Persistent effect of salt reduction in schoolchildren and their families: 1-year follow-up after an application-based cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: A 12-month cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated the effectiveness of an application-based education program in reducing the salt intake and systolic blood pressure (SBP) of schoolchildren's adult family members. This study aimed to assess whether the effect at 12 months persisted at 24 months.

Methods: Fifty-four schools were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group.

Imbalance of oral microbiome homeostasis: the relationship between microbiota and the occurrence of dental caries.

Background: Streptococcus mutans is recognized as a key pathogen responsible for the development of dental caries. With the advancement of research on dental caries, the understanding of its pathogenic mechanism has gradually shifted from the theory of a single pathogenic bacterium to the theory of oral microecological imbalance. Acidogenic and aciduric microbial species are also recognized to participate in the initiation and progression of dental caries.

Habitual sleep duration, healthy eating, and digestive system cancer mortality.

Background: Lifestyle choices, such as dietary patterns and sleep duration, significantly impact the health of the digestive system and may influence the risk of mortality from digestive system cancer.

Methods: This study aimed to examine the associations between sleep duration, dietary habits, and mortality from digestive system cancers. The analysis included 406,584 participants from the UK Biobank cohort (54.

Early effects of LT3 + LT4 combination therapy on quality of life in hypothyroid patients: a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group comparison trial.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of combined levothyroxine (LT4) and triiodothyronine (LT3) therapy on quality of life in patients with primary hypothyroidism.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial, 151 Iranian patients diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism between 2020 and 2021 were enrolled. One group received LT4 alone (n = 80), while the other received LT4 and LT3 (n = 71) for a minimum of six months.

Clinical relevance of macromolecular complexes involving integrins, potassium and sodium ion channels and the sodium/proton antiporter in human breast cancer.

Background: Mounting evidence underline the relevance of macromolecular complexes in cancer. Integrins frequently recruit ion channels and transporters within complexes which behave as signaling hubs. A complex composed by β1 integrin, hERG1 K channel, the neonatal form of the Na channel Na 1.

Inoculation reduces social media engagement with affectively polarized content in the UK and US.

The generation and distribution of hyper-partisan content on social media has gained millions of exposure across platforms, often allowing malevolent actors to influence and disrupt democracies. The spread of this content is facilitated by real users' engaging with it on platforms. The current study tests the efficacy of an 'inoculation' intervention via six online survey-based experiments in the UK and US.

Sleep characteristics and intervertebral disc degeneration risk: an observational and Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: Sleep disorders are considered a risk factor for aging and skeletal degeneration, but their impact on intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess associations between sleep characteristics and IDD, and to identify potential causal relationships.

Methods: Exposure factors included six unhealthy sleep characteristics: insomnia, short sleep duration (< 7 h), long sleep duration (≥ 9 h), evening chronotype, daytime sleepiness, and snoring.

Novel transcripts of EMT driving the malignant transformation of oral submucous fibrosis.

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, progressive, and fibrotic condition of the oral mucosa that carries an elevated risk of malignant transformation. We aimed to identify and validate novel genes associated with the regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OSF. Genes regulating EMT were identified through differential gene expression analysis, using a LogFC threshold of -1 and + 1 and a padj value < 0.

Factors associated with statural growth in pediatric kidney transplant recipients with focus on metabolic acidosis.

Background: We investigated factors associated with post-transplant growth in pediatric kidney transplant (KTx) recipients with a focus on plasma bicarbonate (HCO3) and estimated the effect of alkali treatment on growth.

Methods: In this study of the CERTAIN Registry, data were collected up to 5 years post-transplant. Generalized Additive Mixed Models were applied to assess the association between post-transplant growth and covariates.

Machine learning approach for noninvasive intracranial pressure estimation using pulsatile cranial expansion waveforms.

Noninvasive methods for intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring have emerged, but none has successfully replaced invasive techniques. This observational study developed and tested a machine learning (ML) model to estimate ICP using waveforms from a cranial extensometer device (brain4care [B4C] System). The model explored multiple waveform parameters to optimize mean ICP estimation.

Global transcriptional modulation and nutritional status of soybean plants following foliar application of zinc borate as a suspension concentrate fertilizer.

The management of micronutrients, such as boron (B) and zinc (Zn), is critical for plant growth and crop yields. One method of rapid intervention crop management to mitigate nutritional deficiency is the foliar supply of B and Zn. Our study investigates the effect of foliar-supplied B and Zn availability on the global transcriptional modulation in soybean (Glycine max).

Extreme migratory connectivity and apparent mirroring of non-breeding grounds conditions in a severely declining breeding population of an Afro-Palearctic migratory bird.

Understanding the distribution of breeding populations of migratory animals in the non-breeding period (migratory connectivity) is important for understanding their response to environmental change. High connectivity (low non-breeding population dispersion) may lower resilience to climate change and increase vulnerability to habitat loss within their range. Very high levels of connectivity are reportedly rare, but this conclusion may be limited by methodology.

Skeletal progenitor LRP1 deficiency causes severe and persistent skeletal defects with Wnt pathway dysregulation.

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is a multifunctional endocytic receptor whose dysfunction is linked to developmental dysplasia of the hip, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Our work addresses the critical question of how these skeletal pathologies emerge. Here, we show the abundant expression of LRP1 in skeletal progenitor cells at mouse embryonic stage E10.

A principle-based framework to determine countries' fair warming contributions to the Paris Agreement.

Equity is a cornerstone of global climate policy, yet differing perspectives mean that international agreement on how to allocate mitigation efforts remains elusive. A rich literature informs this question, but a gap remains in approaches that appropriately consider non-CO emissions and their warming contributions. In this study, we address this gap and define a global warming budget applicable to all anthropogenic greenhouse gases that is allocated to countries based on principles drawn from international treaties and environmental law.

Potential Use and Limitation of Artificial Intelligence to Screen Diabetes Mellitus in Clinical Practice: A Literature Review.

The burden of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) is substantial, with approximately 240 million individuals globally unaware of their condition, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Indonesia. Without screening, DM and its complications will impose significant pressure on healthcare systems. Current clinical practices for screening and diagnosing DM primarily involve blood or laboratory-based testing which possess limitations on access and cost.

External Validation of an AI mHealth Tool for Gingivitis Detection among Older Adults at Daycare Centers: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Periodontal disease is a significant public health concern among older adults due to its relationship with tooth loss and systemic health disease. However, there are numerous barriers that prevent older adults from receiving routine dental care, highlighting the need for innovative screening tools at the community level. This pilot study aimed first, to evaluate the accuracy of GumAI, a new mHealth tool that uses AI and smartphones to detect gingivitis, and the user acceptance of personalized oral hygiene instructions provided through the new tool, among older adults in day-care community centers.

Space biological and human survival: Investigations into plants, animals, microorganisms and their components and bioregenerative life support systems.

Space life science has been a frontier discipline in the life sciences, aiming to study the life phenomena of earth organisms and their activity patterns under the special environment of space. This review summarizes studies in various key topics in space life science, namely, how microbiome changes in humans and plants, the development of space agriculture and the use of animal, plant and cell models to study the effect of space environments on physiology. We highlight the new possibilities of using high-quality protein crystals uniquely available when grown under space conditions to aid drug development on earth, and the state-of-the-art Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) to achieve long term human survival in space.

The association between adolescents' knowledge and perception of HPV vaccination and parents' characteristics: A cross-sectional study.

Background: In Italy, the anti-Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign began in 2008. To date, despite the effectiveness and safety of HPV vaccines, coverage among Italian adolescents is still suboptimal. Evidence suggests that different factors could influence parents' choices regarding their children's vaccination uptake.

Exploring the perspectives of early-stage postoperative glioblastoma patients and their caregivers on end-of-life care planning: An exploratory qualitative interview study.

Aim: Compare the convergent and divergent viewpoints of early-stage postoperative patients with glioblastoma and their caregivers on end-of-life care planning in Taiwan.

Background: Decision-making capacity in patients with glioblastoma may be compromised as disease progresses, making early future care planning essential to ensure that the provided care aligns with patients' goals. However, within many Asian cultures, the tendency to avoid discussions about death can lead patients to feel hesitant about addressing end-of-life care options.

Factors influencing shared decision-making on hospital wards as perceived by healthcare professionals: A qualitative study.

Objectives: The extent to which healthcare professionals apply Shared Decision Making (SDM) on hospital wards is still unknown. The aim was to explore the current knowledge of SDM among healthcare professionals and the experienced factors influencing SDM on the wards of Dutch hospitals, regarding both treatment and care decisions.

Setting: Twelve hospital wards in two university medical centres and one teaching hospital.

The fetal cerebral Doppler in the last weeks of pregnancy can select very small fetuses unlikely to present intrapartum compromise.

Objective: To evaluate whether, in late pregnancy, the cerebral Doppler can identify very small fetuses that are less likely to experience intrapartum compromise (IC).

Material And Methods: This was a retrospective study of 282 singleton pregnancies that underwent an ultrasound scan at 32 + 0- 40 + 6 weeks and were delivered after induction, or spontaneous onset of labor. Very small fetuses were defined as fetuses with estimated weight less than the 3rd centile.

Public Understanding and Expectations of Digital Health Evidence Generation: Focus Group Study.

Background: The rapid proliferation of health apps has not been matched by a comparable growth in scientific evaluations of their effectiveness, particularly for apps available to the public. This gap has prompted ongoing debate about the types of evidence necessary to validate health apps, especially as the perceived risk level varies from wellness tools to diagnostic aids. The perspectives of the general public, who are direct stakeholders, are notably underrepresented in discussions on digital health evidence generation.

Dose-response Relationship Between Dietary Nitrate Intake and Nitric Oxide Congeners in Various Blood Compartments and Skeletal Muscle: Differential Effects on Skeletal Muscle Torque and Velocity.

Plasma nitrate (NO) and nitrite (NO) increase in a dose-dependent manner following NO ingestion. To explore if the same dose-response relationship applies to other nitric oxide (NO) congeners in different blood compartments and skeletal muscle, as well as the subsequent physiological responses, we provided 11 healthy participants with NO depleted beetroot juice (placebo), and beetroot juice (BR) containing 6.4, 12.

Efficient Spermidine Production Using a Multi-Enzyme Cascade System Utilizing Methionine Adenosyltransferase from Lactobacillus fermentum with Reduced Product Inhibition and Acidic pH Preference.

Methionine adenosyltransferases (MATs; EC 2.5.1.