Social media-based Health Education plus Exercise Program (SHEEP) to improve muscle function among young-old adults with possible sarcopenia in the community: A feasibility study protocol.

Background: Despite the comparatively high prevalence of possible sarcopenia among young-old adults in the community, there is currently no available and effective social media-based intervention to increase the awareness and change the behavior of the target population to prevent sarcopenia. Using co-design methodology, we developed a multicomponent intervention strategy of health education and exercise for sarcopenia prevention utilizing the TikTok platform.

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of the social media-based intervention to enhance muscle function in community-dwelling young-old adults with possible sarcopenia.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Mounting evidence suggests that acute and past exposure to the environmental toxicant lead (Pb) results in longitudinal decline in cognitive function and brain atrophy. In animals, chronic Pb exposure can increase brain Aβ deposition. However, it remains unclear how Pb induces different natures of amyloid depositions and underlying mechanisms to contribute to the pathogenesis of AD and related dementia.

Clinical Manifestations.

Background: Sporadic bvFTD is often misdiagnosed as a primary psychiatric disorder (PPD) due to overlapping clinical features and lack of reliable biomarkers. The multi-centre study DIPPA-FTD aims to develop diagnostic- and prognostic-algorithms that can distinguish sporadic bvFTD from late-onset PPD. The aim of the retrospective DIPPA-FTD study was to identify the strongest clinical discriminators.

Detection of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli in the abattoir wastewater-impacted Iyi-Etu River and other water types at the Amansea livestock market settlement, Anambra State, Nigeria: a matter of public health concern.

Background: Globally, diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) has been implicated in the spread of waterborne diseases and abattoir wastewater has played a role in its dissemination into watersheds. This study isolated and characterised DEC from the abattoir wastewater-impacted Iyi-Etu River and other water sources at the Amansea livestock market settlement.

Methods: A total of 96 water samples comprising river water (upstream, downstream 1, downstream 2), borehole, well, sachet and abattoir wastewater samples were tested for DEC.

Treatment and treatment outcomes of snakebite envenoming in Uganda: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality in rural sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a notable lack of data concerning the management and treatment outcomes for those affected. This study addresses this gap by examining the management and treatment outcomes of snakebite victims in Uganda.

Characteristics of subacute stroke patients who achieve earlier independence in real-life walking performance during hospitalization.

Objective: To identify factors associated with earlier independence in "real-life walking" during hospitalization in subacute stroke patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects/patients: Two hundred and six hemiplegic patients.

ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder and complex PTSD: prevalence, predictors, and construct validity in Swiss older adults.

This study assessed the prevalence rates, construct validity, predictors, and psychosocial factors linked to ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD), as assessed by the (ITQ) in a German-speaking sample of Swiss older adults. Participants were  = 1526 older adults aged 65+ ( = 72.34;  = 6.

Effect of Toileting Behavior on Daytime Non-sedentary Behavior in Nursing Home Residents.

Background: Nursing home residents engage in lower levels of physical activity, primarily remaining seated or lying down, except for routine activities of daily living (ADLs). Since ADLs, particularly toileting, require effort. This study investigated the relationship between physical activity and toileting activity during the daytime among older nursing home residents.

Evaluation of health-related quality of life changes in an Australian rapid access chest pain clinic.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of absolute cardiovascular risk counselling on quality-of-life indices within a chest pain clinic.

Data Sources And Study Setting: Primary data was collected at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Australia, between 2014 and 2020.

Study Design: Patients attending an Australian chest pain clinic were randomised into a prospective, open-label, blinded-endpoint study over a minimum 12-months follow-up.

Impact of body-height increase on gastrocnemius muscle stiffness in children with cerebral palsy: A one-year prospective cohort study.

Objective: To investigate whether the impacts of height increase on gastrocnemius muscle (GM) stiffness are greater in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) than in those with typical development (TD).

Design: This one-year cohort study enrolled children (CP, 23; TD, 23) who underwent two measurements conducted at entry and after one year. Lateral and medial GM-strain ratios representing muscle stiffness were obtained using elastography.

Integrating behaviour change techniques into a video intervention to promote physical activity during cancer treatment (VidEx): a qualitative, theory-informed study.

Purpose: Exercising during cancer treatment reduces fatigue, improves quality of life, and increases survival, yet 60-70% of Australians undergoing cancer treatment do not meet current physical activity (PA) recommendations. This study aimed to explore barriers and enablers to PA amongst people undergoing cancer treatment and develop a video resource targeting these barriers.

Methods: The study was guided by the capability, opportunity, motivation, behaviour (COM-B) and behaviour change wheel (BCW) frameworks.

A systematic review to identify research gaps in studies modeling MenB vaccinations against Neisseria infections.

The genus Neisseria includes two major human pathogens: N. meningitidis causing bacterial meningitis/septicemia and N. gonorrhoeae causing gonorrhoea.

Assessing chest radiographic quality and the influence of COVID-19 pathology: the Australian experience.

Introduction: Quality assurance (QA) in medical imaging ensures consistently high-quality images at acceptable radiation doses. However, the applicability of the chest X-ray (CXR) QA tool in images with pathology, particularly infectious diseases like COVID-19, has not been explored. This study examines the utility of the European Guidelines for image quality in QA of CXRs with varying severity and types of infectious disease.

Artificial intelligence in triage of COVID-19 patients.

In 2019, COVID-19 began one of the greatest public health challenges in history, reaching pandemic status the following year. Systems capable of predicting individuals at higher risk of progressing to severe forms of the disease could optimize the allocation and direction of resources. In this work, we evaluated the performance of different Machine Learning algorithms when predicting clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, using clinical data from hospital admission alone.

Predictive Role and Clinical Value of Serum Cytokines in COVID-19.

Objective: are clinically relevant for severity prediction and treatment of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to demonstrate the potential cytokines for severity prediction in the five days after symptom onset and describe the importance of serum cytokine levels for patients with different disease severity.

Materials And Methods: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients and healthy control participants were recruited, and serial sera were collected from COVID-19 patients.

Prevalence and unfavourable outcome of oral frailty in older adult: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Oral frailty (OF) refers to a decline in oral function amongst older adult that often occurs alongside declines in cognitive and physical abilities. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence and unfavourable outcomes of OF in the older adult population to provide medical staff with valuable insights into the associated disease burden.

Methods: From inception to March 2024, we systematically searched six key electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and CINAHL to identify potential studies that reported the prevalence or unfavourable outcomes of OF amongst older adult.

Ventilation/Perfusion Mismatch in Pulmonary Vein Stenosis Secondary to Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

We present two patients with a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who developed pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Case 1 involved a female patient in her 50s who was asymptomatic for pulmonary symptoms but was found to have a high degree of left superior PVS 15 months after AF ablation. This was demonstrated using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) and supported by findings of perfusion defects on ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan.

Embedding Specialised Educators in Modalities for Continuing Medical Education. A Study of Effectiveness, and Health Care Practitioner and Educator Preferences.

Introduction: As the delivery of continuing medical education moves towards digital modes, determining how to embed and capitalise on the skills of specialised educators in digital modalities is critical. Drawing on social theories of adult learning and behaviour change, this study trialled multiple delivery modes of education about reproductive genetic 'carrier screening' with varying levels of specialised educator (genetic counsellors) input to examine clinical effectiveness, and health care practitioners and educator preferences.

Methods: A subset of health care practitioners (n = 209) interested in offering carrier screening through a large study were randomly allocated to receive education via face-to-face, a pre-recorded video or an online module, with active or passive educator input.

Profiling of the microbes on the surface of smartphone touchscreens.

The commensal microbiota of the finger-skin before and after ethanol disinfection were characterized and compared with the microbes isolated from the surface of smartphone touchscreens. The number of bacteria on the smartphone touchscreens was low, similar to that on the fingers after ethanol disinfection, suggesting that the surface of the touchscreens may not be suitable for the growth of microorganisms, rather than the surface of the fingers. Furthermore, ethanol disinfection reduced the number of bacteria on the finger-skin to 1/13 of the original count before disinfection.

Association between the EAT-Lancet Diet, Incidence of Cardiovascular Events, and All-cause Mortality: Results from a Swiss Cohort.

Background: An unhealthy diet is a major contributor to several noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the leading cause of death worldwide. Additionally, our food system has significant impacts on the environment. The EAT-Lancet Commission has recommended a healthy diet that preserves global environmental resources.

Altered anconeus muscle activation characteristics during isometric gripping in individuals with lateral elbow tendinopathy compared to age- and sex-matched control.

Purpose: Individuals with Lateral Epicondyle Tendinopathy (LET) commonly experience gripping deficits, which are marked by pain and altered motor control of the forearm extensors and flexors. Although delayed activation of the anconeus muscle during rapid wrist extension has been observed in LET, its role during gripping is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate anconeus activation and its relation to forearm muscle activity during gripping in individuals with LET.

The effect of resistance training and nandrolone decanoate administration on cardiac tissue in mice.

Purpose: This study examined the effect of resistance training (RT) by itself and in combination with supraphysiological administration of nandrolone decanoate (ND) on the inflammatory, apoptotic, and oxidative stress response in cardiac tissue. The effect of the training and androgen intervention on adiponectin expression, a potential cardio protectant was also examined.

Methods: Forty male C57Bl/6J mice, 3 months of age were randomized into four groups (n = 10 per group).

Is self-reported symptom duration in individuals with patellofemoral pain an accurate measure? An observational longitudinal study.

Background: Although self-reported symptom duration of individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP) is usually assessed for clinical and research purposes, its accuracy has never been investigated.

Objectives: We followed up individuals with PFP over 15 months to determine the agreement between self-reported symptom duration and calculated symptom duration.

Methods: Self-reported symptom duration of 39 participants was assessed at baseline and re-assessed at follow-up.