CD8-T cells, along with specific cytokine expression patterns, in peripheral blood (PB) from patients affected by PCLF and IPF and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: One-hundred patients followed at the Rare Lung Disease Center of Siena University Hospital were enrolled.

The Protective Effects of Annexin A1 in Acute Lung Injury Mediated by Nrf2.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI), one of the most severe respiratory system diseases, is prevalent worldwide. Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is an important member of the annexin superfamily, known for its wide range of physiological functions. However, its potential protective effect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI remains unclear.

Elevated visfatin levels illuminate the inflammatory path in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease in premature infants caused by an imbalance between lung injury and lung repair in the developing immature lungs of the newborn. Pulmonary inflammation is an important feature in the pathogenesis of BPD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the inflammatory microenvironment and the levels of visfatin and nesfatin-1, which are among the new adipocytokines, in BPD patients.

Cultural innovation is not only a product of cognition but also of cultural context.

Innovations, such as symbolic artifacts, are a product of cognitive abilities but also of cultural context. Factors that may determine the emergence and retention of an innovation include the population's pre-existing cultural repertoire, exposure to relevant ways of thinking, and the invention's utility. Thus, we suggest that the production of symbolic artifacts is not guaranteed even in cognitively advanced societies.

A universal framework for design and manufacture of deterministic lateral displacement chips.

Despite being a high-resolution separation technique, deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) technology is facing multiple challenges with regard to design, manufacture, and operation of pertinent devices. This work specifically aims at alleviating difficulties associated with design and manufacture of DLD chips. The process of design and production of computer-aided design (CAD) mask layout files that are typically required for computational modeling analysis, optimization, as well as for manufacturing DLD-based micro/nanofluidic chips is complex, time-consuming, and often necessitates a high level of expertise in the field.

Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid Exhibiting Dual Hydrophilic and Oleophobic Properties without Polar End Groups.

Simultaneously hydrophilic and oleophobic surfaces offer substantial advantages for applications such as antifogging, self-cleaning, and oil-water separation. It remains challenging to engineer such surfaces without requiring polar functional groups. This study introduces HFIL, a novel ionic liquid (IL) coating that achieves simultaneous hydrophilic and oleophobic properties via a one-step dip-coating process without relying on polar functional groups.

Simple and safe redo sternotomy technique using the ultrasonic bone scalpel for patients with an embedded calcified conduit.

With the increase of patients with adult congenital heart disease, the number of high-risk multiple redo sternotomies is increasing. Calcified conduit embedded in the sternum or large vessels attached to the sternum presents an especially challenging case. This video tutorial presents a simple safe redo sternotomy technique using an ultrasonic bone scalpel in such high-risk patients.

Determinants of Racial and Ethnic Differences in Maternal Cardiovascular Health in Early Pregnancy.

Background: Suboptimal cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and offspring outcomes. To guide public health efforts to reduce disparities in maternal CVH, we determined the contribution of individual- and neighborhood-level factors to racial and ethnic differences in early pregnancy CVH.

Methods: We included nulliparous individuals with singleton pregnancies who self-identified as Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black (NHB), or non-Hispanic White (NHW) and participated in the nuMoM2b cohort study (Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be).

Real-world psoriasis treatment patterns and disease burden in Germany, with a focus on biologics and apremilast: data from a German statutory health insurance database.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory skin disease, with increasing prevalence; however, few studies have reported real-world prescription patterns and healthcare burden.

Objectives: This retrospective, observational cohort study used statutory health insurance claims data (January 2014-December 2019) to estimate prevalence/incidence of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in Germany. Patient characteristics, treatment patterns/compliance, and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU)/costs were evaluated, focusing on apremilast and anti-interleukin (IL) and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biologics.

Identifying spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of fecal indicator bacteria in an urban lake for water quality assessment and management.

The designated uses of lakes connect individuals to the natural environment, but some can expose recreational users to pathogens associated with fecal contamination that cause waterborne illnesses. Routine monitoring of fecal indicators in surface waters helps identify and track sources of fecal contamination to protect public health. We examined fecal indicators ( and enterococci) and factors influencing recreational freshwater quality.

Molecular dynamics model of mechanophore sensors for biological force measurement.

Cellular forces regulate an untold spectrum of living processes, such as cell migration, gene expression, and ion conduction. However, a quantitative description of mechanical control remains elusive due to the lack of general, live-cell tools to measure discrete forces between biomolecules. Here we introduce a computational pipeline for force measurement that leverages well-defined, tunable release of a mechanically activated small molecule fluorophore.

Altered Cytokine Production in Patients with Infection.

Background: is a gram-negative pathogen. The infection caused by this pathogen may result in gastritis and can increase the risk of gastric cancer. This study investigated the relationship between infection as the main risk factor for gastritis and changes in serum inflammatory cytokine levels.

A pectic polysaccharide from Murray alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

Inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) can lead to severe complications like perforation, bleeding, and colon cancer, posing life-threatening risks. Murray ( Murr.), rich in polysaccharides, has been utilized in traditional diets for thousands of years.

Disentangling emotional source memory: a mega-analysis on the effects of emotion on item-context binding in episodic long-term memory.

Introduction: It has long been known that highly arousing emotional single items are better recollected than low arousing neutral items. Despite the robustness of this memory advantage, emotional arousing events may not always promote the retrieval of source details (i.e.

Spinal astrocyte-derived interleukin-17A promotes pain hypersensitivity in bone cancer mice.

Spinal microglia and astrocytes are both involved in neuropathic and inflammatory pain, which may display sexual dimorphism. Here, we demonstrate that the sustained activation of spinal astrocytes and astrocyte-derived interleukin (IL)-17A promotes the progression of mouse bone cancer pain without sex differences. Chemogenetic or pharmacological inhibition of spinal astrocytes effectively ameliorates bone cancer-induced pain-like behaviors.

Emerging interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) inhibitors or degraders as therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Interleukin-1 receptor-related kinase (IRAK4) is a widely expressed serine/threonine kinase involved in the regulation of innate immunity. IRAK4 plays a pivotal role as a key kinase within the downstream signaling pathway cascades of interleukin-1 receptors (IL-1R) and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The signaling pathways orchestrated by IRAK4 are integral to inflammatory responses, and its overexpression is implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.

Comparison of Jinzhen oral liquid and ambroxol hydrochloride and clenbuterol hydrochloride oral solution in the treatment of acute bronchitis in children: A multicenter, non-inferiority, prospective, randomized controlled trial.

The comparison between traditional Chinese medicine Jinzhen oral liquid (JZOL) and Western medicine in treating children with acute bronchitis (AB) showed encouraging outcomes. This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of the JZOL for improving cough and expectoration in children with AB. 480 children were randomly assigned to take JZOL or ambroxol hydrochloride and clenbuterol hydrochloride oral solution for 7 days.

A fatal case of disseminated infection in a renal transplant recipient.

Dematiaceous molds often cause noninvasive disease but have the potential to cause disseminated infection, particularly in immunosuppressed hosts. is the most neurotropic of dematiaceous molds and is associated with brain abscesses, but disseminated infection is quite rare. Here we present a case of disseminated in a 67-year-old renal transplant recipient with multifocal soft tissue, bone and presumed central nervous system involvement.

Therapeutic efficacy of jeoryeong-tang in dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Jeoryeong-tang (JRT) was first recorded in . It is composed of Polyporus Sclerotium, Poria, Asini Corii Colla, Alisma Rhizome, and Talcum at the same weight ratio. These medicinal materials are known for diuretic and hemostatic effects and have been traditionally used to treat kidney and bladder diseases.

Zhongfeng Xingnao prescription alleviates injury of intracerebral hemorrhage via regulating the CaMKII/NF-κB p65/NLRP3/GSDMD signaling axis.

Background And Aim: The NLRP3 inflammasome can be activated after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), triggering an inflammatory response in the brain. Chinese herbal medicine Zhongfeng Xingnao Prescription (ZFXN) is commonly used in China for intracerebral hemorrhage treatment. However, the underlying treatment mechanism of it is unclear.

Yinchen lipid-lowering tea attenuates lipid deposition in a fatty liver model by regulating mitochondrial dysfunction through activation of AdipoR1/AMPK/SIRT1 signaling.

This study investigated the ameliorative effects of Yinchen lipid-lowering tea (YCLLT) on Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the specific mechanism involved was also studied. We modeled hepatocellular steatosis with HepG2 cells and intervened with different concentrations of YCLLT-containing serum. Lipid deposition was assessed by oil red O staining and AdipoR1 expression was analyzed by Western blot.

Modeling virus filtration: Materials, applications, and mechanism.

While various methods are employed to ensure the virus safety of finished products, virus filtration (VF) stands out as the preferred method for virus removal and purification of a wide variety of products owing to its capability of separating product molecules with more than 90% recovery and no change in molecule characteristics. The modeling of the virus removal process for VF membranes is based on the principles of microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF), but with modifications for the much narrower separation difference, which is less than 2-fold for the separation of product molecules and virus particles. In this review, we introduce the materials and application of VF highlighting the unique characteristics properties of VF membranes through the steps of invention and subsequent development.

Creating a national breastfeeding and lactation policy for Canadian surgical residents.

Background: Despite known benefits of breastfeeding and challenges medical trainees face lactating at work, research specific to Canadian surgical trainees is lacking. Our objectives were to examine existing breastfeeding and lactation policies, query experiences and opinions of surgical trainees and program directors, and propose a comprehensive policy for programs nation-wide.

Methods: A multi-disciplinary team developed this two-part study.

Protective effect of a combination of multiple strains of on collagen-induced arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, chronic autoimmune disease. Many studies have shown that microorganisms may be an important pathological factor leading to the onset of RA. Some infectious or non-infectious pathogenic microorganisms and their metabolites may be the initiating factors of the early onset of RA.