Anti-VEGF drugs compared with laser photocoagulation for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of sight loss in people with diabetes. The most severe form, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, carries a high risk of vision loss, vitreous haemorrhage, macular oedema and other harms. Panretinal photocoagulation is the primary treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Safety of repeated low-level red-light therapy for myopia: A systematic review.

Purpose: Establishing the safety profile of repeated low-level red-light (RLRL) therapy is necessary prior to its widespread clinical implementation.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, CRD42024516676) of articles across seven databases from inception through February 10, 2024, with keywords related to myopia and RLRL therapy. Pooled safety outcomes and risk-to-benefit ratios were reported, and incidence of side effects was compared with other antimyopia interventions.

Promoting Prevention and Targeting Remission of Asthma: A European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway Diseases Consensus Statement on Raising the Bar in Asthma Care.

Asthma is a common multifaceted respiratory disease with a major impact on quality of life. Despite increased insights into mechanisms underlying various asthma phenotypes and endotypes and the availability of targeted biologic treatment options, the disease remains uncontrolled in a substantial proportion of patients with risk of exacerbations, requiring systemic corticosteroids, and with progressive disease. Current international guidelines advocate a personalized management approach to patients with uncontrolled severe asthma.

Sulfur-functionalized sawdust biochar for enhanced cadmium adsorption and environmental remediation: A multidisciplinary approach and density functional theory insights.

Pristine biochar typically exhibits limited capacity for heavy metal adsorption due to its inadequate pore development and insufficient surface functionality. This study introduces an innovative chemical strategy to enhance the surface of sawdust biochar with sulfur-based functional groups (C=S, C-S, S-S, S, S-H, -SO, -SO) to significantly improve cadmium (Cd) adsorption. Sulfur-doping using HSO, NaS, and NaSO markedly increased the sulfur content from 0.

Efficacy of fenbendazole against gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected goats in Maputo Province, Mozambique using in vivo, in vitro and molecular assessment.

Anthelmintic resistance occurs worldwide in strongyles of ruminants but data from low-income countries are sparse and rarely apply most up to date methods, while effects of management practices in these countries are poorly documented. In Mozambique, benzimidazole resistance has been previously reported; the present study followed this up in detail, applying in vivo faecal egg count (FEC) reduction test (FECRT), in vitro egg hatch test (EHT) and molecular deep amplicon sequencing approaches targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2, nemabiome) and the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene to determine the resistance status on farms and the strongyle species involved. Adult Landim goats (433) from six semi-intensive and ten extensive farms (22-30 animals/farm) from Maputo Province were visited April 2021 to February 2022.

What do we really know about the external urethral sphincter?

The external urethral sphincter (EUS), composed of skeletal muscle, along with a smooth muscle-lined internal urethral sphincter (IUS), have crucial roles in maintaining continence during bladder filling and facilitating urine flow during voiding. Disruption of this complex activity has profound consequences on normal lower urinary tract function during the micturition cycle. However, relatively little is known about the normal and pathological functions of these particular muscle types, how activity can be manipulated and regulated and why, for example, loss of EUS function and sarcopenia is associated with ageing.

Factor validation of the International Trauma Questionnaire in a sample of trauma-exposed Colombian adults in the MI-VIDA study.

Background: The ICD-11 introduced a new diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) defined by disturbances in self-organisation in addition to traditional post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is the established measure of this construct and has been validated for use in a variety of populations and languages; however, evidence for the measure's use in Latin America is limited.

Aims: This study sought to validate the factor structure of the Latin American Spanish version of the ITQ in a trauma-exposed sample in Colombia.

What research evidence is required on violence against women to inform future pandemic preparedness? A scoping review of the research evidence and gaps.

Introduction: Violence against women (VAW) during the COVID-19 pandemic was described as the 'shadow pandemic' with an increase in reports of VAW. As countries now focus on becoming more resilient to future pandemics, it is critical to understand what we learnt about evidence on VAW burden, prevention, and response during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO commissioned this scoping review to gain an understanding of the research evidence on VAW during COVID-19 and to inform future pandemic preparedness efforts.

Development and Validation of a Literature Screening Tool: Few-Shot Learning Approach in Systematic Reviews.

Background: Systematic reviews (SRs) are considered the highest level of evidence, but their rigorous literature screening process can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. This is particularly challenging given the rapid pace of medical advancements, which can quickly make SRs outdated. Few-shot learning (FSL), a machine learning approach that learns effectively from limited data, offers a potential solution to streamline this process.

Dissolving microneedle array patches containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles of different pore sizes as a tunable sustained release platform.

Dissolving microneedle array patches (DMAP) enable efficient and painless delivery of therapeutic molecules across the stratum corneum and into the upper layers of the skin. Furthermore, this delivery strategy can be combined with the sustained release of nanoparticles to enhance the therapeutic potential in a wide variety of pathological scenarios. Among the different types of nanoparticles that can be included in microneedle formulations, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) of tunable pore sizes constitute a promising tool as drug delivery systems for cargos of a wide range of molecular weights.

Integrating accelerometry, GPS, GIS and molecular data to investigate mechanistic pathways of the urban environmental exposome and cognitive outcomes in older adults: a longitudinal study protocol.

Introduction: Maintaining cognitive health in later life is a global priority. Encouraging individuals to make health behaviour changes, such as regular physical activity, and providing supportive urban environments can help maintain cognitive health, thereby preventing or delaying the progress of dementia and cognitive decline. However, the mechanistic pathways by which the urban environmental exposome influences cognitive health outcomes are poorly understood.

Infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics for predicting commercial categories of virgin olive oils and supporting the panel test.

The aim of this study was to create rapid and sustainable instrumental methods for screening virgin olive oils (VOOs) to support the Panel test. The Panel test is the official sensory method used in EU regulations to determine the commercial category of VOOs. The Panel test is based on a time-consuming and expensive approach, so reducing the number of samples to be analysed is crucial.

A pain research strategy for Europe: A European survey and position paper of the European Pain Federation EFIC.

Background: Pain is the leading cause of disability and reduced quality of life worldwide. Despite the increasing burden for patients and healthcare systems, pain research remains underfunded and under focused. Having stakeholders identify and prioritize areas that need urgent attention in the field will help focus funding topics, reduce 'research waste', improve the effectiveness of pain research and therapy and promote the uptake of research evidence.

Automated method of bronchus and artery dimension measurement in an adult bronchiectasis population.

Aim: Bronchiectasis (BE) is a disease defined by irreversible dilatation of the airway. Computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in the detection and quantification of BE. The aim of this study was three-fold: 1) to assess bronchus-artery (BA) dimensions using fully automated software in a cohort of BE disease patients; 2) to compare BA dimensions with semi-quantitative BEST-CT (Bronchiectasis Scoring Technique for CT) scores for BE and bronchial wall thickening; and 3) to explore the structure-function relationship between BA-method lumen dimensions and spirometry outcomes.

CoSe QDs/SnO PCNFs with high catalytic conversion kinetics towards high-efficiency Li-S batteries.

The redox reactions occurring at positive electrode of the lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries involve several key electrocatalytic processes that significantly impact the overall performance of the electrochemical energy storage system. This study presents a heterogeneous catalytic composite material composed of CoSe quantum dots (QDs) integrated with SnO nanosheets, which enhances the overall ionic conductivity and accessibility of active sites within the cathode. This controlled migration effectively traps polysulfides within the cathode, reducing their dissolution into the electrolyte and mitigating the shuttle effect.

Aspergillus ullungdoensis sp. nov., Penicillium jeongsukae sp. nov., and other fungi from Korea.

Eurotiales fungi are thought to be distributed worldwide but there is a paucity of information about their occurrence on diverse substrates or hosts and at specific localities. Some of the Eurotiales, including Aspergillus and Penicillium species, produce an array of secondary metabolites of use for agricultural, medicinal, and pharmaceutical applications. Here, we carried out a survey of the Eurotiales in South Korea, focusing on soil, freshwater, and plants (dried persimmon fruits and seeds of Perilla frutescens, known commonly as shiso).

Hydrogel-forming microarray patches combined with powder-based reservoir for labetalol hydrochloride transdermal delivery.

Hypertension is the most common pregnancy disorder and can lead to life-threatening conditions for both mother and fetus. However, managing this condition with oral and intravenous labetalol can be challenging, highlighting the need for alternative delivery methods. This study presents, for the first time, the development of novel powder-based reservoirs incorporated with hydrogel-forming microarray patches (MAPs) to facilitate the transdermal delivery of labetalol hydrochloride (HCl).

A Multimethod International Mapping Exercise of Arts Interventions in Renal Units: The PAINT Project.

Introduction: Due to the chronic nature of kidney disease, the challenges of symptom burden, and reduced mortality and comorbidity, individuals living with the condition experience substantial anxiety and depression. Incorporating the arts into clinical practice is encouraged to promote and support mental health and well-being. The aim of the PAINT project was to undertake an international mapping exercise to identify the current provision of arts programmes in kidney centres for people living with kidney disease.

Biomarker-Guided Antibiotic Duration for Hospitalized Patients With Suspected Sepsis: The ADAPT-Sepsis Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: For hospitalized critically ill adults with suspected sepsis, procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) monitoring protocols can guide the duration of antibiotic therapy, but the evidence of the effect and safety of these protocols remains uncertain.

Objective: To determine whether decisions based on assessment of CRP or PCT safely results in a reduction in the duration of antibiotic therapy.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A multicenter, intervention-concealed randomized clinical trial, involving 2760 adults (≥18 years), in 41 UK National Health Service (NHS) intensive care units, requiring critical care within 24 hours of initiating intravenous antibiotics for suspected sepsis and likely to continue antibiotics for at least 72 hours.

Novel Nanocomposite of Carbonized Chitosan-Zinc Oxide-Magnetite for Adsorption of Toxic Elements from Aqueous Solutions.

Herein, a novel nanocomposite (carbonized chitosan-zinc oxide-magnetite, CCZF) was developed to effectively remove toxic elements in water remediation. Combining the high adsorption capacities of chitosan with the magnetic properties of magnetite and the chemical stability of zinc oxide, the combination of these unique properties makes it an efficient and versatile material that offers a sustainable solution for water purification. The (CCZF) nanocomposite was synthesized through the coprecipitation method and characterized using various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis.

Assessment of knowledge and awareness of stroke among Arabic speaking adults: unveiling the current landscape in seven countries through the first international representative study.

Introduction: While several studies have examined stroke public knowledge and awareness in individual countries within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, none have provided a comprehensive cross-country assessment.

Purpose: To assess public stroke knowledge and awareness among Arabic-speaking adults in seven MENA countries and identify associated factors.

Materials And Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was self-administered by the public population in Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Saudi Arabia (April 2021-2023).

Biofabrication and biomanufacturing in Ireland and the UK.

As we navigate the transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Industrial Revolution, the emerging fields of biomanufacturing and biofabrication are transforming life sciences and healthcare. These sectors are benefiting from a synergy of synthetic and engineering biology, sustainable manufacturing, and integrated design principles. Advanced techniques such as 3D bioprinting, tissue engineering, directed assembly, and self-assembly are instrumental in creating biomimetic scaffolds, tissues, organoids, medical devices, and biohybrid systems.

Animal-assisted intervention services across UK intensive care units: A national service evaluation.

Background: Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) can provide psychological support to critical care patients during their intensive care unit (ICU) admission. However, there are currently no data on AAI services across UK ICUs. The current study therefore aims to (i) determine how many ICUs in the UK offer services, (ii) characterise available services and (iii) explore and review local documentation for service oversight.