Oral Glucose-Lowering Agents vs Insulin for Gestational Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Metformin and glyburide monotherapy are used as alternatives to insulin in managing gestational diabetes. Whether a sequential strategy of these oral agents results in noninferior perinatal outcomes compared with insulin alone is unknown.

Objective: To test whether a treatment strategy of oral glucose-lowering agents is noninferior to insulin for prevention of large-for-gestational-age infants.

Association of radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity with a high genetic risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose: Overlapping genes are involved with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and DNA repair pathways. Therefore, we hypothesised that patients with a high polygenic risk score (PRS) for RA will have an increased risk of radiotherapy (RT) toxicity given the involvement of DNA repair.

Methods: Primary analysis was performed on 1494 prostate cancer, 483 lung cancer and 1820 breast cancer patients assessed for development of RT toxicity in the REQUITE study.

Priority Clinical Actions for Outpatient Management of Nonhospitalized Traumatic Brain Injury.

Outpatient care following nonhospitalized traumatic brain injury (TBI) is variable, and often sparse. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's 2022 report on highlighted the need to improve the consistency and quality of TBI care in the community. In response, the present study aimed to identify existing evidence-based guidance and specific clinical actions over the days to months following nonhospitalized TBI that should be prioritized for implementation in primary care.

Comparing loss of contractual employment pre- and post-diagnosis in patients with rare versus common cancer types: a national registry-based study.

Purpose: Patients with rare cancer often experience diagnostic delays and limited treatment options, potentially negatively impacting their working lives. We explored whether those with rare vs. common cancer have an increased risk of loss of contractual employment (1) up to 2 years pre-diagnosis, (2) up to 5 years post-diagnosis, and (3) which characteristics of rare cancer survivors are associated with loss of contractual employment 5 years post-diagnosis.

Search for surrogate markers to predict end stage kidney disease in long term lithium users.

Background: A surrogate marker (a substitute indicator of the true outcome) is needed to predict subgroups of long-term lithium users at risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). In this narrative review the aim is to determine the optimal surrogate endpoint for ESKD in long-term lithium users in a scientific context. MAIN: In a literature search in long-term lithium users, no studies on surrogate measurements on ESKD were identified.

Pre- and post-diagnosis body weight trajectories in patients with localized renal cell cancer.

Purpose: Obesity in mid-life is a well-established risk factor for developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC); however, patients with RCC who are obese at the time of diagnosis have more favorable survival outcomes. To get better insight into the obesity paradox and determine the extent to which weight around diagnosis is stable, we examined pre- and post-diagnosis weight changes in patients with localized RCC.

Methods: We included 334 patients with localized RCC from the prospective cohort ReLife who self-reported body weight at multiple time points ranging from 2 years before to 2 years after diagnosis.

Gene-environment interaction in ADHD traits: the role of school environment, personality, callousness-unemotional traits and satisfaction with life.

We investigated gene-environment interaction in ADHD traits, focusing on environmental variables related to personality traits, school environment, satisfaction with life, and callousness. Using data from 2170 16-year-old twins and state-of-the-art methodology to prevent spurious findings due to measurement scale artifacts, gene-environment interaction models were estimated separately for the two core ADHD dimensions, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and inattentiveness. Based on scores on the SWAN questionnaire, where high scores are reflective of low ADHD traits, results showed that additive genetic influences were more important in explaining individual differences in the degree of hyperactivity-impulsivity in twins with a high score on the trait conscientiousness than in twins with a moderate or low score (e.

Evaluating hypothetical prevention strategies for internalizing symptoms in the general population and at-risk children.

Objective: Specific modifiable factors (e.g., screen time [ST], sleep duration, physical activity, or social connections) are targets for reducing depression risk in adults.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy: one single entity?

Purpose Of Review: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common brain disorder among the elderly and individuals with Alzheimer's disease, where accumulation of amyloid-ß can lead to intracerebral hemorrhage and dementia. This review discusses recent developments in understanding the pathophysiology and phenotypes of CAA.

Recent Findings: CAA has a long preclinical phase starting decades before symptoms emerge.

Prolonged grief symptoms and lingering attachment predict approach behavior toward the deceased.

Following the death of a loved one, both approach behaviors related to the deceased (i.e., engagement with feelings, memories, and/or reminders of the deceased) and the avoidance of reminders of the death are theorized to precipitate severe and persistent grief reactions, termed prolonged grief.

Depletion of TP53 in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Triggers Malignant-Like Behavior.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) tend to acquire genetic aberrations upon culture in vitro. Common aberrations are mutations in the tumor suppressor TP53, suspected to confer a growth-advantage to the mutant cells. However, their full impact in the development of malignant features and safety of hPSCs for downstream applications is yet to be elucidated.

Good Practices for Health Technology Assessment Guideline Development: A Report of the Health Technology Assessment International, HTAsiaLink, and ISPOR Special Task Force.

Objectives: Health technology assessment (HTA) guidelines are intended to support the successful implementation of HTA by enhancing consistency and transparency in concepts, methods, processes, and use, thereby enhancing the legitimacy of the decision-making process. This report lays out good practices and practical recommendations for developing or updating HTA guidelines to ensure successful implementation.

Methods: The task force was established in 2022 and comprised experts and academics from various geographical regions, each with substantial experience in developing HTA guidelines for national health policy making.

Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders and Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review.

Aims: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB), lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), and enuresis (NE) are common in children and adolescents and have serious consequences, especially on social and emotional development. Even though much is known about the association between SDB and NE among adults, the number of articles in children and adolescents is limited. Therefore, the aim of the present scoping review was to map out the current knowledge about SDB and LUTD in children and adolescents.

Detailed Characterization of the Conversion of Hardwood and Softwood Lignin by a Brown-Rot Basidiomycete.

Wood-degrading brown-rot fungi primarily target carbohydrates, leaving the lignin modified and potentially valuable for valorization. Here, we report a comprehensive comparison of how degrades hardwood and softwood, which have fundamentally different lignin structures. By harnessing the latest advancements in analytical methodologies, we show that removes more lignin from wood (up to 36%) than previously reported.

Influence of Tacticity on the Self-Assembly of Poly(ethylene glycol)--poly(lactic acid) Block Copolymers.

Lactide, possessing two stereocenters and thus three distinct configurations (DD, DL, and LL), serves as a captivating building block for polymers and self-assembly. Notably, polylactide (PLA) exhibits stereocomplexation, displaying heightened interactions between different configurations compared with interactions within the same configuration. This characteristic renders PLA an intriguing subject for investigating self-assembly behavior.

Patient and provider perspectives on pain management during manual vacuum aspiration.

Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is a painful procedure often conducted without analgesia. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a paracervical block (PCB) as the mode of pain relief during MVA. Few studies have assessed patient perspectives on pain control during MVA.

Immediate Pre-Endodontic Dentin Sealing (IPDS) Improves Resin-Dentin Bond Strength.

Objective: Chemicals used during canal disinfection and endodontic sealers have a deleterious effect on dentin bond strength. The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel clinical sequence to improve the resin-dentin microtensile bond strength (μTBS) to endodontically treated teeth.

Materials And Methods: Twenty human molars were distributed in four experimental groups (n = 5, N = 20): C-control group without exposure to any endodontic chemical substances (2.

Effects of antihypertensives with and without IL-6 lowering properties on long-term blood pressure control: The prospective HELIUS cohort.

Background: Chronic inflammation is a well-recognized contributor to hypertension pathogenesis. However, the role of targeting inflammation in hypertension treatment, particularly through modulation of inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 (IL-6), remains less understood. We investigated the effects of antihypertensive medications with and without IL-6-lowering properties on long-term blood pressure (BP) control in a multi-ethnic cohort in the Netherlands.

Relatively high interest but limited active engagement in HIV cure research: Awareness, interest, and information-seeking among affected communities in the Netherlands.

Background: Community engagement is important for inclusive HIV cure development. This study evaluates current engagement in HIV cure research among affected communities in the Netherlands by analyzing awareness, interest, and information-seeking behavior. It also identifies participant characteristics and HIV-related illness perceptions linked to each engagement stage.

Body Composition in Cholangiocarcinoma Affects Immune Cell Populations in the Tumor and Normal Liver Parenchyma.

Background: Due to malnutrition and tumor cachexia, body composition (BC) is frequently altered and known to adversely affect short- and long-term results in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Here, we explored immune cell populations in the tumor and liver of CCA patients with respect to BC.

Methods: A cohort of 96 patients who underwent surgery for CCA was investigated by multiplexed immunofluorescence (MIF) techniques with computer-based analysis on whole-tissue slide scans to quantify and characterize immune cells in normal liver and tumor regions.

Influence of ball milling parameters on the mechano-chemical conversion of polyolefins.

Ball-milling of addition polymers such as polyolefins, polystyrene and polyacrylates can be used for depolymerization to obtain the respective monomers. However, absolute yields are typically low, especially from polyolefins which are notoriously difficult to depolymerize. To increase the viability of ball milling as a recycling technique, the effect of milling parameters on small hydrocarbon and monomer yields has to be understood.

CTGCT, Centre of Excellence for the Technologies of Gene and Cell Therapy: Collaborative translation of scientific discoveries into advanced treatments for neurological rare genetic diseases and cancer.

The emerging field of precision medicine relies on scientific breakthroughs to understand disease mechanisms and develop cutting-edge technologies to overcome underlying genetic and functional aberrations. The establishment of the Centre of Excellence for the Technologies of Gene and Cell Therapy (CTGCT) at the National Institute of Chemistry (NIC) in Ljubljana represents a significant step forward, as it is the first centre of its kind in Slovenia. The CTGCT is poised to spearhead advances in cancer immunotherapy and personalised therapies for neurological and other rare genetic diseases.