Assessing the Likelihood of Procedural Intubation During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Preprocedural fasting is widely used before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the incidence of procedural intubation during PCI is unknown. This study aims to identify the incidence and predictors for procedural intubation during PCI.

Determining the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on corticomotor excitability and motor performance: A sham-controlled comparison of four frequencies.

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) modulates brain oscillations and corticomotor plasticity. We examined the effects of four tACS frequencies (20 Hz, 40 Hz, 60 Hz, and 80 Hz) on motor cortex (M1) excitability and motor performance. In a randomised crossover design, 12 adults received 20-minute tACS sessions, with Sham as control.

Discussing Weight in Real World GP Consultations: A Video Recording Analysis Study.

Objective: GPs have a complex role in obesity management due to patients' individualized experience of living with obesity, coupled with the challenge to deliver healthcare messages in non-stigmatizing ways. This study aimed to explore who initiates the topic of weight and how weight was discussed in real-world GP-patient consultations.

Method: A multi-disciplinary team, including obesity lived experience experts, undertook a secondary data analysis of 43 Australian video recorded consultations and patient surveys from The Digital Library using descriptive content analysis.

Vanzacaftor-tezacaftor-deutivacaftor versus elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in individuals with cystic fibrosis aged 12 years and older (SKYLINE Trials VX20-121-102 and VX20-121-103): results from two randomised, active-controlled, phase 3 trials.

Background: The goal of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators is to reach normal CFTR function in people with cystic fibrosis. Vanzacaftor-tezacaftor-deutivacaftor restored CFTR function in vitro and in phase 2 trials in participants aged 18 years and older resulting in improvements in CFTR function, as measured by sweat chloride concentrations and lung function as measured by spirometry. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vanzacaftor-tezacaftor-deutivacaftor compared with standard of care elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in individuals with cystic fibrosis aged 12 years and older.

HPClas: A data-driven approach for identifying halophilic proteins based on catBoost.

Halophilic proteins possess unique structural properties and show high stability under extreme conditions. This distinct characteristic makes them invaluable for application in various aspects such as bioenergy, pharmaceuticals, environmental clean-up, and energy production. Generally, halophilic proteins are discovered and characterized through labor-intensive and time-consuming wet lab experiments.

Repeated Copulation and Guarding, and Their Relationship With Male and Female Morphological Traits in the Water Scorpion .

Insects copulate multiple times not only with different mates but also with the same mate, which is called repeated copulation. It occurs as a repeated alternation between copulation and mate-guarding, leading to the prolonged physical attachment between males and females. Particularly, in species where males forcefully grasp females, attempt to mate without courtship and exhibit repeated copulations, male and female morphological traits are expected to be associated with mating characteristics.

The genetic causal association between arthritis and low back pain.

Background: Arthritis and low back pain (LBP) are prevalent musculoskeletal conditions with a perceived association. Previous observational studies have suggested a possible link between arthritis and LBP, but causality has not been firmly established.

Methods: The analysis involved data from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies sourced from the UK Biobank Genetics resources on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) at any site, knee osteoarthritis (KOA), hip osteoarthritis (HOA), and LBP.

Clinical signs and utility of CT PET scan in eosinophilic fasciitis?

A 61 year old male presented with clinical signs of Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF), a rare connective tissue disease. Early recognition of the diagnosis of EF is essential. Common examination findings are prayer sign and distal limb swelling, induration, venous guttering, and peau d'orange.

Choice of activation protocol impacts the yield and quality of CAR T cell product, particularly with older individuals.

Objectives: In clinical chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, one of the strongest correlates of favorable patient responses is lower levels of differentiation in T cells from the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) starting material or the CAR T cell product. T cells from older patients are inherently more differentiated, but we hypothesised that specific activation protocols could be used to limit CAR T cell differentiation during manufacturing, particularly in older patients.

Methods: We used PBMCs from young (20-30 years old) and older (60+ years old) healthy donors to generate CAR T cells using two activation protocols: soluble anti-(α) CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) immune complexes of αCD3 and αCD28 mAbs.

Baseline Characteristics of Participants in STAREE: A Randomized Trial for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Events and Prolongation of Disability-Free Survival in Older People.

Background: The risk-benefit balance of statin use in healthy older people is uncertain. We describe the baseline characteristics of the STAREE (Statins in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial, which is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial among community-dwelling older people; the trial evaluated the effect of atorvastatin 40 mg for the prevention of major cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or stroke), and on disability-free survival (survival free of both dementia and persistent physical disability).

Methods And Results: STAREE enrolled people aged ≥70 years from 1583 general practices across Australia with no history of clinical cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or dementia.

Uropathogen antibiogram regional variations-Are Australian antimicrobial guidelines appropriate?

Objectives: The objectives of this study are as follows: to assess the uropathogen antibiogram at two tertiary hospitals in Victoria to look at the difference in susceptibility patterns, to assess whether national guideline recommendations were applicable and to assess the feasibility of local antibiogram analysis to guide development of hospital-specific guidelines for empirical treatment of urosepsis and for pre-operative prophylaxis for urological procedures.

Patients And Methods: All positive urine cultures analysed at Barwon Health and Monash Health, two tertiary hospitals in regional and metropolitan Victoria, Australia, respectively, between January 2019 and December 2020 were retrospectively identified. Data obtained included the organism cultured and their susceptibility profiles.

Are People Living With Dementia Receiving High Intensity Statin Therapy After Stroke? A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: This Australian population-based study investigated statin intensity after hospitalization for ischemic stroke in a matched cohort of people living with and without dementia.

Methods: We identified all patients aged ≥ 30 years hospitalized in the state of Victoria, Australia, for ischemic stroke from July 1, 2013 to April 30, 2018 from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Data set. People with dementia were matched 1:4 for sex, 5-year age group and index date ± 90 days with people without dementia.

Feasibility of transperineal intestinal ultrasound in assessing ulcerative proctitis during pregnancy.

This study explored the use of transperineal intestinal ultrasound (TPIUS) for assessment of ulcerative colitis (UC) in pregnancy. 8 pregnant women with UC underwent TP-US, clinical assessment and fecal calprotectin. TP-IUS was well tolerated and feasible with adequate rectal views obtained in all trimesters of pregnancy.

Plasma Protein Biomarkers and Long-Term Cardiovascular Mortality Risk in Patients With Chronic Coronary Heart Disease.

Background: Protein biomarkers that reflect different pathophysiological pathways have been associated with the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. However, it is uncertain whether these associations are sustained with increasing years after the biomarkers are measured.

Methods And Results: In this cohort study, 7745 patients with coronary heart disease who participated in the LIPID (Long-Term Intervention With Pravastatin in Ischemic Disease) trial, BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide), troponin I, cystatin-C, C-reactive protein, d-dimer and midregional proadrenomedullin were measured at baseline and after 1 year.

Evaluation of bleeding risk in patients who received pirtobrutinib in the presence or absence of antithrombotic therapy.

Clinical bleeding events are reported here from 773 patients with B-cell malignancies receiving pirtobrutinib monotherapy from the phase 1/2 BRUIN study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03740529), either in the presence or absence of antithrombotic therapy (antithrombotic exposed [AT-E],  = 216; antithrombotic nonexposed [AT-NE],  = 557). Among the AT-E cohort, 51.

Diverging trends in alcohol use and mental health in Australian adolescents: A cross-cohort comparison of trends in co-occurrence.

Background: In recent years, psychological distress in Western countries has rapidly increased among older adolescents while alcohol use has declined, though little is known about younger adolescents. It is also unclear if and how these trends relate to co-occurring alcohol use and distress. This study sought to examine temporal changes in the prevalence of distress, alcohol use, and their co-occurrence among young Australians.

Immediate Genetic Augmentation and Enhanced Habitat Connectivity Are Required to Secure the Future of an Iconic Endangered Freshwater Fish Population.

Genetic diversity is rapidly lost from small, isolated populations by genetic drift. Measuring the level of genetic drift using effective population size ( ) is highly useful for management. Single-cohort genetic estimators approximate the number of breeders in one season ( ): a value < 100 signals likely inbreeding depression.