Adaptation and validation of a tool for the quality assessment of genetic counseling in Brazil: perspectives from clinical geneticists.

In 2018, Portuguese researchers proposed the "Tool for Quality Assessment of Genetic Counseling," a 5-point Likert scale comprising 50 items across five dimensions, designed to assess genetic counseling from the professional's perspective. This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to adapt this tool to Brazilian Portuguese, validate it among Brazilian clinical geneticists, and conduct a preliminary assessment of the quality of genetic counseling in Brazil. The adaptation process involved expert-driven content validation and calculation of the Content Validity Index (CVI) to ensure equivalence between the original and adapted versions.

A multidisciplinary pain management program for patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized, single-blind, controlled, feasibility study.

Background: Multidisciplinary programs are the first recommendation for non-specific chronic low-back pain, but implementing this type of program is complicated to get up and running. The primary aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and appropriateness of the PAINDOC multidisciplinary program for subjects with chronic low-back pain. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the decrease in pain intensity, pain-related disability and pain catastrophizing, as well as the improvement in quality of life with this program.

Aging towards walkable futures: insights from a multidisciplinary workshop held in Barcelona, Spain.

Background: The aging of the world's population and the increase in sedentary lifestyles are leading to an increase in walking impairments at older ages. Here, we aimed to comprehensively discuss walking in the context of an aging population; and identify and agree on a list of future research priorities and policy actions.

Methods: We followed a participatory approach and held a multidisciplinary two-day workshop on October, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain, with experts in the fields of aging and walking, and participants from the general public.

Rabies knowledge and prevention practices in Gombe state, Nigeria: a community-based comparative cross-sectional study of rabies hotspot and non-hotspot areas.

Background: Rabies remains a significant public health concern in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas with limited awareness and resources. Gombe State is recognized as a rabies hotspot, facing challenges in controlling the spread of the disease. This study aimed to assess and compare the knowledge and prevention practices related to rabies among community members in hotspot and non-hotspot areas of Gombe State.

Outcomes and Challenges of Motivational Interviewing in Dual Diagnosis Treatment-A Systematic Review.

Objective: Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client centered counseling approach which aims to promote behavior change by enhancing patient motivation through the exploration and resolution of ambivalence. This type of psychotherapy, initially designed for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD), is now seen as an effective way to manage chronic physical and psychiatric diseases. Patients with Dual Diagnosis (DD), people who simultaneously have a SUD diagnosis and a mental illness, are a complex group of psychiatric patients who have a particularly low treatment engagement.

Preoperative Home-Based Multimodal Physiotherapy in Patients Scheduled for a Knee Arthroplasty Who Catastrophize About Their Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

: Chronic pain affects about 20% of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients, with high pain catastrophizing being a key predictor. Screening and addressing this modifiable factor may improve postoperative outcomes. : We aimed to compare the effectiveness of two preoperative home-based multimodal physical therapy interventions on pain catastrophizing in high-catastrophizing TKA patients.

Effect of Eight Months of Swimming on Bone Quality of Different Anatomical Regions: A Study on Wistar Rat Models.

Swimming is a popular sport with several health benefits, but its effects on bone quality are controversial possibly due to distinct effects on different anatomical regions. Our aim was to investigate the effect of 8-month swimming on bone growth, mass, geometry, trabecular microarchitecture and osteocyte density of the lumbar vertebrae, femur and tibia of male rats. Wistar rat models were assigned to either a swimming (n = 10; 2h/d, 5 d/week) or a physically active control group (n = 10) for 8 months, after which they were sacrificed and their lumbar vertebrae, femur and tibia assessed for bone mass, cortical geometry, trabecular microarchitecture and osteocyte density through µ-CT and histology.

Isolation, Expansion, and Characterization of Rat Hair Follicle Stem Cells and Their Secretome: Insights into Wound Healing Potential.

Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various specialized cells, making them a potential therapeutic option in regenerative medicine. This study establishes a comprehensive methodology for isolating, culturing, and characterizing rat hair follicle stem cells. Hair follicles were harvested from Sprague-Dawley rats and subjected to two different isolation techniques.

The Printed Path to Healing: Advancing Wound Dressings through Additive Manufacturing.

Wound care challenges healthcare systems worldwide as traditional dressings often fall short in addressing the diverse and complex nature of wound healing. Given conventional treatments limitations, innovative alternatives are urgent. Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a distinct and transformative approach for developing advanced wound dressings, offering unprecedented functionality and customization.

Touch Empowerment: Self-Sustaining e-Tattoo Thermoelectric System for Temperature Mapping.

In recent advancements within sensing technology, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT), significant impacts are observed on health sector applications, notably through wearable electronics like electronic tattoos (e-tattoos). These e-tattoos, designed for direct contact with the skin, facilitate precise monitoring of vital physiological parameters, including body heat, a critical indicator for conditions such as inflammation and infection. Monitoring these indicators can be crucial for early detection of chronic conditions, steering toward proactive healthcare management.

Extracellular vesicles in tumor-adipose tissue crosstalk: key drivers and therapeutic targets in cancer cachexia.

Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by unintentional loss of skeletal muscle and body fat. This syndrome is frequently associated with different types of cancer and negatively affects the prognosis and outcome of these patients. It involves a dynamic interplay between tumor cells and adipose tissue, where tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in mediating intercellular communication.

Assessment of the differences in Mean Age at Menarche (MAM) among adolescent girls in rural and urban Nigeria: a systematic review.

Introduction: Globally, there has been a decline in the age of menarche; the decline is higher in poorer countries than in richer ones. The measurement of the decline was based on the reported mean age at menarche (MAM) across the countries. There is a significant knowledge gap in investigating the generational decline in MAM in low- and median-income countries (LMC).

Lithium Use During Pregnancy in 14 Countries.

Importance: In pregnancy, the benefits of lithium treatment for relapse prevention in psychiatric conditions must be weighed against potential teratogenic effects. Currently, there is a paucity of information on how and when lithium is used by pregnant women.

Objective: To examine lithium use in the perinatal period.

Reducing loneliness and depressive symptoms in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A pre-post evaluation of a psychosocial online intervention.

Background: Loneliness is related to worse mental health, particularly in people with poor social support. The COVID-19 pandemic altered our lives and ways of social interaction, especially among vulnerable populations such as older adults.

Methods: We designed a group-based psychosocial online intervention for older adults (≥ 65 years) facilitated by gerontologists addressing loneliness consisting of: (i) sharing experiences and promoting peer support to overcome feelings of loneliness and (ii) increasing the chances of establishing successful social relationships.

Comparison of pain, functional and psychological trajectories between total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasties: secondary analysis of a 6-month prospective observational study.

Introduction: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) treats osteoarthritis in one knee compartment, while total knee arthroplasty (TKA) addresses all compartments. The debate focuses on UKA's advantages of quicker recovery and fewer complications versus TKA's lower long-term revision rates, emphasizing the need for thorough outcome evaluations. The aim of the present study is to describe and compare the pain, functional and psychological trajectories during a 6-month postoperative rehabilitation period between total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasties.

Partnership coordination for optimized COVID-19 vaccination: a case study of Benue and Niger states.

Background: Developing countries have partnered with non-governmental and development organizations to ensure universal health coverage and promote equity in accessing health services. This study was motivated by the timely and relevant collaborative partnership among the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Sydani Consulting, and other implementing partners at the sub-national level. There is also no evidence of a study on partnership coordination vis-à-vis COVID-19 vaccine optimization.

Personal Narratives From a Mental Health Community Art-Based Project: Insights From Collaborative Creation.

Community arts interventions demonstrate positive effects on mental health recovery by fostering creativity, self-expression, and social interaction. This study explores the participation process in the Artistic Couples project, which provides collaborative spaces for artists with mental health conditions and local artists. We followed up six artistic couples participating in the project using a narrative-in-action process over 6 months in various community settings.

Evaluating the feasibility of "Friends in Nature," a complex nature-based social intervention to address loneliness and quality of life in six cities worldwide.

Background: Loneliness, a major public health concern, could be alleviated through social interventions with nature contact as a primary component. "Friends in Nature" is a complex nature-based social intervention designed to be implemented as part of "Reimagining Environments for Connection and Engagement: Testing Actions for Social Prescribing in Natural Spaces" (RECETAS). This project aims to alleviate loneliness and promote health-related quality of life in six different geographic areas worldwide.

Optical immunosensor panel using quantum dot-antibody conjugates for highly sensitive detection of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9).

This study introduces a fluorescent immunosensor colour panel with antibody-conjugated quantum dots for detecting CA19-9 in human serum. The immunosensors presented decreasing fluorescence with increasing CA19-9 concentrations, with a linear detection range from 0.01 to 501.

Metformin Impairs Linsitinib Anti-Tumor Effect on Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines.

Ovarian cancer (OC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women. Targeting the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. Linsitinib, an IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitor, has shown potential in disrupting this pathway.

Comparing the effect of stretching and compression exercises on flexion relaxation ratio of back muscles in patients having deep gluteal syndrome: A randomized trial.

Background: Different treatments have been proposed for patients with deep gluteal syndrome (DGS). Stretching and compression exercises are commonly used to treat DGS.

Objective: To compare the effects of compression or stretching exercises on the flexion-relaxation response (electromyography signals of back muscles) in patients with DGS.

The interplay of fear of pain, emotional states, and pain perception in medical and nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Fear of pain is known to influence pain perception and worsen pain outcomes. However, its relationship with pain threshold remains unclear. Negative emotional states, namely depression, anxiety, and stress, have been found to increase fear of pain.

Understanding the Challenges of Advocacy Communication, Social Mobilization, and Operationalization for COVID-19 and Routine Immunization in Nigeria.

The primary goal of program communication in public health is to influence behaviors. It also aims to raise awareness and ultimately improve health outcomes. Under the umbrella of program communication exist three interconnected, interrelated, and mutually supportive communication aspects: advocacy, communication, and social mobilization (ACSM).