Peripartum Mental Illness in Mothers With Multiple Sclerosis and Other Chronic Diseases in Ontario, Canada.

Background And Objectives: Peripartum mood and anxiety disorders constitute the most frequent form of maternal morbidity in the general population, but little is known about peripartum mental illness in mothers with multiple sclerosis (MS). We compared the incidence and prevalence of peripartum mental illness among mothers with MS, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and diabetes and women without these conditions.

Methods: Using linked population-based administrative health data from ON, Canada, we conducted a cohort study of mothers with MS, epilepsy, IBD, and diabetes and without these diseases (comparators) who had a live birth with index dates, defined as 1 year before conception, between 2002 and 2017.

Amyloid-associated hyperconnectivity drives tau spread across connected brain regions in Alzheimer's disease.

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyloid-β (Aβ) triggers the aggregation and spreading of tau pathology, which drives neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. However, the pathophysiological link between Aβ and tau remains unclear, which hinders therapeutic efforts to attenuate Aβ-related tau accumulation. Aβ has been found to trigger neuronal hyperactivity and hyperconnectivity, and preclinical research has shown that tau spreads across connected neurons in an activity-dependent manner.

High prevalence of undocumented SARS-CoV-2 infections revealed by analysis of nucleocapsid-specific IgG responses in diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals.

Acute SARS-CoV-2 infections are not always diagnosed; hence an unknown proportion of all infections are not documented. SARS-CoV-2 can induce spike and nucleocapsid protein specific IgG antibodies, which can be detected in seroprevalence studies to identify a previous infection. However, with the introduction of vaccines containing the spike protein it is no longer possible to use spike-IgG as a marker of infection.

Female Brain and Endocrinological Research-Veteran (FemBER-Vet) study: A study protocol for identifying endocrinological, lifestyle and psychosocial determinants of brain health outcomes in female veterans for future intervention success.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated a greater risk of dementia in female veterans compared to civilians; with the highest prevalence noted for former service women with a diagnosis of psychiatric (trauma, alcoholism, depression), and/or a physical health condition (brain injury, insomnia, diabetes). Such findings highlight the need for increased and early screening of medical and psychiatric conditions, and indeed dementia, in the female veteran population. Further, they call for a better understanding of the underlying biopsychosocial mechanisms that might confer heightened risk for female veterans, to tailor preventative and interventional strategies that support brain health across the lifespan.

Proper 5'-3' cotranslational mRNA decay in yeast requires import of Xrn1 to the nucleus.

The budding yeast Xrn1 protein shuttles between the nucleus, where it stimulates transcription, and the cytoplasm, where it executes the major cytoplasmic mRNA decay. In the cytoplasm, apart from catalyzing 5'→3' decay onto non translated mRNAs, Xrn1 can follow the last translating ribosome to degrade the decapped mRNA template, a process known as "cotranslational mRNA decay". We have previously observed that the import of Xrn1 to the nucleus is required for efficient cytoplasmic mRNA decay.

Computational Assessment of - Curves and Tunability of 2D Semiconductor van der Waals Heterostructures.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have received significant interest for use in tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) due to their ultrathin layers and tunable band gap features. In this study, we used density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the electronic properties of six TMD heterostructures, namely, MoSe/HfS, MoTe/ZrS, MoTe/HfS, WSe/HfS, WTe/ZrS, and WTe/HfS, focusing on variations in band alignments. We demonstrate that WTe/ZrS and WTe/HfS have the smallest band gaps (close to 0 or broken) from the considered set.

Cerebral Microbleeds and Amyloid Pathology Estimates From the Amyloid Biomarker Study.

Importance: Baseline cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and APOE ε4 allele copy number are important risk factors for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) receiving therapies to lower amyloid-β plaque levels.

Objective: To provide prevalence estimates of any, no more than 4, or fewer than 2 CMBs in association with amyloid status, APOE ε4 copy number, and age.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study used data included in the Amyloid Biomarker Study data pooling initiative (January 1, 2012, to the present [data collection is ongoing]).

Depressive Symptoms and Amyloid Pathology.

Importance: Depressive symptoms are associated with cognitive decline in older individuals. Uncertainty about underlying mechanisms hampers diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. This large-scale study aimed to elucidate the association between depressive symptoms and amyloid pathology.

Capillary refill time paradoxically decreases in a blood loss shock model.

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether changes in capillary refill (CR) time precede macrovascular signs of deterioration in a human model of blood loss shock. The study was conducted at the Department of Emergency Medicine in Linköping, Sweden, and involved 42 healthy volunteers aged 18-45. Participants were randomized into two provocations of applied lower body negative pressure (LBNP): a stepwise escalation protocol and a direct application protocol, to simulate gradual and acute blood loss.

Patterns of Preoperative Tumor Markers Can Predict Resectability and Prognosis of Peritoneal Metastases: A Clustering Analysis.

Background: Prediction of open-close and long-term outcome is challenging in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Prognostic scores often include factors not known at baseline. Therefore, we aimed to analyze whether patterns of preoperative tumor markers could aid in prediction of open-close surgery and outcome in patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) or colorectal peritoneal metastases (PM).

Traumatic brain injury causes early aggregation of beta-amyloid peptides and NOTCH3 reduction in vascular smooth muscle cells of leptomeningeal arteries.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often leads to impaired regulation of cerebral blood flow, which may be caused by pathological changes of the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the arterial wall. Moreover, these cerebrovascular changes may contribute to the development of various neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's-like pathologies that include amyloid beta aggregation. Despite its importance, the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for VSMC dysfunction after TBI have rarely been evaluated.

The publication fate of abstracts awarded prizes at European Society of Paediatric Radiology annual scientific meetings.

Background: The European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) awards prizes for outstanding work presented at their annual scientific meetings. The proportion of ESPR prize-winning abstracts to journal publications is not known. Contextualising abstract-to-publication proportions by evaluating publication experience can yield valuable insights and actionable outcomes to support researchers in overcoming barriers to journal publication.

Population-based age-period-cohort analysis of declining Human Papillomavirus prevalence.

Background: Most countries in the world have launched human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes and declining prevalences of HPV are reported. We aimed to disentangle the influences of calendar time, birth cohort and age by analysing HPV prevalences in the population-based cervical screening programme using age-period-cohort modelling.

Methods: All 836,314 primary HPV-based cervical screening tests from women aged 23-64 between 2014-2023 in the capital region of Sweden were identified in the Swedish National Cervical Screening Registry.

Adaptive evolutionary trajectories in complexity: Transitions between unicellularity and facultative differentiated multicellularity.

Multicellularity spans a wide gamut in terms of complexity, from simple clonal clusters of cells to large-scale organisms composed of differentiated cells and tissues. While recent experiments have demonstrated that simple forms of multicellularity can readily evolve in response to different selective pressures, it is unknown if continued exposure to those same selective pressures will result in the evolution of increased multicellular complexity. We use mathematical models to consider the adaptive trajectories of unicellular organisms exposed to periodic bouts of abiotic stress, such as drought or antibiotics.

A Lack of Joint Line Tenderness Is Consistent With a Healed Meniscus, But Positive Clinical Examination Findings and MRI Scans Are Inconsistent in Identifying Failure After Meniscal Repair: A Systematic Review and Subgroup Meta-analysis.

Background: The number of meniscal repairs being completed each year is increasing; however, the optimal, cost-effective postoperative assessment to determine the success or failure of a meniscal repair is not well known.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the clinical examination testing that correlates with objective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or second-look arthroscopy (SLA) findings to determine an optimal clinical workup for assessing postoperative meniscal repair healing. It was hypothesized that specific clinical tests would correlate with meniscal repairs that did not heal.

The Cu site in particulate methane monooxygenase may be used to produce hydrogen peroxide.

Particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is the most efficient of the two groups of enzymes that can hydroxylate methane. The enzyme is membrane bound and therefore hard to study experimentally. For that reason, there is still no consensus regarding the location and nature of the active site.

From human to superhuman: the impact of the microbiome on physiology.

The complex microbial community residing in the human gut has long been understood to regulate gastrointestinal physiology and to participate in digestive diseases, but its extraintestinal actions and influences are increasingly recognized. This article discusses bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiome and athletic performance, metabolism, longevity and the ability of the gut-brain axis to influence cognitive function and mental health.

CpG island methylator phenotype classification improves risk assessment in pediatric T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Current intensive treatment of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) has substantial side-effects, highlighting a need for novel biomarkers to improve risk stratification. Canonical biomarkers such as genetics and immunophenotype are largely not used in pediatric T-ALL stratification. This study aimed to validate the prognostic relevance of DNA methylation CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) risk stratification in two pediatric T-ALL patient cohorts: the Nordic NOPHO ALL2008 T-ALL study cohort (n=192) and the Dutch DCOG ALL-10/ALL-11 validation cohorts (n=156).

Exploration of hospital room design on emotions, activity, and social connections after stroke: a qualitative study of patient experiences using virtual reality.

Unlabelled: Stroke patients are rarely asked about their responses to specific design attributes. Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising tool to explore how hospital environments are experienced after stroke.

Purpose: To gather perspectives and emotional responses regarding physical design attributes of hospital patient rooms after stroke.

Impact of smoking status on engagement in remote symptom monitoring after oncologic surgery: Implications for symptom management and readmission rates.

Background: Remote symptom monitoring (RSM) is an evidence-based strategy shown to mitigate postoperative morbidity; however, platform engagement is required to benefit from RSM. Patients who report current smoking are at high risk for postoperative complications, but it is unknown whether smoking status influences engagement with RSM, symptom severity, or unanticipated acute care visits.

Methods: This observational case-control study was conducted in patients undergoing ambulatory oncologic surgery at a large cancer center.

A Non-Centrifugation Method to Concentrate and Purify Extracellular Vesicles Using Superabsorbent Polymer Followed by Size Exclusion Chromatography.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can be isolated and purified from cell cultures and biofluids using different methodologies. Here, we explored a novel EV isolation approach by combining superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in a dialysis membrane with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to achieve high concentration and purity of EVs without the use of ultracentrifugation (UC). Suspension HEK293 cells transfected with CD63 coupled with Thermo Luciferase were used to quantify the EV yield and purity.

Mortality in Autoimmune Liver Disease in Sweden: A Population-Based Cohort Study of 9,654 Patients.

Background/aims: Epidemiological data on mortality in autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) are scarce. We examined all-cause and cancer-related mortality in individuals with AILD from Sweden.

Methods: We identified 9654 individuals with AILD (3342 with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), 3751 with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and 2561 with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)) using national Swedish registries between 2001 and 2020.

Tocilizumab - a disease-modulating treatment for thyroid associated ophthalmopathy?

Purpose: To analyze Tocilizumab (TCZ, an interleukin 6 inhibitor) as a second-line treatment for thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO).

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, the charts of patients with moderately severe to severe TAO who received intravenous Tocilizumab as a second-line treatment 2020-2023 were reviewed.

Results: Twenty-three patients were enrolled in the study.

Children With Sydenham Chorea and Psychiatric Disorders Had Variable Long-Term Outcomes and Required Multidisciplinary Management.

Aim: Sydenham chorea (SC) is a globally significant, post-streptococcal, childhood neuropsychiatric condition that is rare in western Europe. This retrospective single-centre study focused on children with neuropsychiatric features of SC.

Methods: Participants were recruited from neuropsychiatry referrals to a regional paediatric neurology department in Glasgow, Scotland, from 2009 to 2012.