In-vivo whole-cortex marker of excitation-inhibition ratio indexes cortical maturation and cognitive ability in youth.

A balanced excitation-inhibition ratio (E/I ratio) is critical for healthy brain function. Normative development of cortex-wide E/I ratio remains unknown. Here we non-invasively estimate a putative marker of whole-cortex E/I ratio by fitting a large-scale biophysically-plausible circuit model to resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data.

Relation of preconception eating behaviours to dietary pattern trajectories and gestational weight gain from preconception to late pregnancy.

Studies examining preconception eating behaviours with longitudinal dietary patterns from preconception to late pregnancy as well as gestational weight gain (GWG) are limited. We derived dietary pattern trajectories from preconception to late-pregnancy, and related preconception eating behaviours to these trajectories and GWG. Preconception eating behaviours were assessed using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire measuring cognitive restraint (CR) - conscious restriction of food intake, emotional eating (EE) - overeating in response to negative emotions, and uncontrolled eating (UE) - overeating with a feeling of lack of control.

Pregnancies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during 2000-2018 in Finland: a case-control study.

Objectives: The aim was to investigate, how pregnancies proceed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared to their individually matched population controls.

Material And Methods: Adult incident SLE patients were identified from the register of new special reimbursement decisions for SLE drugs in 2000-2014. For each patient, 1-3 randomly selected controls from the Population Register Centre were matched.

Pembrolizumab plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus placebo plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE-412): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

Background: Despite multimodal therapy, 5-year overall survival for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is about 50%. We assessed the addition of pembrolizumab to concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced HNSCC.

Methods: In the randomised, double-blind, phase 3 KEYNOTE-412 trial, participants with newly diagnosed, high-risk, unresected locally advanced HNSCC from 130 medical centres globally were randomly assigned (1:1) to pembrolizumab (200 mg) plus chemoradiotherapy or placebo plus chemoradiotherapy.

Social Mobility and Health-Related Quality of Life Trajectory Classes Among Older Women and Men.

Objectives: Changes in socioeconomic status (SES) during life may impact health in old age. We investigated whether social mobility and childhood and adulthood SES are associated with trajectories of health-related quality of life (HrQoL) over a 17-year period.

Methods: We used data from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study ( = 2003, 46% men, mean age 61.

Quadriceps femoris muscle ultrasound in sarcoidosis: an observational case-control study.

Background: Although loss of muscle mass may be associated with general weakness, intolerance to physical activity and fatigue, it is underestimated and poorly understood in patients with sarcoidosis.

Aim: To compare the quadriceps femoris muscle (QFM) thickness measured by ultrasonography (US) between the female patients with sarcoidosis and controls, secondly to assess the correlation between the muscle strength, fatigue and QFM thickness.

Design: Observational, case-control study.

Combined aerobic and strength exercise training on biological ageing in Singaporean breast cancer patients: protocol for the Breast Cancer Exercise Intervention (BREXINT) Pilot Study.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prominent cancer amongst women, but fortunately, early diagnosis and advances in multimodality treatments have improved patient survivability. Cancer survivors, however, experience increased biological ageing which may accelerate other co-morbidities. Exercise intervention is a promising clinical adjuvant approach to improve BC patients' physiological function, recovery from treatment, and quality of life.

Introducing the Concept of Sanctuary Sites in Ischemic Stroke.

Background: The topography of arterial territories has been defined using digital maps of supratentorial infarcts. Regions with a high probability of infarction (Pi) exist in the deep compartment due to a paucity of collaterals. However, less attention has been given to regions with a low Pi.

Cost-effective prognostic evaluation of breast cancer: using a STAR nomogram model based on routine blood tests.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common and prominent deadly disease among women. Predicting BC survival mainly relies on TNM staging, molecular profiling and imaging, hampered by subjectivity and expenses. This study aimed to establish an economical and reliable model using the most common preoperative routine blood tests (RT) data for survival and surveillance strategy management.

Biologically Informed Polygenic Scores for Brain Insulin Receptor Network Are Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Markers and Diabetes in Women.

Backgruound: To investigate associations between variations in the co-expression-based brain insulin receptor polygenic score and cardiometabolic risk factors and diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,573 participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Biologically informed expression-based polygenic risk scores for the insulin receptor gene network were calculated for the hippocampal (hePRS-IR) and the mesocorticolimbic (mePRS-IR) regions.

Cluster headache: an update on clinical features, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

Cluster headache (CH) is one of the worst primary headaches that remain underdiagnosed and inappropriately treated. There are recent advances in the understanding of this disease and available treatments. This paper aims to review CH's recent clinical and pathophysiological findings, diagnosis, and treatment.

Standardization of definition and management for bleeding disorder of unknown cause: communication from the SSC of the ISTH.

In many patients referred with significant bleeding phenotype, laboratory testing fails to define any hemostatic abnormalities. Clinical practice with respect to diagnosis and management of this patient cohort poses significant clinical challenges. We recommend that bleeding history in these patients should be objectively assessed using the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) bleeding assessment tool.

Structural Analysis of Aggregates Formed by Linear- and Star-type Quaternary Ammonium Salt-Based Trimeric Surfactants Using Rheology and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

We performed a structural analysis of aggregates formed by two types of trimeric surfactants based on quaternary ammonium salts─linear-type 3Clin--Q and star-type 3Ctris--Q─featuring varying alkyl chain lengths () and spacer chain lengths () in aqueous solutions. We performed rheology, dynamic light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering measurements on the trimeric surfactants and investigated the effects of the alkyl chain length, spacer chain length, spacer skeleton structure, and surfactant concentration on their aggregation behavior. Linear-type 3Clin-3-Q transitioned from gel solutions to worm-like micelles at high concentrations, and 3Clin-3-Q became gel solutions over a wide range of concentrations.

Association of female reproductive and hormonal factors with gallbladder cancer risk in Asia: A pooled analysis of the Asia Cohort Consortium.

The female predominance of gallbladder cancer (GBC) has led to a hypothesis regarding the hormone-related aetiology of GBC. We aimed to investigate the association between female reproductive factors and GBC risk, considering birth cohorts of Asian women. We conducted a pooled analysis of 331,323 women from 12 cohorts across 4 countries (China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore) in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

Characteristics of factor V and protein C based on results from Korean testing centers.

Objective: The global incidence of thrombosis is increasing. However, research on thrombosis in the context of Korea is scarce. We aimed to analyze the relationship between factor V and protein C test results and thrombosis in Koreans through a domestic commissioned testing institution conducting mass examinations.

Protocol to dissect and dissociate the mouse brainstem for single-cell RNA-seq applications.

Processing dissociated cells for transcriptomics is challenging when targeting small brain structures, like brainstem nuclei, where cell yield may be low. Here, we present a protocol for dissecting, dissociating, and cryopreserving mouse brainstem that allows asynchronous sample collection and downstream processing of cells obtained from brainstem tissue in neonatal mice. Although we demonstrate this protocol with the isolated preBötzinger complex and downstream SmartSeq3 cDNA library preparation, it could be readily adapted for other brainstem areas and library preparation approaches.

Development of a digital star-shot analysis system for comparing radiation and imaging isocenters of proton treatment machine.

Purpose: To directly compare the radiation and imaging isocenters of a proton treatment machine, we developed and evaluated a real-time radiation isocenter verification system.

Methods: The system consists of a plastic scintillator (PI-200, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), an acrylic phantom, a steel ball on the detachable plate, Raspberry Pi 4 (Raspberry Pi Foundation, London, UK) with camera module, and analysis software implemented through a Python-based graphical user interface (GUI). After kV imaging alignment of the steel ball, the imaging isocenter defined as the position of the steel ball was extracted from the optical image.

Comparing feature selection and machine learning approaches for predicting methylation from genetic variation.

Introduction: Pharmacogenetics currently supports clinical decision-making on the basis of a limited number of variants in a few genes and may benefit paediatric prescribing where there is a need for more precise dosing. Integrating genomic information such as methylation into pharmacogenetic models holds the potential to improve their accuracy and consequently prescribing decisions. Cytochrome P450 2D6 () is a highly polymorphic gene conventionally associated with the metabolism of commonly used drugs and endogenous substrates.

The cross-sectional and prospective associations of parental practices and environmental factors with 24-hour movement behaviours among school-aged Asian children.

Background: Parental practices and neighbourhood environmental factors may influence children's movement behaviours. We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional and prospective associations of parental practices and neighbourhood environmental factors with accelerometer-measured 24-hour movement behaviours (24 h-MBs) among school-aged children in Singapore.

Methods: The Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study collected information on dimensions of parental practices and neighbourhood environment at age 5.

Work stress, work-family conflict, and psychological distress among resort employees: a JD-R model and spillover theory perspectives.

The hospitality industry is well-known for its challenging and high-pressure work settings. In this context, employees commonly face a multitude of stressors originating from their roles and job responsibilities, which can significantly impact their psychological wellbeing. Hence, based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and the spillover theory, this study aims to empirically explore the direct and indirect effect of work stress (assessed by role overload, ambiguity, and conflict) on psychological distress among frontline employees in 3- and 4-star Egyptian resorts while considering the mediating influence of work-family conflict (WFC).

The effects of acute social ostracism on subsequent snacking behavior and future body mass index in children.

Background/objectives: Ostracism may lead to increased food intake, yet it is unclear whether greater reactivity to ostracism contributes to higher body mass index (BMI). We investigated whether children who exhibited greater stress to social exclusion subsequently consume more energy and whether this predicts BMI 6- and 18-months later.

Subjects/methods: Children (8.