Designing a primary care pharmacist-led review for people treated with opioids for persistent pain: a multi-method qualitative study.

Background: Opioids are frequently prescribed for persistent non-cancer pain despite limited evidence of long-term effectiveness and risk of harm. Evidence-based interventions to address inappropriate opioid prescribing are lacking.

Aim: To explore perspectives of people living with persistent pain to understand barriers and facilitators in reducing opioids in the context of a pharmacist-led primary care review, and identify review components and features for optimal delivery.

Hospital corridors as lived spaces: The reconfiguration of social boundaries during the early stages of the Covid pandemic.

This article explores the meanings and uses of a hospital corridor through 98 diary entries produced by the staff of an English specialist hospital during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on Lefebvre's (1991, The production of space. Blackwell) threefold theorisation of space, corridors are seen as conceived, perceived and lived spaces, produced through and enabling the reconfiguration and reinterpretation of social interactions.

Investigation of the hospital pharmacy profession in Europe.

Objective: From 1995, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) has regularly investigated the progress of the hospital pharmacy profession in Europe, and identified key barriers and drivers of this. The most recent 'Investigation of the Hospital Pharmacy Profession in Europe' was conducted from November 2022 to March 2023.

Methods: The online questionnaire was sent to all hospital pharmacies in EAHP member countries.

Discovery of olimycin E from sp. 11695.

A new natural product olimycin E (), together with two known compounds of divergolide R () and olimycin B (), were obtained from the marine-derived 11695. The structures of were established on the basis of HRESIMS as well as 1D and 2D NMR datasets. The absolute configuration of is identified as 4 R, 6S, 7S, 10 R by comparison the experiment ECD with that of the theoretical ECD.

The efficacy of curcumin in relieving osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis of meta-analyses.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent degenerative joint diseases. Several meta-analyses have shown that curcumin could improve the function of the knee and alleviate pain in OA, while some meta-analyses demonstrate controversial results. Hence, we assessed curcumin's effects on knee OA in an umbrella meta-analysis.

Prognostic Model Construction of Disulfidptosis-Related Genes and Targeted Anticancer Drug Research in Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer stands as one of the most lethal malignancies, characterized by delayed diagnosis, high mortality rates, limited treatment efficacy, and poor prognosis. Disulfidptosis, a recently unveiled modality of cell demise induced by disulfide stress, has emerged as a critical player intricately associated with the onset and progression of various cancer types. It has emerged as a promising candidate biomarker for cancer diagnosis, prognosis assessment, and treatment strategies.

Using nanopore sequencing to identify bacterial infection in joint replacements: a preliminary study.

This project investigates if third-generation genomic sequencing can be used to identify the species of bacteria causing prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) at the time of revision surgery. Samples of prosthetic fluid were taken during revision surgery from patients with known PJIs. Samples from revision surgeries from non-infected patients acted as negative controls.

Proteomic characterization of human LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy muscle cells.

LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD) is caused by mutations in the LMNA gene, encoding lamin A/C. To further understand the molecular mechanisms of L-CMD, proteomic profiling using DIA mass spectrometry was conducted on immortalized myoblasts and myotubes from controls and L-CMD donors each harbouring a different LMNA mutation (R249W, del.32 K and L380S).

Increased NLRP1 mRNA and Protein Expression Suggests Inflammasome Activation in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal and Medial Orbitofrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a complex mental condition, with key symptoms marked for diagnosis including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, reduced emotional expression, and social dysfunction. In the context of major developmental hypotheses of schizophrenia, notably those concerning maternal immune activation and neuroinflammation, we studied expression and content in the postmortem brain tissue of 10 schizophrenia and 10 control subjects. In the medial orbitofrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 11/12) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (area 46) from both hemispheres of six schizophrenia subjects, the mRNA expression was significantly higher than in six control brains ( < 0.

Identification of Potential Hub Genes Related to Acute Pancreatitis and Chronic Pancreatitis via Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis and In Vitro Analysis.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) are considered to be two separate pancreatic diseases in most studies, but some clinical retrospective analyses in recent years have found some degree of correlation between the two in actual treatment, however, the exact association is not clear. In this study, bioinformatics analysis was utilized to examine microarray sequencing data in mice, with the aim of elucidating the critical signaling pathways and genes involved in the progression from AP to CP. Differential gene expression analyses on murine transcriptomes were conducted using the R programming language and the R/Bioconductor package.

Rapid isolation of pan-neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variants from convalescent individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants has presented a significant challenge to global health, as these variants show resistance to most antibodies developed early in the pandemic. Therapeutic antibodies with potent efficacy to the Omicron variants are urgently demanded.

Methods: Utilizing the rapid antibody discovery platform, Berkeley Lights Beacon, we isolated two monoclonal neutralizing antibodies, 2173-A6 and 3462-A4.

Anti-inflammatory mechanisms of neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles without drug loading.

Neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles (NM-NPs) are nanomedicines with traits of mimicking the surface properties and functions of neutrophils, which are the most abundant type of white blood cells in the human body. NM-NPs have been widely used as targeted drug delivery systems for various inflammatory diseases, but their intrinsic effects on inflammation are not fully characterized yet. This study found that NM-NPs could modulate inflammation by multiple mechanisms without drug loading.

Label-Free In Situ Chemical Characterization of Amyloid Plaques in Human Brain Tissues.

The accumulation of amyloid plaques and increased brain redox burdens are neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Altered metabolism of essential biometals is another feature of Alzheimer's, with amyloid plaques representing sites of disturbed metal homeostasis. Despite these observations, metal-targeting disease treatments have not been therapeutically effective to date.

Hydroxyl silicone oil grafting onto a rough thermoplastic polyurethane surface created durable super-hydrophobicity.

Indwelling medical catheters are frequently utilized in medical procedures, but they are highly susceptible to infection, posing a vital challenge for both health workers and patients. In this study, the superhydrophobic micro-nanostructure surface was constructed on the surface of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane using heavy calcium carbonate (CaCO) template. To decrease the surface free energy, hydroxyl silicone oil was grafted onto the surface, forming a super-hydrophobic surface.

Structural Characterization and Functional Analysis of Mevalonate Kinase from (Red Flour Beetle).

Mevalonate kinase (MevK) is an important enzyme in the mevalonate pathway that catalyzes the phosphorylation of mevalonate into phosphomevalonate and is involved in juvenile hormone biosynthesis. Herein, we present a structure model of MevK from the red flour beetle (MevK), which adopts a compact α/β conformation that can be divided into two parts: an N-terminal domain and a C-terminal domain. A narrow, deep cavity accommodating the substrate and cofactor was observed at the junction between the two domains of MevK.

Characteristics of head frequency response in blunt impacts: a biomechanical modeling study.

Existing evaluation criteria for head impact injuries are typically based on time-domain features, and less attention has been paid to head frequency responses for head impact injury assessment. The purpose of the current study is, therefore, to understand the characteristics of human body head frequency response in blunt impacts via finite element (FE) modeling and the wavelet packet analysis method. FE simulation results show that head frequency response in blunt impacts could be affected by the impact boundary condition.

Children and adolescents with all forms of shoulder instability demonstrate differences in their movement and muscle activity patterns when compared to age- and sex-matched controls.

Hypothesis And Background: Shoulder instability (SI) is a complex impairment, and identifying biomarkers that differentiate subgroups is challenging. Children and adolescents with SI (irrespective of etiology) have differences in their movement and muscle activity profiles compared to age- and sex-matched controls (2-tailed). There are limited fundamental movement and muscle activity data for identifying different mechanisms for SI in children and adolescents that can inform subgrouping and treatment allocation.

Molecular mechanism analysis of apoptosis induced by silk fibroin peptides.

Silk fibroin derived from silkworm cocoons exhibits excellent mechanical properties, good biocompatibility, and low immunogenicity. Previous studies showed that silk fibroin had an inhibitory effect on cells, suppressing proliferation and inducing apoptosis. However, the source of the toxicity and the mechanism of apoptosis induction are still unclear.

Development of Injectable Thermosensitive Nanocomposite Hydrogel for Ratiometric Drug Delivery to Treat Drug Resistant Chondrosarcoma In Vivo.

Chondrosarcoma(CS), a prevalent primary malignant bone tumor, frequently exhibits chemotherapy resistance attributed to upregulated anti-apoptosis pathways such as the Bcl-2 family. In this manuscript, a new strategy is presented to augment chemosensitivity and mitigate systemic toxicity by harnessing a nano-enabled drug delivery hydrogel platform. The platform utilizes "PLGA-PEG-PLGA", an amphiphilic triblock copolymer combining hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) and hydrophobic polylactide glycolide (PLGA) blocks, renowned for its properties conducive to crafting a biodegradable, temperature-sensitive hydrogel.

Exploring the potential extended role of community pharmacy in the management of osteoarthritis: A multi-methods study with pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of chronic joint pain, which patients often self-manage before seeking healthcare advice. Patients frequently seek advice from community pharmacies, and a recent policy has recommended integrating community pharmacies into long-term condition pathways. This study explored community pharmacy teams' (CPs) and other healthcare professionals' (HCPs) views on community pharmacies providing an extended role for osteoarthritis management, identifying potential barriers and facilitators to this.

Dynamic cerebral blood flow assessment based on electromagnetic coupling sensing and image feature analysis.

Dynamic assessment of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is crucial for guiding personalized management and treatment strategies, and improving the prognosis of stroke. However, a safe, reliable, and effective method for dynamic CBF evaluation is currently lacking in clinical practice. In this study, we developed a CBF monitoring system utilizing electromagnetic coupling sensing (ECS).

Testosterone Replacement Therapy: Effects on Blood Pressure in Hypogonadal Men.

Purpose: While testosterone therapy can improve the various pathologies associated with adult-onset testosterone deficiency (TD), Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) of five testosterone preparations caution that treatment may be associated with hypertension. This paper evaluates the impact of testosterone undecanoate (TU) on blood pressure (BP) in men with adult-onset TD.

Materials And Methods: Of 737 men with adult-onset TD in an on-going, observational, prospective, cumulative registry, we studied changes in BP using non-parametric sign-rank tests at final assessment and fixed time points.

Management of rotator cuff injuries using allogenic platelet-rich plasma.

Rotator cuff injuries are a major cause of shoulder pain, affecting the quality of life and producing a significant burden on healthcare systems. Conservative management modalities are prioritized, resorting to surgery only when required. The field of regenerative medicine involving the use of biologics, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), has evolved and shown potential for managing rotator cuff injuries.

Testosterone therapy reduces insulin resistance in men with adult-onset testosterone deficiency and metabolic syndrome. Results from the Moscow Study, a randomized controlled trial with an open-label phase.

Aims: To describe changes in homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) following testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Materials And Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) comprising 184 men with MetS and hypogonadism (testosterone undecanoate [TU]: 113 men, placebo: 71 men) was conducted. This was followed by an open-label phase in which all men were given TU.