Cellular signalling protrusions enable dynamic distant contacts in spinal cord neurogenesis.

In the developing mouse ventral spinal cord, HES5, a transcription factor downstream of Notch signalling, is expressed as evenly spaced clusters of high HES5-expressing neural progenitor cells along the dorsoventral axis. While Notch signalling requires direct membrane contact for its activation, we have previously shown mathematically that contact needs to extend beyond neighbouring cells for the HES5 pattern to emerge. However, the presence of cellular structures that could enable such long-distance signalling was unclear.

Contemporary management of phyllodes tumours of the breast: proposal for recommendations from the UK Association of Breast Surgery.

Phyllodes tumours of the breast are rare fibroepithelial neoplasms classified histologically into benign, borderline, or malignant; each requiring different treatment strategies. The infrequency of presentation can result in diagnostic and management variability. The aim is to provide evidence-based or expert consensus recommendations for multidisciplinary teams managing patients with phyllodes tumours.

Anti-ceramide antibody and sphingosine-1-phosphate as potential biomarkers of unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: Spingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramides are bioactive sphingolipids that influence cancer cell fate. Anti-ceramide antibodies might inhibit the effects of ceramide. The aim of this study was to assess the potential role of circulating S1P and anti-ceramide antibody as biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Microstructure of the human metastatic vertebral body.

Introduction: Bone spinal metastases disrupt the bone homeostasis, inducing a local imbalance in the bone formation and/or resorption, with consequent loss of the structural optimisation of the vertebrae and increase of the risk of fracture. Little is known about the microstructure of the metastatic tissue, the microstructure of the tissue surrounding the lesion, and how it does compare with vertebrae with no lesions observed on the biomedical images. A comprehensive assessment of the microstructural properties of the entire vertebral body can be obtained with micro computed tomography.

Versatile graceful degradation framework for bio-inspired proprioception with redundant soft sensors.

Reliable proprioception and feedback from soft sensors are crucial for enabling soft robots to function intelligently in real-world environments. Nevertheless, soft sensors are fragile and are susceptible to various damage sources in such environments. Some researchers have utilized redundant configuration, where healthy sensors compensate instantaneously for lost ones to maintain proprioception accuracy.

Pre-pregnancy fertility guidance for women of childbearing age with epilepsy: A scoping review.

Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions affecting women of reproductive age. Epilepsy management during pregnancy is a clinical conundrum, requiring a balance between seizure control and risk minimization for women with epilepsy, as well as for their fetuses.

Objective: In this review, we aimed to systematically search, evaluate, and summarize relevant evidence on perinatal fertility guidance for women with epilepsy to provide a basis for medical staff to offer comprehensive fertility counseling.

Influence of sedentary behavior on sleep quality in postmenopausal women in high-altitude regions of China: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study investigates the association between sedentary behavior and sleep quality among postmenopausal women residing in China's plateau regions. Particular attention is given to moderating effects of age, body mass index (BMI), and sleep environment. This study aims to identify modifiable risk factors influencing sleep quality in this high-altitude population.

The emergence of DNAM-1 as the facilitator of NK cell-mediated killing in ovarian cancer.

Introduction: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the sixth most common malignancy in women and the poor 5-year survival emphasises the need for novel therapies. NK cells play an important role in the control of malignant disease but the nature of tumour-infiltrating and peripheral NK cells in OC remains unclear.

Methods: Using flow cytometric analysis, we studied the phenotype and function of NK cells in blood, primary tumour and metastatic tissue in 80 women with OC.

Improving Adherence to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines for the Use of Tranexamic Acid in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a pharmacological agent used in reducing blood loss during orthopaedic surgeries, including total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Despite its proven efficacy and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommending combined topical and intravenous administration, compliance in clinical practice often lags.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and improve adherence to NICE guidelines for TXA use during TKA through a quality improvement initiative.

Prediction of Preeclampsia Using Machine Learning: A Systematic Review.

Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Early prediction is the need of the hour so that interventions like aspirin prophylaxis can be started. Nowadays, machine learning (ML) is increasingly being used to predict the disease and its prognosis.

Improving Patient Satisfaction With Inhalation Sedation: A Service Evaluation of Paediatric Patients at a Primary Care Referral Centre in the United Kingdom.

Introduction This report explores patient satisfaction in a dental sedation service in primary care for paediatric patients. The study explores different behavioural management techniques and additional supportive aids as adjuncts to inhalation sedation to improve patient satisfaction. Aim and objective To determine patient satisfaction with pre-assessment, treatment and aftercare in inhalation sedation services in primary care.

The trade of illicit cigarettes in Ghana: Insights from a policy synthesis and qualitative study.

The illicit trade of tobacco products trade continues to challenge tobacco control efforts in several African countries, including Ghana. Ghana recently ratified the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products ('the Protocol'). This Protocol aims to eliminate all kinds of illicit tobacco.

Postoperative tibial plateau angle changes and their influence on ground reaction forces 6 months after TPLO: a prospective study.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to investigate the association between change in postoperative (post-op) tibial plateau angle (TPA) in dogs and cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) during 6 months on the post-op outcome.

Methods: The inclusion criteria included 60 dogs with CCLD treated with TPLO fulfilled. TPA measurements were taken immediately post-op and 6 months post-op by three observers, and change in TPA was calculated.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: 6 years old boy rare case in Syria.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a rare condition first identified in Japan in 1972. It typically presents with high fever and lymph node swelling, and may be linked to autoimmune conditions or viral infections. A 6-year-old boy presented with cervical enlargement and recurrent high fever.

Algorithmic profiling as a source of hermeneutical injustice.

It is well-established that algorithms can be instruments of injustice. It is less frequently discussed, however, how current modes of AI deployment often make the very discovery of injustice difficult, if not impossible. In this article, we focus on the effects of algorithmic profiling on epistemic agency.

Co-designing a film showcasing the dental experiences of community returners (ex-offenders).

Background: The oral health of over 90,000 individuals in UK prisons is four times worse than the general population. A recent scoping review on the oral health of prisoners inside the justice system highlighted the lack of research about what happens when they transition out of prison to become community returners.

Objectives: To co-design a film to showcase the dental experiences of community returners before and after they transition out of prison, change perceptions and inform oral health research priorities.

Learning to play to learn in pediatric physical therapy.

Introduction: Play is a way for children to develop and learn about themselves in conjunction with the world. Using play as part of pediatric physical therapy is broadly recommended. This study investigates this integration of play and seeks to answer the research question: How do pediatric physical therapists (PPT) understand and manage embedding play in pediatric physical therapy with children aged 0-3?

Methods: This is a qualitative study in which we connect to an enactive theoretical framework.

Children's emerging concepts of resilience: insights from using body mapping in an East London cohort sample of 7-10-year-old children.

Background: Understanding resilience factors in children is essential for developing early mental health interventions. Middle childhood is an understudied developmental stage, with many quantitative measures lacking validation for this age group and not capturing diverse experiences. This study aimed to use body mapping, an arts-based method, as a novel approach to understand 7-10-year-old children's concepts of resilience (including definitions and factors that contribute to resilience) in East London.

The influence of social interactions in mitigating psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study in Sri Lanka.

Massive changes in many aspects related to social groups of different socioeconomic backgrounds were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result, the overall state of mental health was severely affected globally. This study examined how the pandemic affected Sri Lankan citizens representing a range of socioeconomic backgrounds in terms of their mental health. The data used in this research was gathered from 3,020 households using a nationwide face-to-face survey, from which a processed dataset of 921 responses was considered for the final analysis.

Human and digital ecosystems in the modern household.

Despite a growing number of studies describing the digital ecosystems of the home, few have explored the human component of this ecosystem and fewer have accounted for household and relationship diversity. We asked the inhabitants of nine households to share images of their digital devices and then interviewed them about how the technology was distributed and used, what roles they adopted in relation to the different devices and what boundaries or rules they set up to manage joint use. Following a thematic analysis, we describe (i) the digital components of the ecosystem and their use; (ii) the humans in the ecosystem and their relationships with technology and with each other, and (iii) interconnectedness in terms of joint use and self- or other-imposed restrictions.

Validation of the efficacy of the porous medium model in hemodynamic analysis of iliac vein compression syndrome.

Iliac Vein Compression Syndrome (IVCS) is a common risk factor for deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities. The objective of this study was to investigate whether employing a porous medium model to simulate the compressed region of an iliac vein could improve the reliability and accuracy of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis outcomes of IVCS. Pre-operative Computed Tomography (CT) scan images of patients with IVCS were utilized to reconstruct models illustrating both the compression and collateral circulation of the iliac vein.

Comparative analysis of solvent-based and solvent-free (melting) methods for fabricating 3D-printed polycaprolactone-hydroxyapatite composite bone scaffolds: physicochemical/mechanical analyses and cytocompatibility.

Purpose: The study conducts a comparative analysis between two prominent methods for fabricating composites for bone scaffolds-the (solid) solvent method and the solvent-free (melting) method. While previous research has explored these methods individually, this study provides a direct comparison of their outcomes in terms of physicochemical properties, cytocompatibility, and mechanical strength. We also analyse their workflow and scalability potentials.