Trends and disparities in the surgical management of spinal fractures in Sweden during 2008-2023.

Background: Spinal fractures are a group of complex injuries whose management varies according to a number of factors. The aim of this study was to analyze trends in the management of spinal fracture surgery in Sweden from 2008 to 2023 with a focus on disparities based on gender, surgery method, age and geographical location. A secondary aim was to predict future incidence of spinal fracture surgeries.

Identification of novel RIPK4 variants in a Chinese patient with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC).

Background: Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) is a congenital disorder characterized by multiple joint involvement, primarily affecting limb mobility and leading to various tissue contractures. Variations in the RIPK4 gene may impact connective tissues, thereby resulting in a spectrum of malformations. This study aimed to identify the genetic etiologies of AMC patients and provide genetic testing information for further diagnosis and treatment of AMC.

Functional analysis of the type II toxin-antitoxin system ParDE in Streptococcus suis serotype 2.

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a major pathogen in swine and poses a potential zoonotic threat, which may cause serious diseases. Many toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems have been discovered in S.

Exercise interventions to improve bone mineral density in athletes participating in low-impact sports: a scoping review.

Background: Athletes participating in low-impact sports such as cycling and swimming are at increased risk for low bone mineral density, which may lead to long-term health issues. Exercise is known to increase bone mineral density, but there is little knowledge of the effects of this in athletes participating in low-impact sports. This review aims to identify potential exercise interventions that could improve bone health in these athletes.

The intermediary effect of work stress on the relationship between off-duty professional growth and reflective ability among mid- and senior-level nurses.

Background: Mid- to senior-level nurses play a pivotal role in healthcare. Their reflective ability is crucial for clinical decision-making and the continuous improvement of nursing practices. Although numerous studies have emphasized the importance of enhancing reflective ability among mid- to senior-level nurses, the specific relationship between off-duty professional growth, dual work stress, and reflective ability remains unclear.

Perceptions and barriers to the use and training of point-of-care ultrasound among Finnish emergency physicians - a nationwide survey.

Background: Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has become integral to emergency medicine (EM) as a critical diagnostic support tool. In Finland, where EM was formally recognised as a specialty as recently as in 2013, a historical lack of systematic training for POCUS has existed. Such training has largely depended on individual initiative rather than a standardised program while many other areas of EM training have already seen the introduction of structured education.

Caregivers' experience of having a child with Down syndrome: a meta-synthesis.

Background: This study aimed to integrate the experiences of caregivers of children with Down syndrome during the care process and understand their feelings and needs.

Methods: We used Page et al.'s (2021) Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-synthesis Statement.

Elucidating the relationship between burnout and sleep disturbances among firefighters: a network analysis.

Background: There exists an intricate relationship between burnout and sleep disturbances, especially among firefighters. Network analysis offers novel perspectives for understanding the interactions of psychopathological variables. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between burnout and sleep disturbances among firefighters through network analysis.

Pragmatic performance, its relationship with symptom severity, and early clinical predictors of pragmatics in 5 ~ 6-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Pragmatic language refers to using spoken language to convey messages effectively across diverse social communication contexts. However, minimal longitudinal research has focused on defining early predictors of pragmatic development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: In the present study, 71 children with ASD and 38 age- and gender- matched 24- to 30-month-old typically developing (TD) children were enrolled.

The effects of TECAR therapy on pain, range of motion, strength and subscale of HAGOS questionnaire in athletes with chronic adductor related groin pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Groin pain is a common issue among athletes. Adductor-related pain is known as the most common cause of groin pain. Although, non-operative treatments have limited efficacy, Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR), can be used in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.

Combination therapy versus monotherapy: retrospective analysis of antibiotic treatment of enterococcal endocarditis.

Background: Guidelines suggest treating fully penicillin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis strains causing infective endocarditis with amoxicillin combined with gentamicin or ceftriaxone, but clinical evidence to support this practice is limited and monotherapy cohorts were excluded from studies. We describe antibiotic treatment, complications, and outcomes in patients with Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis, specifically comparing monotherapy versus combination therapy.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected cohort of patients with definite or possible infective endocarditis from 2 English centres between 2006 and 2021.

Quality indicators of supportive care for patients with cancer undergoing treatment: a systematic review.

Background: Patients need to be supported in combining treatment with daily life. However, measurement of supportive care indicators related to treatment-related side effects is under-reported. This review aimed to identify a list of quality indicators for managing cancer treatment-induced toxicities for adult patients with cancer.

International expert consensus on micronutrient supplement use during the early life course.

Background: Growing evidence demonstrates that maternal nutrition is crucial for the health of the mother-to-be, and early life course of the offspring. However, for most micronutrients, guidelines are inconsistent. This Delphi study aimed to investigate the level of expert consensus on maternal nutrition and micronutrient needs during preconception, pregnancy and lactation.

Dysfunctional large-scale brain networks in drug-naïve depersonalization-derealization disorder patients.

Background: Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPRD) presents challenges in understanding its neurobiological underpinnings. Several neuroimaging studies have revealed altered brain function and structure in DPRD. However, the knowledge about large-scale dysfunctional brain networks in DPRD remains unknown.

Three-dimensional sonographic findings of diprosopus: a case report and literature review.

Background: Diprosopus is one of the rarest anomalies. It typically manifests as bilateral alterations and often involves anomalies within the cranial structures. In this report, we present a case of a fetus with diprosopus diagnosed prenatally.

A prospective observational cohort study of HIV infection in Indonesia: baseline characteristics and one-year mortality.

Introduction: The incidence rate of newly diagnosed HIV infection in Indonesia decreased from 21 per 100,000 in 2011 to 10 per 100,000 in 2021. Despite this progress, AIDS-related deaths among people living with HIV (PLWH) increased from 3.4% in 2010 to 4.

CMR assessment of epicardial edipose tissue in relation to myocardial inflammation and fibrosis in patients with new-onset atrial arrhythmias after STEMI.

Background: Previous studies have shown that epicardial edipose tissue(EAT) appears to be associated with myocardial inflammation and fibrosis, but this is not clear in patients with new-onset atrial arrhythmias after STEMI. The present study focused on using CMR to assess the association of epicardial fat with myocardial inflammation and fibrosis and its predictive value in patients with new-onset atrial arrhythmias after STEMI.

Methods: This was a single-centre, retrospective study.

Effect of different doses of ciprofol on hemodynamics induced by general anesthesia in elderly diabetic patients undergoing spinal surgery: a double-blind, randomized, controlled study.

Background: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of different doses of ciprofol for the induction of general anesthesia in elderly patients with diabetes undergoing spinal surgery.

Methods: Ninety elderly diabetic patients scheduled for elective single-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) under general anesthesia were enrolled and randomly assigned to three groups according to the induction dose of ciprofol: group A (0.2 mg/kg), Group B (0.

The fibrosis-4 index and its association with carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in China.

Background: The medical community has long been concerned about the cardiovascular disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. While liver fibrosis scores were originally designed for application in individuals with liver steatosis, an increasing number of studies have shown that they are also associated with cardiovascular disease risk. However, the association between Fibrosis-4 (Fib-4) in liver fibrosis scores and carotid atherosclerosis (CA) in patients with type 2 diabetes remains unclear.

Systematic ocular phenotyping of 8,707 knockout mouse lines identifies genes associated with abnormal corneal phenotypes.

Purpose: Corneal dysmorphologies (CDs) are typically classified as either regressive degenerative corneal dystrophies (CDtrs) or defective growth and differentiation-driven corneal dysplasias (CDyps). Both eye disorders have multifactorial etiologies. While previous work has elucidated many aspects of CDs, such as presenting symptoms, epidemiology, and pathophysiology, the genetic mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

Cardiac hydatid cyst: case series and review of the literature.

Background: Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease prevalent in pastoral areas, mainly involving the liver and lungs, and rarely affecting the brain and heart. This article describes the diagnosis and treatment of 14 patients with cardiac encapsulated cysts, with the aim of providing insights into the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, therapeutic strategies, and outcomes associated with cardiac encapsulated cysts.

Methods: This retrospective case series included 13 patients with cardiac and/or cerebral encapsulated cysts.

Comparative Efficacy of Lenvatinib Plus Immunotherapy and Regorafenib Plus Immunotherapy After Lenvatinib Failure for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study.

Background: The combination of regorafenib and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has been the most popular second-line systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, considering the good anti-tumor performance of lenvatinib, combined immunotherapy on the basis of lenvatinib after first-line lenvatinib failure is also popular in clinical practice. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of regorafenib plus ICI (TACE-R-I) versus lenvatinib plus ICI (TACE-L-I) in patients with advanced HCC after lenvatinib failure.

BRAT1 - a new therapeutic target for glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most malignant primary brain tumor in adults, has poor prognosis irrespective of therapeutic advances due to its radio-resistance and infiltrative growth into brain tissue. The present study assessed functions and putative druggability of BRCA1-associated ATM activator 1 (BRAT1) as a crucial factor driving key aspects of GBM, including enhanced DNA damage response and tumor migration. By a stable depletion of BRAT1 in GBM and glioma stem-like (GSC) cell lines, we observed a delay in DNA double-strand break repair and increased sensitivity to radiation treatment, corroborated by in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating impaired tumor growth and invasion.

Effectiveness of non-pharmacological intervention protocol for prevention of postoperative delirium in the surgical intensive care unit.

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common adverse event in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to determine the effectiveness of a multicomponent non-pharmacological intervention protocol to reduce the incidence of POD in elderly patients admitted to the surgical ICU (SICU). This before-and-after cohort study included 300 patients aged ≥ 65 years who were admitted to the SICU within 7 days postoperatively with an anticipated SICU stay > 24 h.

Thromboembolic prophylaxis in bariatric and metabolic surgery: state-of-the-art according to the results of a nationwide registry study.

The present study employed a large scaled multicenter nationwide study data analysis to elucidate the impact of thromboembolism prophylaxis (TEP) in the context of bariatric and metabolic surgery and to investigate the peri- and postoperative complications associated with TEP. A total of 63,909 patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery between 2005 and 2020 were included in the analysis. The data were collected prospectively and multicentrically in the German Bariatric Surgery Registry (GBSR) and subsequently analyzed retrospectively.