Individualized blood pressure regulation and acute kidney injury in older patients having major abdominal surgery: a pilot randomized trial.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common postoperative complication, and hypotension may contribute. We therefore tested the primary hypothesis that individualized intraoperative blood pressure regulation reduces postoperative AKI in older surgical patients.

Methods: We enrolled patients ≥60 years old scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery with invasive arterial pressure monitoring.

Higher stability of nanophase GdO-CeO upon 400 keV Kr ion irradiation over bulk: role of defect annealing across grain boundaries.

The concept of inert matrix fuel (IMF) has been proposed to utilize the energetic value of Pu and transmute minor actinides in nuclear reactors. In order to offset the initial reactivity of nuclear fuel, gadolinium (Gd) is employed as a burnable poison, owing to its high neutron absorption cross-section. To gain insights into the radiation stability and influence of grain boundaries on irradiation behaviour, 5 mol% Gd-doped ceria samples, sintered at varying temperatures, were subjected to irradiation using 400 Kr ions.

Dietary fat quantity and composition influence hepatic lipid metabolism and metabolic disease risk in humans.

The excessive accumulation of intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) in the liver is a risk factor for metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. IHTG can excessively accumulate owing to imbalances in the delivery, synthesis, storage and disposal of fat to, in and from the liver. Although obesity is strongly associated with IHTG accumulation, emerging evidence suggests that the composition of dietary fat, in addition to its quantity, plays a role in mediating IHTG accumulation.

Prehabilitation of Patients With Oesophageal Malignancy Undergoing Peri-Operative Treatment (Pre-EMPT): Outcomes From a Prospective Controlled Trial.

Background: The Pre-EMPT study aimed to determine if structured exercise could reduce length of stay, post-operative complications and improve fitness and health-related quality of life (HQRL) in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and oesophagectomy.

Methods: A prospective non-randomised trial compared a standard care pathway (control) to a structured prehabilitation exercise programme (intervention) commenced before NAC and surgery for oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Length of hospital stay and post-operative complications were recorded.

Epigenetic modulation rescues neurodevelopmental deficits in Syngap1 mice.

SYNGAP1 is a Ras GTPase-activating protein that plays a crucial role during brain development and in synaptic plasticity. Sporadic heterozygous mutations in SYNGAP1 affect social and emotional behaviour observed in intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although neurophysiological deficits have been extensively studied, the epigenetic landscape of SYNGAP1 mutation-mediated intellectual disability is unexplored.

Determining safety, usability, acceptability and potential for clinical use of an innovative walking frame design with in- and community patients.

Purpose: Falls cost the NHS over £2 billion a year, with incidence increasing rapidly with age. Design of indoor walking frames remains limited, often needing to be lifted and not supporting sit-to-stand and turning manoeuvres, which can lead to falling. This study explored aspects of safety and satisfaction and potential for clinical use of a novel prototype walking frame.

Retinal oculomics and risk of incident aortic aneurysm and aortic adverse events: a population-based cohort study.

Background: The asymptomatic onset and extremely high mortality rate of aortic aneurysm (AA) highlight the urgency of early detection and timely intervention. The alteration of retinal vascular features (RVFs) can reflect the systemic vascular properties, and be widely used as the biomarker for cardiovascular disease risk prediction. Therefore, we aimed to investigate associations of RVFs with AA and its progression.

Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.

Background: Electronic cigarettes (ECs) are handheld electronic vaping devices that produce an aerosol by heating an e-liquid. People who smoke, healthcare providers, and regulators want to know if ECs can help people quit smoking, and if they are safe to use for this purpose. This is a review update conducted as part of a living systematic review.

Bots in white coats: are large language models the future of patient education? a multi-center cross-sectional analysis.

Objectives: Every year, around 300 million surgeries are conducted worldwide, with an estimated 4.2 million deaths occurring within 30 days after surgery. Adequate patient education is crucial, but often falls short due to the stress patients experience before surgery.

Ecdysteroids in Native Trees and Callus Cultures of the Genus Vitex L. of the Flora of Russia and Vietnam.

Introduction: Vitex L. is a large genus of tropical and subtropical trees used in medicine of many nations. Some species are used in gynecology due to flavonoids, iridoids, and diterpenes.

Anxiety, depression, and their association with unintentional injury risk among older adult populations in Guangxi, China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The aging population presents a significant public health challenge, particularly concerning mental health and injury prevention. Anxiety and depression are common among the older adult, affecting their quality of life and increasing the risk of unintentional injuries (UI). This study aims to explore the association between anxiety and depression and UI risk among the older adult in Guangxi, China, using data from the 2023 National Health Service Survey.

The impact of temporal distribution on fear extinction learning.

Fear extinction is the foundation of exposure therapy for anxiety and phobias. However, the stability of extinction memory diminishes over time, coinciding with fear recovery. To augment long-term extinction retention, the temporal distribution of extinction learning sessions is critical.

Flometoquin, a novel insecticide, acts on mitochondrial complex III as a Q inhibitor.

Flometoquin (FLO) is a novel quinoline-type insecticide that elicits a quick knock-down effect against target pests; however, its mode of action (MoA) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated its MoA systematically, using varying biochemical techniques. Since FLO-treated insects exhibited symptoms similar to those induced by respiratory inhibitors, we examined the effect of FLO on respiratory enzyme complexes using mitochondria isolated from different insects (housefly, diamondback moth, and western flower thrips).

Recommendations for improving accessibility of digital health interventions for cardiometabolic disease for ethnically diverse populations.

Digital health interventions (DHIs), such as apps, websites and wearables, are being presented as solutions or enablers to manage the burden of cardiometabolic disease in healthcare. However, the potential benefits of DHIs may not be reaching the most in-need populations, who may face intersecting barriers to accessing health services and digital solutions. The Digital Interventions for South Asians in Cardiometabolic Disease (DISC) study used a mixed-method approach to focus on people of a South Asian background, a high-risk group for cardiometabolic disease.

Gut Microbiome and Metabolome Changes in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients With Vertebral Bone Marrow Lesions.

Background: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a significant global health concern, often linked to vertebral bone marrow lesions (BML), particularly fatty replacement (FR). This study aims to explore the relationship between the gut microbiome, serum metabolome, and FR in chronic LBP patients.

Methods: Serum metabolomic profiling and gut microbiome analysis were conducted in chronic LBP patients with and without FR (LBP + FR,  = 40; LBP,  = 40) and Healthy Controls (HC,  = 31).

Vic9 mycobacteriophage: the first subcluster B2 phage isolated in Russia.

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect bacteria of the Mycobacterium genus. A substantial collection of mycobacteriophages has been isolated and characterized, offering valuable insights into their diversity and evolution. This collection also holds significant potential for therapeutic applications, particularly as an alternative to antibiotics in combating drug-resistant bacterial strains.

Delirium and Cognitive Screening in National Hip Fracture Registries: Scoping Review Protocol.

Background: Delirium and cognitive impairment are common in hip fracture populations and are associated with significant adverse patient outcomes. National hip fracture registries facilitate improvements in patient outcomes and care quality, such as reduced mortality and the development of specialist multidisciplinary services. However, there is substantial variation in the data collected and reported in relation to delirium and cognition, which impedes international comparison and may reduce quality of care.

Clinical validation of a biopsy-based six-gene signature prognostic for aggressive prostate cancer.

Objectives: This study aimed to clinically validate the six-gene prognostic molecular clinical risk score (MCRS) for the prediction of aggressive prostate cancer in diagnostic biopsy tissue.

Methods: MCRS was evaluated in prostate biopsy tissue from a Swedish cohort of men with prostate cancer (UPCA,  = 100). The primary outcome of adverse pathology and secondary outcomes of high primary Gleason (≥G4) and high pathological T-stage (≥T3) were assessed by likelihood ratio statistics and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves from logistic regression models; time to biochemical recurrence was assessed by likelihood ratio statistics and C-indexes from Cox proportional hazard regression models.

SPIRIT-DEFINE explanation and elaboration: recommendations for enhancing quality and impact of early phase dose-finding clinical trials protocols.

Unlabelled: Transparent and accurate reporting in early phase dose-finding (EPDF) clinical trials is crucial for informing subsequent larger trials. The SPIRIT statement, designed for trial protocol content, does not adequately cover the distinctive features of EPDF trials. Recent findings indicate that the protocol contents in past EPDF trials frequently lacked completeness and clarity.

CONSORT-DEFINE explanation and elaboration: recommendations for enhancing reporting quality and impact of early phase dose-finding clinical trials.

Unlabelled: Early phase dose-finding (EPDF) trials are key in the development of novel therapies, with their findings directly informing subsequent clinical development phases and providing valuable insights for reverse translation. Comprehensive and transparent reporting of these studies is critical for their accurate and critical interpretation, which may improve and expedite therapeutic development. However, quality of reporting of design characteristics and results from EPDF trials is often variable and incomplete.

C-reactive protein and association with disease severity in hospitalized adult patients with Lassa fever in Nigeria.

Objectives: Lassa fever (LF) poses a significant health burden in West Africa. The pathophysiology of LF and determinants of clinical spectrum of disease remain poorly understood. We performed a study to understand the correlation of blood inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP), with LF disease severity.

Interactions of human milk oligosaccharides with the immune system.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are abundant, diverse and complex sugars present in human breast milk. HMOs are well-characterized barriers to microbial infection and by modulating the human microbiome they are also thought to be nutritionally beneficial to the infant. The structural variety of over 200 HMOs, including neutral, fucosylated and sialylated forms, allows them to interact with the immune system in various ways.

A Study on Quantification of the Effects of Heartfulness Meditation Intervention in Healthcare Professionals by Anchor-Based Method in Occupational Health Psychology.

Background: It's more important to measure the subjective perception of change after undergoing any behavioral or psychological intervention. Global rating of change method-anchor item-based is a method by which the change can be quantified and "minimum subjective perceived effect" (MSPE) can be calculated.

Aim: The current study was planned to quantify the effects of heartfulness meditation intervention in healthcare professionals by anchor-based method and compare the result with the pre-post-difference.

Development and validation of a screening tool for sepsis without laboratory results in the emergency department: a machine learning study.

Background: Sepsis is a significant health burden on a global scale. Timely identification and treatment of sepsis can greatly improve patient outcomes, including survival rates. However, time-consuming laboratory results are often needed for screening sepsis.