Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor Drug Concentration Is Not Associated with Disease Outcomes in Pouchitis: A Retrospective, International Study.

Background: Therapeutic drug monitoring is important for optimizing anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy in inflammatory bowel disease. However, the exposure-response relationship has never been assessed in pouchitis.

Aims: To explore associations between anti-TNF-α drug concentration and pouchitis disease activity in patients with a background of ulcerative colitis.

Fuzzy logic modelling of the pollution pattern of potentially toxic elements and naturally occurring radionuclide materials in quarry sites in Ogun State, Nigeria.

The accumulation pattern of some inorganic pollutants in quarry sites around Ogun State was modeled using a Fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA). Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and naturally occurring radionuclides materials (NORMs) were assessed from soil samples collected from ten quarry sites in three districts (Odeda, Ajebo, and Ijebu Ode) in Ogun State. Three (3) NORMs ( K, U, Th) were assessed using gamma spectrometer with a NaI detector while ten (10) PTEs (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were determined by digestion method using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometer.

"There is always a reason why someone is doing something": The importance of life history and personhood when supporting people with dementia to "wander" in care homes.

Up to 60% of people living with dementia who reside in care homes will 'wander' at some point. A person-centred approach should be taken to support each person's individual needs through tailored interventions when wandering. This study aimed to identify care home staff perspectives on what supports safe wandering for people living with dementia in care home environments.

Testosterone-induced Seminal Vesicle-like Differentiation in Cervical Mesonephric Duct Remnants in a Female to Male Transgender Patient.

Pure ductal-type mesonephric remnants in the uterine cervix are rare. We report an unusual case in a 31-yr-old of cervical mesonephric remnants of predominantly ductal type exhibiting seminal vesicle-like differentiation in a female-to-male transgender patient receiving long-term testosterone therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been previously reported.

Mesonephric and Mesonephric-like Adenocarcinomas of the Gynecologic Tract: A Case Series and a Review of the Literature.

We sought to present and describe all cases of mesonephric adenocarcinoma (MNAC) and mesonephric-like adenocarcinomas (MLAs) at our institution. These cancers are rare, morphologically similar tumors of the female reproductive tract. In this case series, we present 13 new cases of MNAC/MLA that were identified at St.

Engineered Immunomodulatory Extracellular Vesicles from Epithelial Cells with the Capacity for Stimulation of Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Cancer and Autoimmunity.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are generated in all cells. Systemic administration of allogenic EVs derived from epithelial and mesenchymal cells has been shown to be safe, despite carrying an array of functional molecules, including thousands of proteins. To address whether epithelial cell-derived EVs can be modified to acquire the capacity to induce an immune response, we engineered 293T EVs to harbor the immunomodulatory molecules CD80, OX40L, and PD-L1.

Placental mitochondrial metabolic adaptation maintains cellular energy balance in pregnancy complicated by gestational hypoxia.

The mechanisms that drive placental dysfunction in pregnancies complicated by hypoxia and fetal growth restriction remain poorly understood. Changes to mitochondrial respiration contribute to cellular dysfunction in conditions of hypoxia and have been implicated in the pathoaetiology of pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia. We used bespoke isobaric hypoxic chambers and a combination of functional, molecular and imaging techniques to study cellular metabolism and mitochondrial dynamics in sheep undergoing hypoxic pregnancy.

Integrated care for mental health in epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-synthesis by the International League Against Epilepsy Integrated Mental Health Care Pathways Task Force.

Mental health (MH) comorbidities are prevalent among people with epilepsy (PWE), but many experience challenges accessing care. To address this, suggestions have been made to integrate MH care into epilepsy care settings, yet the current approaches, benefits, and implementation determinants to MH care integration are unclear. This review aims to synthesize existing integrated MH care models for PWE to inform the development and planning of future initiatives.

A study on the thermo-photoisomerization of a liquid crystalline dimer of cyanoazobenzene and naphthalene.

The isomerization kinetics of a liquid crystalline azobenzene dimer, comprising cyanoazobenzene and naphthalene (NAZ6), were investigated at the air-water interface. The Langmuir monolayers of NAZ6 in both its and states were analyzed using surface manometry techniques. The results revealed that NAZ6 molecules in the -state displayed the coexistence of a disordered liquid-expanded phase and an ordered liquid-condensed phase, whereas no such phase transition was observed in the -state.

Operationalising a Haemophilia Gene Editing Lexicon for Practical Use.

Introduction: Gene editing therapies offer the possibility of substantial improvement in treatment and quality of life for people with haemophilia (PWH) in a landscape of dynamic therapeutic advancement. Developing a common and understandable language to discuss gene editing will be essential to ensure these treatments can be deployed in a safe and effective manner with fully informed and shared decision-making between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and PWH. A lexicon explaining and clarifying key concepts is one potential tool to address these aims.

Predictors of Arrhythmia Recurrence After Cryoballoon Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: A Sub-Analysis of the Cryo Global Registry.

Introduction: Freedom from recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATA) is suboptimal after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF). This sub-analysis from the Cryo Global Registry sought to investigate predictors of ablation success after PVI using cryoballoon ablation (CBA) for PsAF.

Methods And Results: ATA recurrence was defined as ≥ 30 s recurrence of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter or atrial tachycardia after a 90-day blanking period and through 12-months.

A Droplet Microfluidic Sensor for Point-of-Care Measurement of Plasma/Serum Total Free Thiol Concentrations.

Total free thiols are an important marker of the whole-body redox state, which has been shown to be associated with clinical outcome in health and disease. Recent investigations have suggested that increased insight may be gained by monitoring alterations of redox state in response to exercise and hypoxia and to monitor redox trajectories in disease settings. However, conducting such studies is challenging due to the requirement for repeated venous blood sampling and intensive lab work.

Navigating Dementia and Delirium: Balancing Identity and Interests in Advance Directives.

The moral authority of advance directives (ADs) in the context of persons living with dementia (PLWD) has sparked a multifaceted debate, encompassing concerns such as authenticity and the appropriate involvement of caregivers. Dresser critiques ADs based on Parfit's account of numeric personal identity, using the often-discussed case of a PLWD called Margo. She claims that dementia leads to a new manifestation of Margo emerging, which then contracts pneumonia.

Genetic Variants of GBP4: Reduced Risks for Drug-Induced Acute Liver Failure in Non-Finnish European Population.

Background And Aims: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a serious condition, typically in individuals without prior liver disease. Drug-induced ALF (DIALF) constitutes a major portion of ALF cases. Our research aimed to identify potential genetic predispositions to DIALF.

Investigating the threat to Sitka spruce from Ips typographus: discrimination and colonization of Britain's principal commercial conifer by a damaging forest pest.

Background: Ips typographus (L.), the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytinae), has devastated European Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests in recent years. For the first time, I.

Linking higher amyloid beta 1-38 (Aβ(1-38)) levels to reduced Alzheimer's disease progression risk.

Introduction: The beneficial effects of amyloid beta 1-38, or Aβ(1-38), on Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in humans in vivo remain controversial. We investigated AD patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ(1-38) and AD progression.

Methods: Cognitive function and diagnostic change were assessed annually for 3 years in 177 Aβ-positive participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) longitudinal cognitive impairment and dementia study (DELCODE) cohort using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite (PACC), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria.

Knock-out mouse models and single particle ICP-MS reveal that SP-D and SP-A deficiency reduces agglomeration of inhaled gold nanoparticles in vivo without significant changes to overall lung clearance.

The role of surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D) in lung clearance and translocation to secondary organs of inhaled nanoparticles was investigated by exposing SP-A and SP-D knockout (AKO and DKO) and wild type (WT) mice nose-only for 3 hours to an aerosol of 20 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Animals were euthanised at 0-, 1-, 7- and 28-days post-exposure. Analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) of the liver and kidneys showed that extrapulmonary translocation was below the limits of detection.

Predicting the impact of targeted fence removal on connectivity in a migratory ecosystem.

Fencing is one of the most widely utilized tools for reducing human-wildlife conflict in agricultural landscapes. However, the increasing global footprint of fencing exceeds millions of kilometers and has unintended consequences for wildlife, including habitat fragmentation, movement restriction, entanglement, and mortality. Here, we present a novel and quantitative approach to prioritize fence removal within historic migratory pathways of white-bearded wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) across Kenya's Greater Masai Mara Ecosystem.

Accelerometer-measured physical activity timing with incident dementia.

Introduction: Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is linked to lower dementia risk, though the optimal timing remains unclear.

Methods: Using accelerometer-measured MVPA data from 90,329 dementia-free UK Biobank participants with at least 2 years of follow-up, we assessed associations between MVPA patterns (morning, afternoon, evening, mixed, inactive) and dementia risk via multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models.

Results: Compared to the inactive group, participants with a tendency of morning MVPA had a lower risk of all-cause dementia (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.

Identifying Primary Sites of Spinal Metastases: Expert-Derived Features vs. ResNet50 Model Using Nonenhanced MRI.

Background: The spinal column is a frequent site for metastases, affecting over 30% of solid tumor patients. Identifying the primary tumor is essential for guiding clinical decisions but often requires resource-intensive diagnostics.

Purpose: To develop and validate artificial intelligence (AI) models using noncontrast MRI to identify primary sites of spinal metastases, aiming to enhance diagnostic efficiency.

Avoiding causal fraud in the evaluation of clinical benefits of treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

Recent regulatory approvals of three amyloid-lowering monoclonal antibody therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have triggered a polarizing debate in the field on the clinical meaningfulness of their reported effects. The question of how to define clinical meaningfulness for any treatment that has a modest effect size is important and will likely be subject to influence from interested stakeholders. We warn of claims of evaluating meaningful within-individual change from randomized parallel-group trials of AD treatments, sometimes purportedly assessed by a commonly recognized "responder" analysis approach, and explain why it is likely to mislead and should simply be avoided.