Preconception care interventions among adolescents and young adults to prevent adverse maternal, perinatal and child health outcomes: An evidence gap map.

Objective: To identify gaps in existing evidence on preconception health interventions to improve the health outcomes of adolescents, young adults, and their offspring.

Study Design: Evidence gap map (EGM) METHODS: Following the Campbell guidelines, we included reviews and interventional studies identified through searches on Medline and other electronic databases from 2010 to July 18th, 2023. Dual screening of titles/abstracts and full texts was conducted on Covidence software, followed by quality assessment and development of 2D-EGM using the EPPI-Reviewer and Mapper software.

Measured energy expenditure according to the phases of critical illness: A descriptive cohort study.

Background: Indirect calorimetry is recommended for directing energy provision in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, limited reports exist of measured energy expenditure according to the phases of critical illness in large cohorts of patients during ICU admission. This study aimed to analyze measured energy expenditure overall in adult patients who were critically ill and across the different phases of critical illness.

A Call to Action: Healthcare Professionals to Become Independent of the Commercial Milk Formula Industry.

Health-care professionals (HCP) have a responsibility to protect and promote maternal and infant health and breastfeeding is one of the most effective measures to support this. Increasing breastfeeding rates in Australia is crucial to improving population health, but the absence of robust policies, programmes and education for HCP undermines this effort. The pervasive marketing of commercial milk formulas (CMF), including sponsorship of HCP and their organisations, has introduced significant conflicts of interest that distort clinical practice, education, research and guidelines developed in the infant feeding domain.

The Prevalence of Local Symptoms in Benign Thyroid Disease: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review seeks to evaluate the prevalence of local symptoms in patients with benign thyroid disease as described in the literature.

Data Sources: A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases.

Review Methods: Crude symptom prevalence was obtained by addition of data across studies that reported local symptoms, and adjusted symptom frequency was calculated using a random effects model.

Neurological Nurses' Perspectives on Communication of Stroke Recurrence Risks: A Mixed-Method Study.

Aim: To gain a comprehensive understanding of the practices, attitudes, and thoughts of neurological nurses regarding communication about the risk of stroke recurrence.

Design: This is a mixed-method study with a sequential explanatory design.

Methods: An electronic survey was conducted amongst 280 neurological nurses from 30 hospitals to explore their clinical practice and attitudes towards stroke recurrence risk communication (RC).

D2HGDH Deficiency Regulates Seizures through GSH/Prdx6/ROS-Mediated Excitatory Synaptic Activity.

Current antiepileptic drugs are ineffective in one-third of patients with epilepsy; however, identification of genes involved in epilepsy can enable a precision medicine approach. Here, it is demonstrated that downregulating D-2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (D2HGDH) enhances susceptibility to epilepsy. Furthermore, its potential involvement in the seizure network through synaptic function modulation is investigated.

Outcomes of massive transfusion recipients administered ABO-incompatible fresh frozen plasma.

Background: The provision of ABO-incompatible fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in massive transfusion (MT) has become accepted to conserve AB FFP stock. There is an evidence gap in non-trauma settings. We compare characteristics of patients who received ABO-compatible or ABO-incompatible FFP during an MT episode due to any cause of critical bleeding, and assess the impact of incompatible FFP transfusion on inhospital mortality.

Machine-learning crystal size distribution for volcanic stratigraphy correlation.

Volcanic stratigraphy reconstruction is traditionally based on qualitative facies analysis complemented by geochemical analyses. Here we present a novel technique based on machine learning identification of crystal size distribution to quantitatively fingerprint lavas, shallow intrusions and coarse lava breccias. This technique, based on a simple photograph of a rock (or core) sample, is complementary to existing methods and allows another strategy to identify and compare volcanic rocks for stratigraphic correlation.

Evaluating large language models for criterion-based grading from agreement to consistency.

This study evaluates the ability of large language models (LLMs) to deliver criterion-based grading and examines the impact of prompt engineering with detailed criteria on grading. Using well-established human benchmarks and quantitative analyses, we found that even free LLMs achieve criterion-based grading with a detailed understanding of the criteria, underscoring the importance of domain-specific understanding over model complexity. These findings highlight the potential of LLMs to deliver scalable educational feedback.

The distribution and severity of lower-limb hypertonicity and spasticity differentially impacts walking speed in people with neurological injuries.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the distribution and severity of hypertonicity and spasticity on walking speed in people with neurological injuries.

Material/methods: This cross-sectional observation cohort study used the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) to assess hypertonicity and spasticity of the gastrocnemius, soleus, hamstrings and quadriceps. Participants were classified as having a distal (gastrocnemius and/or soleus), proximal (hamstrings and/or quadriceps) or mixed distribution of hypertonicity or spasticity.

Antiviral and Immunomodulatory Effects of Zafirlukast Against Flaviviruses via Inhibition of the TNF Signaling Pathway.

The two most clinically important members of the flavivirus genus, Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) pose a significant public health challenge. They cause a range of diseases in humans, from hemorrhagic to neurological manifestations, leading to economic and social burden worldwide. Nevertheless, there are no approved antiviral drugs to treat these infections.

Frailty prevalence, invasive treatment frequency, and in-hospital outcome in patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome in Germany (2005-2022): a nationwide registry study.

Background: Frailty is a significant predictor for adverse outcomes. Yet, data on prevalence and treatment of frail patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains limited. We aimed to investigate frailty prevalence, interventional treatment frequency, and in-hospital outcome for all patients hospitalized for ACS in Germany from 2005 to 2022 and validate the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) in this population.

Soluble CD52 mediates immune suppression by human seminal fluid.

Seminal fluid provides for the carriage and nutrition of sperm, but also modulates immunity to prevent allo-rejection of sperm by the female. Immune suppression by seminal fluid has been associated with extracellular vesicles, originally termed prostasomes, which contain CD52, a glycosylated glycophosphoinositol-anchored peptide released from testicular epithelial cells. Previously, we reported that human T cell-derived CD52, bound to the danger-associated molecular pattern protein, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), suppresses T cell function via the inhibitory sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-10 (Siglec-10) receptor.

Association between number of medications and indicators of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy: a population-based cohort of older adults in Quebec, Canada.

Background: As the number of medications increases, the appropriateness of polypharmacy may become questionable due to the heightened risk of medication-related harm.

Objectives: (1) To investigate the relationship between the number of current medications used by older adults and three indicators of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy: (a) the mean number of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), (b) the average count of drug-drug interactions, and (c) the anticholinergic burden; (2) To characterize the population-based burden of potentially inappropriate polypharmacy by calculating the proportion of individuals with these indicators.

Design: We conducted a population-based observational study using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System.

Chromatin-based memory as a self-stabilizing influence on cell identity.

Cell types are traditionally thought to be specified and stabilized by gene regulatory networks. Here, we explore how chromatin memory contributes to the specification and stabilization of cell states. Through pervasive, local, feedback loops, chromatin memory enables cell states that were initially unstable to become stable.

Non-adrenergic vasopressors for vasodilatory shock or perioperative vasoplegia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Excessive exposure to adrenergic vasopressors may be harmful. Non-adrenergic vasopressors may spare adrenergic agents and potentially improve outcomes. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of non-adrenergic vasopressors in adult patients receiving vasopressor therapy for vasodilatory shock or perioperative vasoplegia.

Perceptions of family physicians in Istanbul about e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids: a qualitative study.

Background: Family physicians (FPs) are the first point of contact for people who smoke who are seeking to quit smoking in Türkiye. We aimed to explore Turkish FPs knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids.

Methods: Eleven in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with FPs in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Harnessing 3D models to uncover the mechanisms driving infectious and inflammatory disease in the intestine.

Representative models of intestinal diseases are transforming our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of disease, facilitating effective drug screening and avenues for personalised medicine. Despite the emergence of 3D in vitro intestinal organoid culture systems that replicate the genetic and functional characteristics of the epithelial tissue of origin, there are still challenges in reproducing the human physiological tissue environment in a format that enables functional readouts. Here, we describe the latest platforms engineered to investigate environmental tissue impacts, host-microbe interactions and enable drug discovery.

Analysis of mechanisms of the rabies virus P protein-nucleocapsid interaction using engineered N-protein peptides and potential applications in antivirals design.

The Phosphoprotein (P protein) of the rabies virus has multiple roles in virus replication. A critical function is to act as a cofactor in genome replication and mRNA production through binding via its N-terminal region to the L protein, the essential enzyme for mRNA and genome synthesis/processing, and via its C-terminal domain (P) to the N protein and viral RNA (N-RNA) ribonucleoprotein complex. The binding site of the P on the N protein is a disordered loop that is expected to be phosphorylated at Ser389.

A Collection of Useful Nuisance Compounds (CONS) for Interrogation of Bioassay Integrity.

High-throughput screening (HTS) is a crucial technique for identifying potential hits to fuel drug discovery pipelines. However, this process naturally concentrates nuisance compounds that are not optimizable yet signal positively in a convincing manner. To be able to understand what types of nuisance compounds a particular assay is sensitive to, would be of great utility in being able to prioritize progressable over nonprogressable screening hits.