Cardiac Involvement and TBCK-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder: Is It a New Feature of This Condition?

TBCK (TBC1 Domain-Containing Kinase) encodes a protein playing a role in actin organization and cell growth/proliferation via the mTOR signaling pathway. Deleterious biallelic TBCK variants cause Hypotonia, infantile, with psychomotor retardation and characteristic facies 3. We report on three affected sibs, also displaying cardiac malformations.

Consensus recommendations for measuring the impact of contraception on the menstrual cycle in contraceptive clinical trials.

Objective: We sought to develop consensus recommendations for measurement and analysis of data on contraceptive-induced menstrual changes (CIMCs) in contraceptive clinical trials. We built upon previous standardization efforts over the last 50 years and prioritized input from a variety of global experts and current regulatory authority guidance on patient-reported outcomes.

Study Design: We completed a formal consensus-building process with an interdisciplinary group of 57 experts from 30 organizations and 14 countries in five global regions who work across academia, nonprofit research organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, and funding agencies.

Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up in Children with Intrauterine and Perinatal Exposure to Chikungunya Virus.

Objective: To investigate the effects of intrauterine and perinatal exposure to chikungunya virus (CHIKV) on neurodevelopment in infants and toddlers.

Study Design: We conducted a cohort study comparing children with intrauterine or perinatal exposure to maternal CHIKV infection with unexposed controls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Neurodevelopment was assessed with General Movement Assessments (GMA) in the first six months of life, and the Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) for older children.

Associations of erythrocyte membrane fatty acids with blood pressure in children.

Background & Aims: Different fatty acids may vary in their effect on blood pressure. We tested whether fatty acid classes measured in erythrocytes are associated with blood pressure.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 421 children from Guangzhou, China.

CD47 is a tumor cell-derived exosomal signature and regulates tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy responses.

Background: The pathogenesis of ovarian cancer (OvCa) involves a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. With the in-depth exploration of tumor ecosystem, exosomes can mediate the immunological status of tumor microenvironment (TME). Therefore, we aimed to recognize the tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) which can distinguish the immune-hot and cold tumors and reflect the immunotherapeutic responses.

Female agency and probable depression in the perinatal period and beyond: Longitudinal findings from rural Pakistan.

In Pakistan, a setting with high gender inequality, the relationship between female agency and mental health has not been studied longitudinally or beyond a defined life stage like pregnancy. Using data from the Bachpan cohort of mother-infant dyads in Pakistan, we investigated female agency and depression at two life stages: perinatal (third trimester to 6-months postpartum; n = 1154) and beyond (3- to 4-years postpartum). Modified Poisson models estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) for probable depression (PHQ-9) associated with female agency (freedom of movement and participation in household decision-making) at the two life stages.

Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter components with obesity in children and adolescents in China: The age-sex disparities and key effect modifiers.

Long-term fine particulate matter (PM) exposure was associated with childhood obesity. However, the key PM components and whether PM effect may vary by obesity type, growth stage, sex, and individual/family characteristics have yet been examined. In this study, we investigated 213,907 Chinese children and adolescents aged 3-18 years in 2017-2019.

Social capital and maternal mental health: Findings from secondary data analyses of two linked longitudinal trials in Australia.

Problem: Low social capital has been identified as an important risk factor in the development of postpartum mental illness.

Background: Evidence suggests that new and expectant mothers with higher levels of support have lower rates of maternal mental illness, yet few studies examine this relationship longitudinally.

Aim: This study investigated the association between social capital in late pregnancy and maternal mental health up to 5 years postpartum.

Religious Coping Strategies of Mothers Who Lost Their Children to Cancer in Türkiye: A Qualitative Study.

Perceptions of death can greatly impact the ability to cope with grief, making it either easier or unbearable. Research on the importance of religion and spirituality in the field of oncology, particularly among parents who have lost a child to cancer, is still in its emerging stage. This study aimed to describe the religious coping strategies of Muslim mothers who lost their children to cancer.

Human breast milk-derived exosomes and their positive role on neonatal intestinal health.

Although the role of breast milk in promoting neonatal growth and maintaining intestinal homeostasis is well established, underlying mechanisms by which it protects the intestine from damage remain to be elucidated. Human breast milk-derived exosomes (HMDEs) are newly discovered active signaling vesicles with a diameter of 30-150 nm, which are key carriers of biological information exchange between mother and child. In addition, due to their ability to cross the gastrointestinal barrier, low immunogenicity, good biocompatibility and stability, HMDEs play an important role in regulating intestinal barrier integrity in newborns.

[Support methods and effectiveness to reduce maternal depression and anxiety in Japan: A literature review].

Objectives　In Japan, support services are provided to help postpartum women within one year after childbirth. This study conducted a literature review of these support methods and their effectiveness in reducing depression and anxiety among postpartum women.Methods　We searched for Japanese and English literature published until August 2023 using the PubMed, Igaku Chuo Zasshi, CiNii Research, and Cochrane Library databases.

Laminin-dystroglycan mediated ferroptosis in hemorrhagic shock and reperfusion induced-cognitive impairment through AMPK/Nrf2.

Hemorrhagic shock and reperfusion (HSR) is the main cause of death following trauma. Cognitive impairment may persist after successful resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock, but the mechanisms remain elusive. This study demonstrated the presence of ferroptosis in an in vitro model of oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) in HT22 neurons, and also in a murine model of HSR using 3-month-old C57BL/6 mice.

Combining Gut Microbiota Modulation and Immunotherapy: A Promising Approach for Treating Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal cancers worldwide, ranking third in incidence and second in mortality. While immunotherapy has shown promise in patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) or high microsatellite instability (MSI-H), its effectiveness in proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) or microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC remains limited. Recent advances highlight the gut microbiota as a potential modulator of anti-tumor immunity.

Effect of counselling about complementary food flour soaking on nutritional and health status of children 6-23 months, a quasi-experimental study.

Background: Strategies for achieving improved nutrition in young children in developing countries where plant-based complementary foods are the main source of nutrients can address the challenge of meeting nutritional needs from these foods.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of counseling about complementary food flour soaking on nutritional and health status of children 6-23 months.

Methods: A total of 726 mother-child pairs (intervention n=363 and control n=363) were enrolled in this study.

What Does it Cost to Provide Free Maternal and Child Health Services in Primary Health Centres? A Case Study of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria.

Background: This study estimated the cost of providing free maternal and child health (MCH) services at the primary health centre (PHC) level in southeast Nigeria. The costs of providing an essential benefit package of maternal and child health (MCH) services are unknown. Such information is required for optimal resource allocation decisions and for replicating similar programmes in different settings.

Sperm DNA fragmentation index: limited effectiveness on predicting embryo quality in assisted reproduction technology treatments.

Purpose: Prior sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) thresholds for diagnosing male infertility and predicting assisted reproduction technology (ART) outcomes fluctuated between 15 and 30%, with no agreed standard. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the sperm DFI on early embryonic development during ART treatments and establish appropriate DFI cut-off values.

Methods: Retrospectively analyzed 913 couple's ART cycles from 2021 to 2022, encompassing 1,476 IVF and 295 ICSI cycles, following strict criteria.

Metabolic profiles of meconium in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnancies.

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is a common vascular pregnancy disorder affecting maternal and fetal metabolism with severe immediate and long-term consequences in mothers and infants. During pregnancy, metabolites in the maternal circulation pass through the placenta to the fetus. Meconium, a first stool of the neonate, offers a view to maternal and fetoplacental unit metabolism and could add to knowledge on the effects of PE on the fetus and newborn.

Prenatal metal(loid) exposure and preterm birth: a systematic review of the epidemiologic evidence.

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) is a common pregnancy complication associated with significant neonatal morbidity. Prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals, including toxic and/or essential metal(loid)s, may contribute to PTB risk.

Objective: We aimed to summarize the epidemiologic evidence of the associations among levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) assessed during the prenatal period and PTB or gestational age at delivery; to assess the quality of the literature and strength of evidence for an effect for each metal; and to provide recommendations for future research.

Personality traits of women with hereditary risk for breast/ovarian cancer versus obstetric history and cancer preventive behaviors.

The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between personality traits of women with hereditary predisposition to breast/ovarian cancer and their obstetric history and cancer-preventive behaviors. A total of 357 women, participants of 'The National Program for Families With Genetic/Familial High Risk for Cancer', were included in the study. The Neo Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a standardized original questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study were used.

[Correlation between uterine volume and intrauterine adhesion: a propensity score matching analysis].

To investigate the correlation between uterine volume and intrauterine adhesion (IUA). From June 2018 to November 2019, totally 7 007 patients who underwent hysteroscopy in outpatient operating rooms of Gynecological Minimally Invasive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital were retrospectively analyzed Patients of reproductive age with IUA without uterine fibroids and adenomyosis were selected as IUA group, and patients of reproductive age without uterine fibroids and adenomyosis without IUA during the same period were selected as the control group. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to perform 1∶1 matching for the two groups of patients, matching variables included age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), gravidity, parity, and number of abortion curettage.

Astrocyte-conditional knockout of MOB2 inhibits the phenotypic conversion of reactive astrocytes from A1 to A2 following spinal cord injury in mice.

After spinal cord injury (SCI), reactive astrocytes in the injured area are triggered after spinal cord injury (SCI) and to polarize into A1 astrocytes with a proinflammatory phenotype or A2 astrocytes with an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Monopolar spindle binder 2 (MOB2) induces astrocyte stellation, maintains cell homeostasis, and promotes neurite outgrowth; however, its role in the phenotypic transformation of reactive astrocytes remains unclear. Here, we confirmed for the first time that MOB2 is associated with A1/A2 phenotypic switching in reactive astrocytes following SCI in mice.

Breastfeeding and infant growth in relation to childhood overweight - A longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Rapid infant growth is positively, and breastfeeding inversely, associated with childhood overweight. However, the interplay has only been sparsely investigated.

Objective: We aimed to investigate how exclusive breastfeeding duration modify the effect of infant growth on childhood overweight.

Insights into proprioceptive acuity assessed with a dynamic joint position reproduction task.

This study investigated proprioceptive acuity using the conventional joint position reproduction (JPR) task and a modified version, the Dynamic JPR task (D-JPR), during Concentric and Eccentric muscle contractions. Seventeen participants were recruited and received a tactile stimulus indicating the position cue at Initial (INI), Intermediate (INT), and Final (FIN) phases of movements, during either the concentric or eccentric phases. After the movement, they replicated the position where they received the stimulus.

Prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection among children in Uzbekistan: Impact of vaccination.

Background: Uzbekistan, a highly endemic country for hepatitis B virus (HBV), introduced infant vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) in 2001. Since 2002, it had ≥90 % reported immunization coverage for ≥3 doses of HepB (HepB3) and the birth dose (HepB-BD). However, the impact of HepB vaccination and the progress towards achieving the regional hepatitis B control and global viral hepatitis B elimination goals had not been assessed.

Bacteriological Agents and Resistance Profiles in Neonatal Sepsis from a Poorly Regulated Antimicrobial Access Setting: Time for Action.

Background: Neonatal sepsis (NNS) is a known cause of morbidity and mortality especially in developing countries. The global resistance scourge may worsen the management outcomes of NNS. This study aims to determine the current profile of bacteriological agents of NNS, their resistance status and associated mortality in our setting.