Indicator-based tuberculosis infection control assessments with knowledge, attitudes, and practices evaluations among health facilities in China, 2017-2019.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) Building and Strengthening Infection Control Strategies (TB BASICS) aimed to achieve improvements in TB infection prevention and control (IPC) through structured training and mentorship.

Methods: TB BASICS was implemented in six Chinese provinces from 2017-2019. Standardized, facility-based risk assessments tailored to inpatient, laboratory, and outpatient departments were conducted quarterly for 18 months.

Effects of orally exposed SiO nanoparticles on lipid profiles in gut-liver axis of mice.

Recently we proposed the possibility of orally exposed nanoparticles (NPs) to alter metabolite homeostasis by changing metabolism pathways, in addition to intestinal damages, but relatively few studies investigated the changes of metabolite profiles in multi-organs. This study investigated the influences of orally exposed SiO NPs on lipid profiles in gut-liver axis. To this end, we treated mice with 16, 160 or 1600 mg/kg bodyweight SiO NPs via intragastric route.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile-Assisted Screening and Brief Intervention for Multiple Health Behaviors in Medical Settings.

Introduction: Leveraging every interaction between patients and healthcare professionals constitutes an opportunity to foster behavior change. We developed a mobile Screening and Brief Intervention (mSBI) designed to screen for and intervene with multiple health behaviors, based on a personalized feedback. The objectives of the present study were to assess its feasibility during consultations for chronic conditions, collect users' opinions, and to investigate patients' behaviors and intention to change.

Evaluating gait and postural responses to subthalamic stimulation and levodopa: A prospective study using wearable technology.

Background: The efficacy of subthalamic stimulation on axial signs of Parkinson's disease (PD) is debated in the literature. This study delves into the dynamic interplay of gait and posture, specifically probing their nuanced response to subthalamic stimulation and levodopa.

Methods: We used wearable sensor technology to examine alterations in the spatiotemporal parameters of gait and posture in individuals with PD before and 6 months after subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) surgery.

Efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in an open-label, long-term extension study in patients with psoriatic arthritis who received adalimumab or tofacitinib in a Phase 3 randomized controlled study: a post hoc analysis.

Background: Data on treatment switching directly from tumor necrosis factor inhibitors to tofacitinib in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are limited. This post hoc analysis assessed efficacy and safety outcomes in patients with PsA who directly switched to tofacitinib in a long-term extension (LTE) study after receiving adalimumab (ADA) in a Phase 3 study, compared with those who continued to receive tofacitinib.

Methods: Patients with active PsA received tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily (BID) or ADA 40 mg once every 2 weeks in a 12-month, randomized, double-blind study (OPAL Broaden) and then continued or switched to tofacitinib 5 mg BID and maintained this dose in an open-label LTE study (OPAL Balance).

Effect of Excess Mortality on Longevity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Asia.

Background: Throughout the twentieth century and beyond, a global trend of declining mortality rates and an increase in life expectancies was noted until the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A reduction in life expectancies was observed in most countries, including South Asia, during 2020 and 2021 due to the excess mortality caused by the pandemic.

Objective: This study aims to examine the change in life expectancy in selected South Asian countries and the relative change in age- and sex-specific mortality rates over time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attacking medical images with minimal noise: exploiting vulnerabilities in medical deep-learning systems.

Background: A change in the output of deep neural networks (DNNs) via the perturbation of a few pixels of an image is referred to as an adversarial attack, and these perturbed images are known as adversarial samples. This study examined strategies for compromising the integrity of DNNs under stringent conditions, specifically by inducing the misclassification of medical images of disease with minimal pixel modifications.

Methods: This study used the following three publicly available datasets: the chest radiograph of emphysema (cxr) dataset, the melanocytic lesion (derm) dataset, and the Kaggle diabetic retinopathy (dr) dataset.

Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome Is Associated With a Unique Genetic Profile in a Highly Admixed Pediatric Population.

Introduction: The profile of genetic and nongenetic factors associated with progression to kidney failure (KF) in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) is largely unknown in admixed populations.

Methods: A total of 101 pediatric patients with primary SRNS were genetically assessed targeting Mendelian causes and status with a 62-NS-gene panel or whole exome sequencing, as well as genetic ancestry. Variant pathogenicity was evaluated using the American College Medical of Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) criteria.

Lung function may recover after coal mine fire smoke exposure: a longitudinal cohort study.

Background And Objective: The 2014 Hazelwood coal mine fire exposed residents in nearby Morwell to high concentrations of particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM) for approximately 6 weeks. This analysis aimed to evaluate the long-term impact on respiratory health.

Minimal Detectable Change Scores and Factors Associated With Dynamic Exertion Test (EXiT) Performance After Sport-Related Concussion.

Background: Factors associated with performance outside of a normative range on dynamic exertion test (EXiT) after sport-related concussion (SRC) remain unknown. This study examined the role of demographic and medical history factors on performance using minimal detectable change (MDC) cutoff scores in athletes being cleared to return to sport (RTS) from SRC.

Hypothesis: Older age, being female, and body mass index (BMI) ≥50th percentile would be associated with worse EXiT performance and with increased likelihood of falling outside the normative MDC score range.

Forty-eight months outcomes of teduglutide treatment in adult stable patients with short bowel syndrome and home parenteral nutrition dependence: A real-world Italian single-center observational cohort study.

Aim Of The Study: This real-life study is designed to investigate the short and long-term efficacy and safety of teduglutide (TED) and its effects on the quality of life (QoL) in a cohort of adult, stable patients with short bowel syndrome and chronic intestinal failure receiving long-term parenteral support (PS).

Patient And Methods: A prospective, single-center study was conducted for individuals who began to take TED between March 2017 and August 2023.

Results: Ten patients were included in the analysis, among whom the median duration of TED administration was 48 (range, 12-71) months.

Verifying the effectiveness of romosozumab re-administration on bone mineral density.

Upon completing romosozumab therapy for osteoporosis, sequential treatment with other agents is required. However, for patients at high fracture risk despite such therapy, re-administration of romosozumab might be a potent option for subsequent medication to prevent additional fractures. Currently, there is still insufficient real-world clinical data verifying the efficacy of romosozumab re-administration, therefore, this study aimed to evaluate its efficacy.

Dyes-encapsulated metal-organic cage as fluorescence sensor array for the auxiliary differential diagnosis of MCD and FSGS in early renal disorders.

Both minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) are the pathological types of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) and cannot be readily distinguished owing to their highly similar clinical presentations. Currently, methods for clinical MCD and FSGS diagnosis still rely on invasive renal biopsy which impede rapid and accurate diagnosis for timely treatment management. In this study, a novel diagnostic strategy by introducing the dyes with spironolactone structure into the metal-organic cage to construct three dye@MOCs composites has been developed and employed as fluorescence sensor array for assisting in the auxiliary differential diagnosis of MCD and FSGS based on the distinguishable biothiols in urine.

SUrvey of renal Biopsy registry database and Anticancer dRUg therapy in Japan (SUBARU-J study).

Background: Kidney complications associated with anticancer drug therapy have greatly increased recently. We aimed to investigate the real-world clinical outcomes of anticancer drug therapy-associated renal complications in Japan using the national kidney biopsy database, Japan Renal Biopsy Registry (J-RBR).

Methods: From 2018 to 2021, 449 cases from 49 facilities identified as 'drug-induced' histopathology in the J-RBR were screened, of which a total of 135 were confirmed as anticancer drug-related cases and included in the analysis.

National Utilization Trends of Inpatient Procedures for Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids and Adenomyosis: A 10-year Analysis.

Objective: To determine the changes in procedural utilization for symptomatic uterine fibroids and adenomyosis over the past decade.

Methods: An IRB-exempt retrospective study of the National Inpatient Sample database from 2011-2020 was performed utilizing ICD-9 and 10 diagnosis and procedural codes for uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, hysterectomy, myomectomy, UAE, and endometrial ablation. Patients with endometriosis, uterine cancer, placenta accreta spectrum, pelvic inflammatory disease, and uterine prolapse were excluded.

Human albumin infusion and risk of acute kidney injury in adults with nephrotic syndrome due to minimal change disease: A single-center retrospective study.

Background: The use of human albumin in patients with minimal change disease (MCD) remains controversial. The aim of the current study was to assess whether infusion of human albumin increased the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) in adult patients with MCD.

Materials And Methods: Adult patients who underwent renal biopsy for the diagnosis of MCD at the center between 2017 and 2022 were screened.

Higher density of CD4+ T cell infiltration predicts severe renal lesions and renal function decline in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Background: More evidence have shown that the combination of immune and inflammatory mechanism was critical in diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the relationship between CD4+ T cells and the development of DN is still unclear. Therefore, this study will focus on this issue from the perspective of clinicopathology.

Outcomes of Covid-19 Vaccine-Associated Glomerular Diseases (CVAGD) - A Case Series from India.

Background: Several cases of glomerular diseases following Covid-19 vaccination, especially mRNA vaccines, have been reported. However, there is little data on glomerular diseases associated with the two vaccines widely available in India (Covaxin and Covishield) and their long-term outcomes.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted between May 2021 and May 2023.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical treatment for thoracic malignant tumor cases in Japan: a national clinical database analysis.

Objective: Surgical care has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the pandemic on lung cancer and mediastinal tumor surgery.

Methods: Changes in the number of surgical procedures for lung cancer and mediastinal tumors were analyzed using the National Clinical Database of Japan.

Effect of End-Tethered Methoxy-PEO Chain Density on Uremic Toxin Adsorption.

In 2023, around 850 million people globally were affected by chronic kidney disease, which leads to the retention of uremic toxins and excess fluid in the blood. This study examines the adsorption of these toxins to poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) films, known for their low-fouling properties. The gold surfaces were treated with 5 mM end-thiolated methoxy-terminated PEO (-PEO) and analyzed using dynamic contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry to confirm the PEO film's presence and determine chain density.

Bacterial products initiation of alpha-synuclein pathology: an in vitro study.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a prevalent and escalating neurodegenerative disorder with significant societal implications. Despite being considered a proteinopathy, in which the aggregation of α-synuclein is the main pathological change, the intricacies of PD initiation remain elusive. Recent evidence suggests a potential link between gut microbiota and PD initiation, emphasizing the need to explore the effects of microbiota-derived molecules on neuronal cells.