COVID-19 and chronic pain: Implications and lessons learned.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted people with chronic pain, affecting their access to pain management services and the social fabric of society. Here we review evidence indicating that during and since the pandemic (1) the overall prevalence and burden of chronic pain has increased, (2) social threats such as social isolation, abuse and neglect, and disparities in access to pain management, have increased, and these changes are associated with worsening pain and pain-related health outcomes, and (3) there has been a surge in research into telehealth interventions for chronic pain, with promising results. We conclude with a discussion of lessons that may guide future research and care for people with chronic pain in a post-COVID world.

Atelocollagen-based hydrogel loaded with's extract for treatment of type 2 diabetic wounds.

Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disease, causes complications such as chronic wounds which are difficult to cure. New treatments have been investigated to accelerate the wound healing. In this study, a novel wound dressing from fibroblast-laden atelocollagen-based hydrogel with Cotinus coggygria's extract was developed for diabetic wound healing.

Profiling epithelial viral receptor expression in amniotic membrane and nasal epithelial cells at birth.

Introduction: Children with wheeze and asthma present with airway epithelial vulnerabilities, such as impaired responses to viral infection. It is postulated that the in utero environment may contribute to the development of airway epithelial vulnerabilities. The aims of the study were to establish whether the receptors for rhinovirus (RV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are expressed in the amniotic membrane and whether the pattern of expression is similar to newborn nasal epithelium.

Arsenic and the placenta: A review with emphasis on the immune system.

Chronic arsenic exposure affects over 140 million people globally. While arsenic easily crosses the placenta, the specific mechanisms impacting placental immune cell populations and fetal health are unclear. Maternal arsenic exposure is epidemiologically linked to increased infection risk, mortality, and cancer susceptibility in offspring, emphasizing the importance of understanding placentally-mediated immune effects.

Social Determinants of Health and Cross-Sectional Cognitive Intra-Individual Variability in Adults from the Deep South Living with HIV.

Cognitive intra-individual variability (IIV) is a sensitive marker of neuropathology and is increased in people with HIV (PWH). In a sample of PWH from the United States Deep South, we examined the relationship of cognitive IIV with cognitive impairment and social determinants of health (SDoH). This secondary analysis included 131 PWH from a larger cognitive training protocol.

Unfolding memories: Crafting digital life storybooks for dementia care via telehealth.

Background: Dementia, a rapidly growing cognitive disorder, has a profound impact on the lives of individuals and their caregivers across the globe. Digital life storybooks have emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia (PLWD).

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the feasibility of developing and applying a digital life storybook for PLWD using telehealth, while evaluating its impact on communication skills, quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction levels.

[Clinical efficacy of 's subcutaneous needling based on "multi-joint muscle spiral balance chain" theory for cervical vertigo and its effect on blood flow velocity of vertebral artery].

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of 's subcutaneous needling based on "multi-joint muscle spiral balance chain" theory for cervical vertigo (CV) and its effect on blood flow velocity of vertebral artery.

Methods: A total of 60 patients with CV were randomized into a Fu's subcutaneous needling group and a medication group, 30 cases in each one. In the Fu's subcutaneous needling group, 's subcutaneous needling was delivered at Dazhui (GV14), the flexible tube was retained for 5 min after sweeping manipulation, and the treatment was given once every other day, 3 times a week for 3 weeks.

Combining In Vivo Two-Photon and Laser Speckle Microscopy With the Ex Vivo Capillary-Parenchymal Arteriole Preparation as a Novel Approach to Study Neurovascular Coupling.

Objective: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) decline is increasingly recognized as an area of importance for targeting neurodegenerative disorders, yet full understanding of the mechanisms that underlie CBF changes are lacking. Animal models are crucial for expanding our knowledge as methods for studying global CBF and neurovascular coupling in humans are limited and require expensive specialized scanners.

Methods: Use of appropriate animal models can increase our understanding of cerebrovascular function, so we have combined chronic cranial windows with in vivo two-photon and laser speckle microscopy and ex vivo capillary-parenchymal arteriole (CaPA) preparations.

Priorities for research on improving health behaviours for optimal mental health of Australian university students: A twin-panel Delphi study.

Issue Addressed: University students are at risk of poor health behaviours which negatively affect mental health and wellbeing. Informing the implementation of appropriate strategies to support Australian university students' health and wellbeing, requires quality evidence. This study aimed to identify research priorities for improving health behaviours to optimise mental health of Australian university students.

Is It All in Your Head? Placebo Effects in Concussion Prevention.

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are a major health issue in athletes of varying ages, ability levels, and sports. Concerns over the short- and long-term consequences of SRCs have incentivized a wealth of products and policies aimed at reducing SRC risk. Research suggesting the effectiveness of such interventions at reducing SRCs has facilitated their adoption by sports organizations and, in some cases, product commercialization.

Maternal Prepregnancy Obesity and Offspring Intelligence Quotient at 5 Years: A Multicohort Analysis.

Background: The relationship between maternal obesity and childhood cognitive development remains unclear. Prior studies did not adjust for important confounders, and preterm infants are a developmentally distinct group that remains scarcely examined.

Objectives: To determine whether maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) is associated with offspring intelligence quotient (IQ) up to 5 years and whether this relationship varies with gestational age.

How Different Are Family Medicine Residents Who Desire Additional Training?

Background And Objectives: Limited knowledge is present regarding how fellowship training correlates with graduate outcomes and whether current residents desire an additional year of residency training. The aim of this study is to examine trends in fellowship training and compare residency and practice outcomes between those interested and those not interested in fellowship training as well as the proportion of residents desiring an additional year of residency training.

Methods: We compared data from the American Board of Family Medicine Initial Certification Questionnaire (2017-2019) to the National Graduate Survey (NGS; 2020-2022).

"Just Listen to Me. Help Me Explore it." An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Experiences of Gender Dysphoria, Identity And Resilience in Autistic Adolescents Assigned Female at Birth.

Much of the current autism and gender literature has been based within a medical deficiency model; where both are seen as deficiencies rather than differences. However, there is currently minimal knowledge about the experiences of being an autistic adolescent who is both assigned female at birth and has gender dysphoria (GD), whilst even less is known about their experiences of social identity, self-concept and resilience. This study aims to explore experiences of GD with a particular focus on identity and resilience to promote parent and healthcare staff understanding; particularly around gender-affirming care, to foster positive mental health outcomes.

Improving readability in AI-generated medical information on fragility fractures: the role of prompt wording on ChatGPT's responses.

Unlabelled: Understanding how the questions used when interacting with chatbots impact the readability of the generated text is essential for effective health communication. Using descriptive queries instead of just keywords during interaction with ChatGPT results in more readable and understandable answers about fragility fractures.

Purpose: Large language models like ChatGPT can enhance patients' understanding of medical information, making health decisions more accessible.

Mental imagery for addressing mechanisms underlying motor impairments in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit various degrees of motor and cognitive impairments in fine and gross motor skills. These impairments impact social functioning, while also hindering academic achievement, self-esteem, and participation. Specifically, motor impairments are not fully addressed by current therapies.

The Process of Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Functional Assessment Tools for Dementia: A Systematized Review.

Background And Aims: A decline in function related to impairment in cognitive abilities is required for diagnosing dementia. Cultural diversity influences everyday functioning, suggesting that functional assessment tools need to be culturally dependent. Therefore, this systematized review aimed to explore the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of functional assessment tools designed to support dementia diagnosis.

Attitudes, Awareness, and Willingness of Iranians Toward Using Telemedicine in Post-COVID Era: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background And Aims: With the increased use of telemedicine during the pandemic, understanding patients' attitudes and readiness to adopt telemedicine is crucial. This study investigates the attitudes, willingness, and usage behaviors of Iranian patients toward telemedicine.

Methods: This cross-sectional study took place in Iran from October 2021 to January 2023.

Molecular heterogeneity and MYC dysregulation in triple-negative breast cancer: genomic advances and therapeutic implications.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by a diverse range of molecular features that have been extensively studied. MYC plays a critical role in regulating metabolism, differentiation, proliferation, cell growth, and apoptosis. Dysregulation of MYC is associated with poor prognosis and contributes to the development and progression of breast cancer.

Advancing psychosocial disability and psychosocial rehabilitation research through large language models and computational text mining.

Psychosocial rehabilitation and psychosocial disability research have been a longstanding topic in healthcare, demanding continuous exploration and analysis to enhance patient and clinical outcomes. As the prevalence of psychosocial disability research continues to attract scholarly attention, many scientific articles are being published in the literature. These publications offer profound insights into diagnostics, preventative measures, treatment strategies, and epidemiological factors.

Developmental Changes in Gap Junction Expression in Rat Adrenal Medullary Chromaffin Cells.

Cell-to-cell communications are desirable for efficient functioning in endocrine cells. Gap junctions and paracrine factors are major mechanisms by which neighboring endocrine cells communicate with each other. The current experiment was undertaken to morphologically examine gap junction expression and developmental changes in rat adrenal medullary chromaffin (AMC) cells.

Severe Life-Threatening Hypokalemia Primarily Presented With Isolated Paralysis: Case Series From Ethiopia.

Severe hypokalemia can primarily present as a weakness of the limbs, without any other clinical manifestation. A life-threatening level of decreased serum potassium level can be unusually present with isolated weakness of the limbs and might be misdiagnosed, or the diagnosis may be delayed.

Lessons learned in delayed identification of a misplaced electrode array in the vestibule.

To report a case of cochlear implantation with a misplaced electrode array in the vestibule and the causes for the delay in identification. A 23-year-old male with left single-sided deafness underwent cochlear implantation. The intraoperative assessment did not reveal any major red flags of electrode array misplacement.

Barriers and enablers to engagement with a type 2 diabetes remission project in the North East of England: qualitative perspectives of patients.

This qualitative research sought to identify factors influencing patient choice of, and patient-related internal and external enablers and barriers to engagement with, type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission strategies offered by the Remission in diabetes (REMI.D) project. Patients had a choice of three diets: Total Diet Replacement (TDR)-Formula Food Products, TDR-Food, and Healthy lifestyle approach; and three activity pathways: Everyday life, General Practitioner referral, and Social hub.

The Relationship Between Religious Health Fatalism and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors of Earthquake Victims: The Example of Türkiye.

Earthquakes are natural disasters that cause physical, psychological, social, and environmental damage. Due to the intense psychological impact, victims of earthquakes may associate a fatalistic approach with religion as a mechanism for seeking protection. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between religious health fatalism and healthy lifestyle behaviors among earthquake victims.

Caregiving responsibility and psychological distress among community-dwelling cancer survivors in the United States.

Purpose: There are over 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S., with a projected increase of 24.