Impact of insulin sensitization on metabolic and fertility outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and overweight or obesity-A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women. This systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression aims to compare the effect of insulin sensitizer pharmacotherapy on metabolic and reproductive outcomes in women with PCOS and overweight or obesity. We searched online databases MEDLINE via OVID, EMBASE, Clinicaltrials.

Atherosclerosis and depression: is carotid intima-media thicker in patients with depression compared to matched control individuals? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate if there is an association between atherosclerosis and depression by using as imaging biomarker the carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis.

Methods: PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were comprehensively searched to identify studies investigating the association between cIMT and depression. The results were pooled using a random-effects statistical model, appropriate for the expected high heterogeneity.

Changes in Dickkopf-1, but Not Sclerostin, in Gingival Crevicular Fluid Are Associated with Peroral Statin Treatment in Patients with Periodontitis.

: Periodontitis is marked by the destruction of alveolar bone. Sclerostin (SOST) and dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) act as inhibitors of the Wingless-type (Wnt) signaling pathway, a key regulator of bone metabolism. Recent studies have suggested that statins play a role in bone resorption and formation by influencing Wnt signaling.

Updated Perspectives on Lifestyle Interventions as Secondary Stroke Prevention Measures: A Narrative Review.

Despite being highly preventable, stroke is the second-most common cause of death and disability in the world. Secondary prevention is critical as the stroke recurrence risk is 6- to 15-fold higher than the risk of stroke in the general population. Stroke recurrence is associated with higher mortality rates and increased disability levels.

Air Pollution and Primary DNA Damage among Zagreb (Croatia) Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study.

More than eight million premature deaths annually can be attributed to air pollution, with 99% of the world's population residing in areas below recommended air quality standards. Hence, the present study aimed to examine the association between primary DNA damage and air pollution data among 123 participants enrolled between 2011 and 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia. While most measured air pollutants adhered to regulatory limits, benzo[a]pyrene concentrations bound to PM exceeded them.

A cost-effectiveness evaluation of a high-sensitivity troponin I guided voluntary cardiovascular risk assessment program for asymptomatic women in Croatia.

Background: To estimate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) guided cardiovascular risk assessment program in women in Croatia.

Methods: An observational study of a voluntary program for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment in women aged above 45 years with no specific symptoms, no confirmed or known coronary artery disease was conducted (WHP). Participants were stratified into three categories according to their hsTnI level.

Comparison of efficacy of thermoplastic retainer with round and rectangular bonded lingual wire retainer in the mandible two years after orthodontic treatment: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To analyse three protocols in maintaining the stability of orthodontic therapy results and their effect on gingival health.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-six subjects (pre-therapeutic age 11-18 years; 68% female) randomly allocated into three retention groups of equal size were analysed. The first group had a 0.

Transcriptomic Profiling for Prognostic Biomarkers in Early-Stage Squamous Cell Lung Cancer (SqCLC).

Squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC) is associated with high mortality and limited treatment options. Identification of therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers is still lacking. This research aims to analyze the transcriptomic profile of SqCLC samples and identify the key genes associated with tumorigenesis, overall survival (OS), and a profile of the tumor-infiltrating immune cells.

Understanding skin color bias in deep learning-based skin lesion segmentation.

Background: The field of dermatological image analysis using deep neural networks includes the semantic segmentation of skin lesions, pivotal for lesion analysis, pathology inference, and diagnoses. While biases in neural network-based dermatoscopic image classification against darker skin tones due to dataset imbalance and contrast disparities are acknowledged, a comprehensive exploration of skin color bias in lesion segmentation models is lacking. It is imperative to address and understand the biases in these models.

Food Allergen Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Patients with IgE-Mediated Food Allergy.

The prevalence of allergic diseases, including food allergy, is increasing, especially in developed countries. Implementation of an elimination diet is not a sufficient therapeutic strategy in patients with food allergy, whose quality of life is significantly impaired. In recent years, new effective therapeutic strategies have been developed, such as the application of oral, sublingual, and epicutaneous immunotherapy.

The Effects of Environmental Exposure on Epigenetic Modifications in Allergic Diseases.

Allergic diseases are one of the most common chronic conditions and their prevalence is on the rise. Environmental exposure, primarily prenatal and early life influences, affect the risk for the development and specific phenotypes of allergic diseases via epigenetic mechanisms. Exposure to pollutants, microorganisms and parasites, tobacco smoke and certain aspects of diet are known to drive epigenetic changes that are essential for immune regulation (e.

Ensemble learning based compressive strength prediction of concrete structures through real-time non-destructive testing.

This study conducts an extensive comparative analysis of computational intelligence approaches aimed at predicting the compressive strength (CS) of concrete, utilizing two non-destructive testing (NDT) methods: the rebound hammer (RH) and the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test. In the ensemble learning approach, the six most popular algorithms (Adaboost, CatBoost, gradient boosting tree (GBT), random forest (RF), stacking, and extreme gradient boosting (XGB)) have been used to develop the prediction models of CS of concrete based on NDT. The ML models have been developed using a total of 721 samples, of which 111 were cast in the laboratory, 134 were obtained from in-situ testing, and the other samples were gathered from the literature.

The Impact of Nutrition on the Onset, Course of Disease and Quality of Life of Patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux.

Research Background: The role of dietary habits of patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is comparatively underexplored. The aim of the study is to examine dietary habits, onset and course of the disease as well as the quality of life of patients with LPR.

Experimental Approach: The results of the modified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ-m) and laryngopharyngeal reflux health-related quality of life (LPR-HRQL) questionnaires were compared between subjects with and without LPR.

Coronary Tortuosity Index vs. Angle Measurement Method for the Quantification of the Tortuosity of Coronary Arteries in Non-Obstructive Coronary Disease.

Coronary tortuosity has been recognized as a potential pathophysiological mechanism in the development of non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to examine the role of two coronary tortuosity measurement methods in the detection of clinically significant coronary tortuosity. The study included 160 patients with angina symptoms and myocardial ischemia detected by cardiac stress tests in chronic settings and those diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome.

Quo vadis cardiac rehabilitation; the role of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation in modern cardiology.

In accordance with the guidelines established by prominent European and global cardiology associations, comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) stands as an officially endorsed and highly recommended therapeutic approach (class I recommendations; level of evidence A) for a diverse spectrum of cardiac patients. Nevertheless, it is a cause for concern to observe that fewer than 50% of eligible patients are being effectively referred for CR, whether in an outpatient or inpatient setting. Concurrently, studies reveal that a substantial proportion of individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease maintain unhealthy lifestyles and exhibit suboptimal management of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, lipid levels, and diabetes.

Complexation of gallic acid with calcium: electrochemical, potentiometric, and UV-VIS studies.

Gallic acid and its metal complexes are good antioxidants that could be used to increase the body's immune system against degenerative and viral diseases. Therefore, such complexes could be used as a good alternative to supplementary medicines and may have potential significance in clinical trials. Differential pulse voltammetry, UV/VIS spectroscopy, and potentiometry were used to analyse the complexation of gallic acid with calcium in this study.

Resorbable magnesium metal membrane for sinus lift procedures: a case series.

Background: The purpose of this case series was to demonstrate the use of a magnesium membrane for repairing the perforated membrane in both direct and indirect approaches, as well as its application in instances where there has been a tear of the Schneiderian membrane.

Case Presentation: The case series included four individual cases, each demonstrating the application of a magnesium membrane followed by bone augmentation using a mixture of xenograft and allograft material in the sinus cavity. In the first three cases, rupture of Schneiderian membrane occurred as a result of tooth extraction, positioning of the dental implant, or as a complication during the procedure.

Regeneration of Intrabony Defects Using a Novel Magnesium Membrane.

: Due to their specific morphology, the regeneration of intrabony defects (IBDs) represents one of the greatest challenges for clinicians. Based on the specific properties of a magnesium membrane, a new approach for the surgical treatment of IBD was developed. The surgical procedure was described using a series of three cases.

The Influence of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis on the Occurrence of Arterial Hypertension: An 8-Year Prospective Clinical Observational Cohort Study.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, including a 50-60% increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Arterial hypertension (HT) is considered the major contributing risk factor for CVD development in RA patients. In this investigation, we compared the incidence and prevalence of HT between RA and osteoarthritis (OA) and the influence of HT on CVD development in CVD-naive patients in both groups.